| Take a Cue |
| Summary: | Keenan, Devlin, and Shiner play a little pool, and talk more than a little shit. |
| Date: | 23 March 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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| Recreation Room |
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| There's a pool table, and also a table with coffee, and some tvs with video games. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #390 |
Being a rookie has been unkind to Keenan "Pom-Poms" Raios. At Condition Three he's managed to hang onto a high rotation of shifts to keep his flight hours up, and much of his life onboard the Cerberus has been spent trying to catch up on his sleep or get a warm meal into his belly. However, a rare beam of sunlight has shown on his schedule, allowing him to check out the Rec-Room for the first time. Standing alone near the pool table, he sets down a hot mug of tea and moves to collect the colored billiard balls into the triangle for a solo game of pool.
Devlin isn't very high on the totem pole himself, though there are at least a few in the wings now that he's got a couple whole months of seniority on. Not that it ever seems to come up, except maybe now and again in scheduling. He seems better rested than Keenan, at least, but that might just be the coffee he's drinking as he wanders away from the mess table in the back. "Up for some competition?" he asks the other man as he nears the pool tables, chin lifted to add a greeting to the question.
"Sure, take a cue." Keenan replies, his eyes locked on the triangle as he sets them just right. Looking up to finally see who's approaching, his eyes fail to recognize the face. Everything is new to the rookie. Lifting the wooden triangle from the felt playing surface, Keenan heads over to the rack of cue sticks and hangs it on the hook. "I've seen you on the deck, which one are you? Keenan Raios. Pom-Poms." He greets, extending a hand for a shake.
Shiner struts into the rec room, still (and quite unnecessarily) in his flight suit, the novelty not yet worn thin on him. He runs a hand through his hair, affecting his best male model pose, and can't even attempt to hide a huge, shit-eating grin. Either he just got laid, or is otherwise particularly full of himself today. "Yo! Decoy!" he greets, along with a more hesitant, "And.. er… yo, Pom-Poms?" He shrugs, leaning up against the doorway. "Hey, dude, what's got two thumbs and just flew a REAL raptor in REAL space?" Eyebrows waggle and he gestures to himself with those stated thumbs. "Ohhh yeaaaahhh!"
"Cool," Devlin replies, picking one out from the rack and finding a little square of blue chalk to rub on the end. "Oh, shit, you're Pom-Poms?" He laughs, but looks a bit guilty, "I'm Decoy," he replies, "Alex Devlin. I sort of… made that name happen. Sorry about that, man, I wasn't thinking when I said it. Could be worse, right?" He shrugs a bit and then turns as Shiner enters, and laughs, grinning, "Seriously, they let you fly a real one? Shit, we're all frakked now. Congrats, dude, that's awesome."
"Yeah, I'm the unlucky bastard to get that one, but no sweat. It's starting to settle in. Nice to meet you, man and thanks for the coverage out there." Keenan shrugs off Devlin's guilty look, turning to clap his hands over the top of his mug of tea. Raising the mug to Shiner in a salute, he takes a sip and sets it back down on the countertop near the cue rack. His attention turns to Shiner once more. "So how was your first date? You look like you just got off of a ride at Star World. Want in on the pool table?"
"Well, she didn't let me take off, or land," Shiner admits, "But I totally flew out there and turned and stuff." He flexes his hands in front of him, cracking the knuckles. "It's /way/ awesome. Almost as good as sex." He gives a firm nod, then grins at Keenan. "Sure, if you don't mind getting your /ass/ whooped!" He ambles to the rack, carefully selecting a cue and twirling it in his fingers, for all the world as if he knows what he's doing. "Uh. Wait. How are we going to play with three of us?"
"Better than 'Drips'," Devlin opines, "Or 'Stripper'. Or whatever Shiner's gonna end up with, I bet that'll be extra bad," he guesses with a grin. He fiddles with the cue and then shrugs at the midshipman's question, "Dunno. And that's cool, you got to fly it at all. Too bad they can't do that with Vipers somehow, could've gotten in one a lot sooner if there's a way to fly it without having to land it. Oh well. Swarms gave plenty of practice, I'll give 'em that." He spins his cue again and reaches for his coffee for a sip asking, "So, where're you from, Raios?"
