Then they'll take you to Cloughprior and shove you in the ground (Mingle)

[notinflictthem]

CHARACTERS: Hawkeye and the Veteran’s Poker Club
DATE: March
LOCATION: Hawkeye’s clinic
SITUATION: Poker game (for veterans)
WARNINGS: Presumably discussion of conflict and ptsd

You need one more drop of poison and you'll dream of foreign lands

A notice goes up on the board, and Hawkeye sets up the clinic for the occasion. Obviously he’s not moving all his medical supplies out- at the back of his mind is always the possibility that something could happen that demands he put his doctor hat on again. Not choppers, but something.

But he sets up a table and chairs in the middle of the main room, with a stack of cards and some ‘chips’ (acorns, he went out and gathered some acorns, which he’s painted different colours). There’s a flask of his homemade gin, some finger food from the Oak and Iron, and he got a box of cigars for the occasion. Feels just like the conferences from home, only without sandwiches that move and Frank. So, y’know, infinitely better.

Prior to starting, while Hawkeye’s setting up, he’ll engage in some small talk with anyone who shows up early- which, they’ll all be military, it will probably be all of them.
“Ever played poker?”

Or

“Can I get you a drink?”

Or

“Can you grab that tray of implements for me?”

At the sick bed of Cuchulainn we'll kneel and say a prayer

When everyone who’s arriving arrives, Hawk sets himself at the table, one of his surgical lights over top of the table to set the mood.

“Alright- this is poker, it’s a little game we like to play back on earth, because we like losing money. I’m gonna teach you five card draw, just to get us started. I’m going to deal each of you five cards. What you’re looking for is to have the highest hand at the end of the round, then you take the pot. Easy. Hands are ranked by how hard they are to do- if you get numbered cards in order and they’re all the same suit, that’s a straight flush. Then we go four of a kind, which is just that- four of the same number. Full house is if you have three of the same number and a pair of a different numbers in the same hand. Flush is if you have all your cards in the same suit. Then straight, which is by number order but not the same suit, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and then if you have absolutely nothing we score it by your highest card.”

Hawkeye clears his throat, takes a sip of gin.

“I'll deal to start with, we all bet based on our hands and how confident we are that we’ll have the highest ranking hand, then we discard any cards we want and redraw back up to five. Then we place our final bets, and reveal our hands. You get lost at any point, just ask. Questions?”

And the ghosts are rattling at the door and the devil's in the chair

Shittalking, chewing the fat, commiseration, and general socializing with Hawkeye during games goes under this header. Tls for your characters welcome in the comments.

Comments

[notinflictthem]

Hawkeye huffs a laugh-

"No, no, just a nickname my dad gave me. I don't even like guns."

Well, he had to try.

"I'd invite you into the game but if you play like your husband does, I might have to mortgage the clinic."

He doesn't take the lack of handshake personally, and gestures for her to follow.

"C'mon, sit down, meet the boys- and Ari, sorry Ari- can I get you something to drink?"

[decohere]

"Infamous war criminal back in my world goes by it too," she explains almost cheerfully, because still there's nobody around to contradict her on calling the Avengers such. Tarnishing their reputation to those that will never know better is always fun.

And she's a little regretful to let the handshake go unrequited, but given her worsening physical state... she really doesn't want to draw much more attention to the fact she's struggling.

And that includes playing cards. Having to shuffle, hold her hand steady without dropping them across the table for others to see... it's nice to have an out. "Ah, I have a horrible poker face anyway," Ava claims, glancing up at her husband a bit proudly to know he's doing so well. But she did learn to play from the best, spent plenty of time in the casino perfecting her strategy. She'll gladly spare them the humiliation for now.

"What's on the menu?"

[be_seeing_you]

Number 6 snorts a breath that's almost a laugh but doesn't decide to ruin Ava's fun by setting the record at all straight. Well, she is technically right anyway.

"That's all right, dearest, you can be my lady luck. We'll get the whole clinic in no time." He winks playfully.

Then he opens the floor to Hawkeye to lay out the offerings for the evening. He doesn't want any responsibility for that gin.

[notinflictthem]

"Yeesh. Well, I've never been formally court-martialed, so I've got that over him, besides being more handsome than him." Obviously.

It's no skin off Hawk's nose that Ava doesn't want to play, and Hawkeye gestures to the admittedly diminishing refreshments table.

"Martini? We only serve them dry here, so dry that we just think about vermouth instead of adding it. We also have some nibbles, and some cigars if you want to indulge in some hypocrisy along with your vices."

