AU

[soldier_singled]

It's pretty late for them to both be up, but when Sophie decides she's up, she's up and there's not a thing that either of them can do to convince her other wise. She's got Web's fierce blue eyes but maybe she looks a little bit more like Joe in her face, the older she gets

Comments

[aintthatbad]

Thanks to Frank Perconte, Skinny's picked up on the importance of always brushing your teeth. Thanks to living here, he's gotten used to a whole boatload of odd sights. Joe Liebgott with an infant on his hip still doesn't quite register, though, and Skinny pauses in the doorway on his way to the bathroom.

"Jesus, Lieb, she's never gonna bed down if you feed her cookies now. Even I know that."

[soldier_singled]

"I'm not feedin' her," says Joe, grinning at Skinny in the doorway. "I'm just cuttin' some while she won't let me get any damn sleep."

Just at the sight of her favourite uncle, Sophie burst into gummy smiles. Joe rolls his eyes.

"Great. Now I'm never gettin' her settled. Thanks for that, buddy."

[aintthatbad]

He crooks a grin and ambles inside. "You know I'm just here to make your life easy," he says, sticking the toothbrush and toothpaste in his pocket. "C'mere, gimme the little squeaker. Cookie cutting's a two-handed job, and you drop things when you're not careful."

[soldier_singled]

"Her name's Sophie, Skinny," says Joe, like he uses it nearly as much as Webster would like him to. She looks so damn happy to see him though that there's not a lot Joe can do but hand her over.

"I've yet to figure out why you're her goddamn favourite."

[aintthatbad]

"Heyyy, squeaky thing!" he coos, his whole face lighting up as he takes hold of her and lifts her up. "Because of this, Lieb," he says, and puffs his cheeks out until he practically looks like a cartoon. Sophie squeals, and Skinny grins and bounces her in the air. "Because I have a way with women."

[soldier_singled]

"She's not women, Skinny. She's my kid."

He can't help it though. He smiles when he sees Skinny's face brighten like that. It's hard not to, when he realises how much the guys love Sophie.

[aintthatbad]

"She's a proto-women, like it or not." He brings her close and rubs his nose up against hers; his expression is about as gleeful as her sounds. "She is a little bundle of future womanhood, only we're gonna ruin you so no man'll be able to keep up, isn't that right, little bit? Yes it is."

[soldier_singled]

"I think Webster'll lock her away until she's eighteen if I let him," says Joe, going back to cookie cutting, although he glances up at Skinny and Sophie often.

"Hell, ain't a woman alive who could grow up around Easy and still think well of other guys."

[aintthatbad]

"Oh God." Skinny wrinkles his nose, bouncing her close against his chest. "He'll try and make her memorize poetry and things. Me, I'm gonna teach you to shoot, yes I am." He starts walking her around the kitchen. "We'll bust you out and make mudpies and take dirt baths and never wear shoes and when you lose your teeth, I'll teach you all about spitting. Doesn't that sound good?"

Sophie responds by grabbing Skinny's forelock and tugging. "Oh now! Ha. Lieb, I may be rethinking that hair thing here..."

[soldier_singled]

Joe pushes his own longish hair back off his forehead. He doesn't cut his own hair nearly as often as he ought to.

"Yeah, you and me both, buddy. She's got her daddy's love of hair pullin'."

[aintthatbad]

Skinny tries, as gently as he can, to take Sophie's fist and open it so she's not latched onto his hair. "Okay, no scissors or razors for you for a very long time, young lady." He's only partly successful, but as a consolation prize, he has migrated over next to Joe. "What kind of dough is that?"

He's got no particular reason to ask.

[soldier_singled]

"Like I'm gonna get a look in when Web starts teaching her to fish and sail."

Joe looks up from his cutting.

"It's oatmeal with chocolate chip. Jesus Christ, you're worse than a seabird."

[aintthatbad]

"You're not using it all!" he protests, and claps the bottom of his ribcage. "Come on, I got years of K rations to make up for. Have a heart."

He leans forward, hand outstretched, Sophie tipping downward with him.

[soldier_singled]

"One day, I'll manage to make a full goddamn batch," says Joe, sighing. "Gimme my daughter before you drop her and you can eat the rest."

[aintthatbad]

"I won't drop her," Skinny insists, offended, and pauses. He straightens up, still holding on to the kidlet. "You're making me choose between cookie dough and Sophie. I think that's kind of unfair on your part."

[soldier_singled]

"Just gimme my kid," says Joe, holding out his arms. "I get a cuddle and then you can have her back once you've filled your greedy belly, okay?"