"Yeah, take it from me, Shiner, when you do get out there, watch what you say and do or else they're gonna nail you with a callsign you're bound to have to explain. We'll play cutthroat. You're 1-5, Decoy's 6-10, and I'm 11-15. First to sink all of theirs wins." Keenan replies to Shiner, moving to stand at the side of the table. He motions with his hand for Devlin to break. "Leonis. I came up with the group rescued from Aquarian Pete's. Born and raised since then was living on a cot as a civilian. What about you guys?"
"They're going to nail me with a shitty one regardless," Shiner points out cheerfully, "No matter what I do out there, so I might as well go for the worst one I can." He thumps his chest twice, then extends his arm. "Picon, represent, dude! Go panthers!"
"Oh, no doubt," Devlin agrees with Shiner with a grin and a nod, "Dunno what you'll get, man, but it is going to be epic, I bet you. Probably something to do with boobs, is my guess," he snickers. He nods to Keenan's plan and steps up to the table to break, sending the balls rolling across the felt with a crack. "Libran, here," he replies, "Got lucky and was on on Warday. Spent a while in the hangar before I enlisted, too. None of this fancy freighter stuff," he jokes.
"Yeah…wasn't much for openings for pilots for those anyway. Saturated market." Keenan adds in, watching closely as the colored balls scatter across the green playing surface. Glancing sidelong to Decoy, he issues a quiet snort in response to Shiner's pride for the Picon Panthers. "The Panthers, are you frakkin' kidding me? You're talking about a team that's dropped more balls than the entire history of veterinary science." Keenan smirks, changing the subject. "This guy for real?" He asks Decoy before moving to take a shot. "I was going to offer you the next shot, Shiner, but like the Colonial rankings, Leonis always comes before…" Keenan starts as he lines up his shot. He takes it, but misses. "…shit."
"I think you're confused, pal," Shiner notes with an easy grin. "You mean to say that Leonis /is/ shit. When was the last time the Lions won the championship? Oh, right, that'd be… oh yeah. Never." He eases round the table, squinting at his options from a few positions as he makes up his mind. "And see you guys, hanging about, relaxing, getting a free ride with the fleet as civvies, while some of us worked our asses off." He finally lines up a shot, tops the cueball and sends it spinning off to one side in a particularly girlie attempt. It does hit a ball, thankfully, and even one of his. He gives the pair a pointed 'I meant to do that' look.
Devlin laughs and just shakes his head, disagreeing with both of them, "Swords'd beat both your sorry ass teams, even if they would get stomped by the Stampede after." He watches them shoot and then snorts at Shiner. "Hey, we joined up, didn't we? Not doing any hanging about getting a free ride, you can whinge at somebody else about that. CAG even offered to let me back out once I'd joined, and I stayed." He just shakes his head at both of their attempts, and then takes his own, sinking the ball, but the cueball also. "Least I got one in," he shrugs.
"Bah, championships and rings don't make the team. It's about the tradition and the way the game is played. It's not my fault the Lions didn't soak their money into having the most expensive players." Keenan replies. Resting against the wall with his cue, Keenan watches the game unfold. "Refugee life ain't all sitting around doing nothing, Shiner." Keenan starts, looking towards the blond-haired man. "It's obvious the military operation is running the show here, and when you're relying on the military to get your meals, trust me, you feel that guilt of taking food out of your protector's pocket. It ain't a free ride."
"Touchy fellow, ain't you?" Shiner notes to Keenan with a grin, gesturing for the chalk. "I've got a year's /proof/ that civvies are full of shit, though. Science fact!"
"Frak off, Shiner, not that shit again," Devlin groans, "Come off it. He was a civ for most of that year," he points at Keenan, "And I was, too. And lots of others. Are we all full of shit? How about all the people who're too old or too young to join up, or cripples or whatever? They full of shit? Not everybody can do the shit we do, it's frakking hard." He digs the cueball back out and sets it on the mark for whoever's shooting next.
"Science fact you're full of shit if you really believe that." Keenan fires back to Shiner, lowering his eyebrows in a testy manner as an obvious boundary gets scraped. "Why don't you go over there and ask a mother what she has to do to keep her kid from screaming while the Cylons are outside trying to nuke us and then ask how hard your job is. You're not even taking off your Raptor yet." Keenan shakes his head, turning to give Decoy a look of camaraderie. "You been over to Colonial Pete's yet, Shiner? Drinking bullshit civvie beer yet?" Keenan asks as he lines up his shot, dropping one ball into the side pocket with a loud crack.