[decohere]

A small giggle, Ava makes no commentary on the supposed handsome ranking of other men. But she's warming up to this Hawkeye far quicker than the dreadful purple arrow guy.

"Shaken, not stirred," she teases with an oh so innocent glance up at her husband. "And I'll steal a puff or two off Peter's. Just so he doesn't have to wait to brush his teeth." Before that goodnight kiss he promised.

Yes, sorry. They are this disgusting.

[be_seeing_you]

Number 6 shoots Ava playful glare at that shaken not stirred comment. He sees what you did there.

But he's more surprised when she says she'll take a puff from his cigar. "I didn't think you smoked?"

Yep. Sorry. It's couple's hour now.

[decohere]

"I don't," Ava confirms. "But I know a neat trick."

[notinflictthem]

...

"The joke is that we don't have vermouth, I don't think I even have a cocktail shaker."

Yeah he predates even the James Bond novels, sorry Ava. But he's a good host, so he gets her a glass even if he doesn't get the reference. It's surprisingly good, but it is very much still moonshine.

"Am I going to have to tell you two to get a room?"

[decohere]

"I don't even know what vermouth is," Ava follows up while taking whatever is offered. You could give her anything in the appropriate cup and she'd believe you it was a martini.

"No no, I'll behave." Super convincing.

[be_seeing_you]

Number 6 could choose to warn her about how badly that drink is going to burn. Or. He could enjoy watching her face as she experiences it for herself. He's choosing the latter.

"Not to worry, I'll be a perfect gentleman." Also so super convincing.

[notinflictthem]

"It's a kind of sweet wine. I don't go in for it- I like my martinis mummified."

He gets her a glass and places it on the table, he doesn't know how transparency thing works but he's not dropping one of his glasses.

"Good, I'll be doing routine checks under the table, hands to yourselves," he says with a wink, "you two meet on that cruise ship thing?"

[decohere]

Oh she can get invisible handsy, but doesn't care to give away her secrets, as she swipes her hand a few times through the cup before she wraps her fingers solidly around it. It helps to get a good feel of the object.

"Yes. Got stuck together in the elevator. And then later my best friend almost hit him with his car..." Ava smiles fondly in remembrance of yelling at Maximilien to stop. Ah, their rivalry was quite adorable.

Ava takes one sip of the drink, makes a bit of a choking sound, and passes the rest along to Number 6. "Please be a gentleman and take this away."

[be_seeing_you]

Number 6's lips are sealed with a particularly smug grin. As if Hawkeye could stop them?

"She put her foot through me, literally, in that elevator" he adds to her story. "I was taken with her ever since." And, in light of the fact Maximilien may be the reason they are here together, he chooses to forgive the omnic for his murderous intent with the car.

He snickers when she tries her drink and immediately chokes. That's about what he expected. "Of course, my dear," he answers as he reaches to drink it himself. These two are the most disgustingly in-love couple ever.

[notinflictthem]

"You're a lucky man and I hope you know it," hachi machi, what a fox, he's jealous.

He takes no offence at her reaction- it's not weak stuff- but hey, so long as Peter likes it. That said, he doesn't hang out with married couples for a reason, and this is a big one.

"Alright- well you kids settle in, I'm gonna go check in on the others. Have fun, yeah?"

[decohere]

She feels a bit bad, for running off one of his new potential friends. But she doesn't intend to hang around too long, really only wanted to peek in to make sure everything was going well.

She gives a laugh and Number 6 a playful nudge. "You hear that? Kid. First person not trying to offer you the senior citizen discount."

not here <3

[astrogator]

Tayrey's mid-game, but this catches her attention, and she glances over for a moment.

Peter has to be near Savitskaya's age. Older than Hawkeye, for sure. Which makes that comment exceptionally puzzling.

It's something she'll mull over later.

[be_seeing_you]

Number 6 has no regrets. His friends will have to get used to it because he intends to make no changes to his behavior. If James Bond is allowed to schmooze around with various women, he can be allowed to publicly make eyes at his own wife.

"I knew I liked him already," Number 6 chuckles. "I prefer this over accusations of being ten years older."

[decohere]

She takes a curious glance around the gathering again. A few familiar faces, some completely unknown. But by her rough estimate, he falls about somewhere in the middle of the age range. Which is mostly brought down by the presence of Tayrey. Ava catches her brief glance over, and decides she might check in later.

But for now. "Want to introduce me to a few others?"

good place to wrap?

[be_seeing_you]

"It would be my pleasure," Number 6 answers, taking her hand with the one not currently holding her drink. "Let's go get acquainted."