(Untitled)

[gotacigarette]

She doesn't have the energy to walk all the way back to her hut; by the time the party's over, her feet ache miserably, even if the way that Babe's been looking at her all night makes up for it. She's had enough cider to make her head spin a little, nevermind dancing with Babe and Joe, talking to little girls about baseball and piglets

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[yo_babe]

No sooner is Babe opening the door for her than he's shooing the piglet away from Eden's toes. The animal snorts at him, but only backs up a few steps, her small hooves tapping lightly on the floor.

"And I don't even gotta ask," he adds, appreciative as he helps her with her coat. The pig huffs again, wanting attention. Her tail wags like a damn dog. "She needs a name," he thinks aloud. "I can't call her Pig forever."

[gotacigarette]

Out of her shoes, finally, Eden looks down at the little piglet on the floor. Despite herself, she loves the damn thing and Babe's right. They can't go on calling her Pig her whole life.

"Well," she says, sitting down on Babe's bed with her back against the wall and her feet dangling. "She's a girl pig, so that's a start." She smirks at him. "Hera Agathon was very upset you haven't named her yet. I told her it was because my boyfriend's an idiot."

[yo_babe]

"She's a pig." It ain't the first time Babe's reminded someone that the pig's just that - a pig. People don't usually name a pig anything but bacon and sausage.

"I can't be that much of an idiot," he adds, tossing a glance her direction that implies she's got somethin' to do with that. He puts her coat aside, then he crosses to Eden, swooping her legs up before he sits with them on his lap. "We could name her Pinky." He's jokin', the 'we' slippin' out easy enough that he don't even notice.

[gotacigarette]

"Sometimes, you stumble onto a good idea." She tilts her head and looks down at the little pig on the floor. "She's a pet," Eden corrects him, digging him lightly in the thigh with one heel. She makes a face at Pinky.

"My cat was named Ruby."

[yo_babe]

Babe ain't namin' the pig Pinky, mostly 'cause he refuses to walk around calling her by that. He can take a hint, and his hand tucks under her heel as his other starts to work the arch of her foot. This, he's kinda good at, but what foot rub doesn't feel good?

"Ruby, huh?" he says absently. Then, he looks at the pig who isn't called Pinky. "How 'bout Phyllis?" he suggests.

[gotacigarette]

For a moment, the work that Babe's hands are doing on her aching foot doesn't allow for rational thought and she just lets her head roll back, her eyes slipping closed.

"Phyllis," she echoes. "Like Philadelphia."

[yo_babe]

"Like Philly."

If she's gonna react that way, Babe won't even ask if he's doin' this right. There's an irresistible little nook in Eden's neck that Babe's cool nose nuzzles against, her skin warm underneath it.

"I don't think we made it to the part with any cat," he says, bringing up the film as an afternote to the cat. Or he hadn't paid enough attention to anything but what had made him flip the switch on the projector.

[gotacigarette]

"I like it."

Eden's fingers push through Babe's thick red hair, holding his head where it is, her body arching, pressing against his where it can.

"She wasn't in it. I never made it back to London."

[yo_babe]

She either has no idea what she's doin', pressin' in against him like that, or she has every idea what she's doin' and it's on purpose. His hand moves from the arch of her foot to her ankle, almost consoling.

"We don't have to talk about that," he says. "It's Christmas anyway and I want you to have somethin'."

[gotacigarette]

Eden's more than happy not to talk about it, and there'll be more time afterwards to tell Babe that she didn't die, and she got what she wanted in the end.

She pulls back just enough to look into his face.

"You don't have to give me anything," she says, and never mind the very carefully selected things under the dress that are for nobody but him. "Nobody ever gives me anything."

[yo_babe]

It's a cryin' ass shame that no one's ever even given her a Christmas present before. Babe pauses, lookin' back at her. He feels this sense of privilege that he gets to see her like this, and he touches the pad of his thumb to her bottom lip.

"There's a first time for everything, right?" he says, givin' her his best face forward. It ain't like he can give her diamonds or anything like that.

[gotacigarette]

His thumb against her lip, Eden smiles, as sweet as she can manage. It's a smile that she saves for Babe, mostly. Her lips purse, and she presses a little kiss to the skin against her mouth.

"You don't think you're enough?" The words, they're teasing, but she's entirely. She means it.

She ever expected to end up with anything like him.

[yo_babe]

How can he answer that? He can't. For what he's about to give her, he feels a little foolish. It ain't good enough, but it's all he's got, and after his talk with Davos and seein' what's happened to Eden before the island, he knows it's what he wants to give.

It takes him a few moments and he's loathe to do it, but he finally slides from her and pulls his coat from where it's laying. It ain't wrapped, and it's definitely not somethin' he's ever thought to give his girl - his trench knife, still in the sheath. He runs his fingers over the woven material as he crosses back to her, handin' it over, blade facin' towards himself.

"It ain't pearls," he says, a hint of apprehension in his tone.

[gotacigarette]

Sitting up a little, Eden takes the knife by the handle, her hair slipping into her face when she bends her head to examine it. She can she the motivation behind it, wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with Davos. She runs her fingers against and then, very carefully, sets it down with her shoes.

"Your present is going to take a bit more unwrapping," she says, looking back up at him through the long ends of her hair.

"It's not quite as period appropriate, I'm afraid."

[yo_babe]

Like that's somethin' Babe's gonna complain about? It's kinda like unwrapping somethin' old and getting something new underneath. One palm settles on the mattress beside her hip, the fingers of his free hand working the top button of Eden's blouse through the whole.

"Do I get a peek first?" he asks playfully.

[gotacigarette]

Eden leans back, both hands resting on Babe's shoulders and giving him as much room as he wants to maneuverer. Even one button undone makes it easier to breath, her breasts shoved up by the carefully picked black lace bra. Back home, all of her underwear had been utilitarian black cotton. It wasn't exactly unpleasant to be trust up in ribbon and lace.

"As long as you think a peek won't ruin the whole thing for you."