(Untitled)

[yo_babe]

In the rec room, a slightly sunburned Babe Heffron carefully lines up a shot on the pool table with his pool cue and puts another ball into the corner pocket. It plucks into place as it always does. Babe's good at pool, but not as good as other people, one of whom isn't here anymore. Doing this now feels pretty damn flat. It ain't like he's got

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[gotacigarette]

It's disorientating. It's been months since she could see out of two eyes, but then she'd given Capa her prosthetic for a couple and, suddenly, here it is. She didn't even mention it to Babe in case it didn't work out, but now she's standing watching him through two eyes, and she pushes her hair back with her left hand.

"Standards are slipping," she says.

[yo_babe]

No matter how many times he hears it, he's always relieved when she's there, talkin' and just being Eden. Sure, he could stick to her all day long, but it ain't healthy doing stuff like that. He looks up, but he don't expect what he sees and he's somewhere between smiling and looking at her questioningly, and he settles for gesturing to her face with his hand, the other resting on his pool cue. "There's somethin' different, isn't there?" he teases.

[gotacigarette]

True, she hasn't worn it for a couple of days, because Capa's had it, but she's been wearing it since it stopped working, so it's not like having it in is proof of anything. She tilts her head, gives him that smile that's always just for him.

That smile's proof of why she's wearing his ring.

"...I don't know what you mean."

[yo_babe]

This is one of them tricks that women pull when they've had their ears lowered or they've bought a new dress. Babe can't put his finger on it, and it's pretty obvious that he can't, so he can't not expect to have to guess. "New punchin' bag routine?" he tries.

[not_a_quaker]

For a while there, it seemed like the men just kept showing up, one after the other. Now though, we're five down - George, then Bill, then Buck, and now Doc and Joe - disappearing one after the other. Buck's disappearance hit the hardest for me, a fellow officer, a good man and one of my best friends. I don't want to think this way, but I can't help but wonder if I'm next...or Nix.

I'm finally used to not having an agenda and purpose every waking moment, so I'm not headed anywhere in particular when I hear the familiar clack of billiard balls from the rec room and head that direction. My lips curve into a hint of a smile when I see that it's Babe; I appreciate more than ever the men who are still here. "Out of practice?" I remark as I approach.

[yo_babe]

When Winters is around, there's always the instinctive urge to snap a crisp salute to his temple, to stand up straight like someone's shouting attention on deck! Babe resists the urge, although his full attention goes directly to Winters at once. He shrugs, shifting the pool cue to his left hand. He offers it over, unable to help his own smile, however slight it may be. "Yeah, a little," he admits. "How 'bout you?"

[not_a_quaker]

"Well, I don't think I've ever played more than once or twice," I say with a small chuckle. "I generally leave this game to...others." A name is on the tip of my tongue, but I elect not to say it. I think Babe knows who I mean, anyway.

[yo_babe]

Yeah, he does, and he shifts uncomfortably at the mention, but only just. Instead of holding the pool cue out anymore, he uses it to lean on and rubs at the back of his own neck. "How ya been?" he inquires because he just doesn't know what else to say and there's always that default.

[theonionknight]

Davos had been meaning to have a proper talk with Babe for some time. If nothing else, he wanted to offer his congratulations.

When he did see him, it was entirely by accident. The other man was playing a game in the rec room, that in all honesty Davos had never quite understood, and he didn't want to interrupt.

So he waited just next to the table for Babe to note his presence and then greeted him with a nod and a "Good day to you".

[yo_babe]

It's not all that difficult to notice when someone's almost in your space, so Babe looks up just before he lines up another shot. He's also relieved to see Davos is here, still. "Well, hey," he greets back, not as proper as Davos, but it'll do. "I haven't seen you since, yaknow, that thing." He gestures to the pool table. "Wanna try your luck?"

[theonionknight]

"I fear I do not know that game," Davos replied carefully.

"But it is well that I've caught you," he added with a smile. "Major Sinclair told me the good news. 'Tis a fine match you've made, you should be well pleased."

[yo_babe]

Shit. Babe could teach him, no problem, but it's not pool he's thinking about when Davos says that. Pleased is an understatement, to be sure. "Yeah," he agrees, his smile growing. "Yeah, thanks. Who'da thunk it, huh?" Well, it's not like the idea of Babe marrying is far fetched, but Eden - Eden's a different story entirely.