"I was working as enlisted on the deck before I signed up to be a glory boy," Shiner points out amiably, lining up a shot. "And when the civvies were on the deck, I was the one dealing with civvy shit. Literally. Working the wagon to pump poo. It's a play on words, see? Full of shit? Because… uh… shit? You know?"
Devlin snorts at Shiner and shakes his head, shooting the Raptor nugget a grin, "I wouldn't remind people if I was you, you'll get an even worse callsign than you were headed for already. Man, that sucked," he remembers, leaning against the edge of the table as Keenan's turn continues, "They only got plumbing in there finally after I left and like, right before everybody got moved to the freighter. Least I was one of the first in the hangar, got to pick a spot upwind."
"Yeah, that wasn't fun. The dirty looks we got weren't a walk in the park either." Keenan replies, taking a step back from the table and setting his cue onto the rack. "I've got a CAP later so I'm going to catch some zed. Finish up without me." Keenan says, an annoyed look on his face as he steps away from the table. A friendly nod is issued to Decoy on his way out, but no gesture of the sort is extended in Shiner's direction. "See you guys around."
Shiner rolls his eyes. "Cockknocker," he proclaims. "Wah wah wah, it's sooo hard to get dirty looks, wah wah. Get over it."
"See you, Pom-Poms," Devlin gives a wave to the departing pilot before turning back to the table. He smirks faintly at Shiner and agrees, "Yeah, that bit made him sound like a bit of a pansy. Maybe shoulda just kept that one in." He takes a shot, sinking a ball and then shrugs again, "Bit touchy, but I think he's an alright guy. It's tough when you're just new," he says, "Takes a bit. Sure he'll even out. Anyways. Enjoying Condition Three? Used up all your vouchers buying drinks for girls yet?"
"This is the fleet, dude. If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined," Shiner points out, shrugging. "Not my fault he's a knobjockey. Nice shot," he adds as the ball goes down. "Nah, haven't spent any vouchers just yet. Been catching up on training time now you guys aren't out flying excessive CAP all the time, y'know? BUT… I totally got a date with that Solstice chick. Score!" And he holds up a hand for a high five.
"Dude, half the wing can't take a joke," Devlin laughs, "I mean, Poppy? Sweet Pea? Quaker? Lotion?" He shakes his head and shrugs, "I mean, I think he could stand to lighten up a bit. But I think pretty much everybody could stand to lighten up a bit, so. You know." He shrugs again and then nods at the answer to his question, "Yeah, true, tough to want to run training flights when there might be toasters any second. Seems like we're free of 'em now, hope that sticks. Wait, Shakes?" He gives the high-five, but then doubletakes, "Really?"
"Really," Shiner affirms smugly. "Only for coffee, but hey, coffee's just another word for sex, right?"
"For sure," Devlin laughs, probably not really serious, "You're totally in there. Where're you having the coffee? Over at Pete's, or here?"
"Oh, I dunno, we never really figured that bit out," Shiner admits. "I just said I'd stop by and pick her up at eight. Probably Pete's, yeah. All just further proof that women can't resist me and my charms, dude."
"Picking her up?" Devlin's brows rise, "Must be a real date, then. Yeah, you should take her somewhere, at least, like… the Obs Deck or something." He grins, "Oh, is there more proof from before? I missed that. I'd watch out, I dunno Shakes very well, but she seems like a serious type."
Shiner arches an eyebrow, resting his cue against the table. "Serious as in no sense of humour, or serious as in will start gabbing on about marriage and babies before she puts out?"
"Ummm," Devlin cocks his head, "I think just normal serious. I don't know if she's got no sense of humor, but I don't really get the feeling she's the jokey type, you know? Like I said, I don't know her too much. She mixes most with the other Harriers and the rest of the crew picked up on Tauron."
Shiner shrugs. "Ah well, not that it matters as long as she's got her mouth full, right? Right?" Nudge, nudge, high five.
Devlin snorts and laughs, shaking his head, "Dunno, man, I think your chances of getting her mouth full go down some if she's, like, an actual adult, you know? But maybe they go back up if you know going in and can play it right, yeah?"
"I'm pretty sure that filling the mouths of kids is both illegal and immoral, pal," Shiner insists solemnly, wagging a finger. "Got hot tips for me, then? I figured I'd just lay on the compliments until she's putty in my hands."
Devlin laughs, "Gross, dude, you know that's not what I meant." He laughs and puts another ball in the pocket, shrugging as he moves around the table, debating how to line up his next shot. "Ehhh. But if you don't actually know her she'll know you don't mean 'em, you know? You might have to, like… actually talk to her some."
Shiner looks uncomfortable at this prospect, nose wrinkling. "That never goes well," he points out. "I mean, they'll ask my opinion on something, so I'll tell them, and then it's all funny looks and trying to get away as soon as possible. I think sticking to compliments is probably safer."
"So then just say something different," Devlin counsels, missing his next shot by a hair and stepping back as his turn ends, "I mean, what do you usually say that gets you funny looks? Do you say shit to them like you'd say to me?"
"Well, yeah?" Shiner replies, an eyebrow raised. He shrugs, leaning over the table to try his luck with an easy shot. "I'm shit at lying, so I just tell them straight, if they ask."
"Sounds like telling it straight turns out pretty shit too," Devlin points out, "Maybe you should try something else? I mean, you don't have to lie, just, like… don't say everything in your head, right? Like if a girl asks what you're thinking or something, what're you gonna say? That you're thinking about how you want to frak her? Instead just say you're thinking about how you like her, or how you're glad she agreed to come out with you or something instead. It's not a lie but it's not gonna piss them off, either."
"Sometimes it works, though," Shiner points out smugly. "Sometimes they're so surprised that you told them the truth that they just hop into bed with you."
"Well yeah, I mean, sometimes," Devlin agrees, eyes rolling a little, "But not that often. And usually only if they were already thinking about it. Not if you just say it like the first minute you sit down. Unless they're nuts or slutty, but then you're probably in anyways."
"All right, all right," Shiner relents. "So I'll tell her she looks good and ask her to talk about herself. All right? Chicks love talking about themselves."
"They totally do," Devlin agrees, "And then all you've got to do is sit there and look at her and ask a question now and then so she'll keep talking and then you're listening. And I mean, maybe she'll turn out to be interesting, you never know. I was just gonna let Psyche talk at me for long enough to convince her we should hook up, but then it turned out she was really fun," he shrugs.
"I'm not looking for interesting," Shiner admits candidly. "I'm looking for a good time."
"Who says you can't have both?" Devlin replies, "Wouldn't it be easier to find a girl who wants to sleep with you more than once? Save you the trouble of chasing more all the time? I mean, I'm not saying settle down," he says quickly, "Not even a girlfriend or anything, just like… a girl you like enough that you can hang out and hook up more than once."
Shiner considers this as he takes his next shot. "Well, yeah, I guess. But not if she starts getting all clingy and shit. And women /always/ get clingy. Or they suddenly get all moral when they find a new man, like Sof did."
"I thought they all looked at you weird and left as quick as they could," Devlin retorts, "Doesn't sound like they're doing much clinging to me." He takes a swig of coffee and shrugs, "I mean, so then you just break it off with them if it doesn't work. Get as much as you can out of it and when they cling too much to make it worth it, then you move on. Who'd Sof pick up?" he asks curiously, "I think I heard Drips talking about her once, it wasn't him, was it?"
"Eh? Nah, one of the Raptor guys," Shiner admits, shrugging. "I forget which one. Okay, so the challenge is to get into Shakes's bed more than once, right? You're on."
"Ah," Devlin nods, "Gotcha." After a second he admits, "I'm not sure whether I've ever met Sof. Have I?" His head tilts as he thinks, and then he refocuses and nods, "Yeah, that's the challenge," he grins, "Good luck, man."
"She's got massive boobs, you'd like her," Shiner tells the other man conversationally, swearing under his breath as he misses an easy shot. "I do like boobs."
"Everybody likes boobs," Devlin replies, like it's an obvious rule of nature, "Sof's not, umm…" he thinks a second, "Perry? Parry? Redhead everybody says has an awesome rack? They're not the same person, right?"
Shiner shakes his head. "Nah, Sofia Wolfe, right? But you totally need to introduce me to this Perry chick." He gives a thumbs up and a grin.
"Never met her," Devlin says sadly, shaking his head, "All I know is she's a redhed with fantastic tits. Psyche went on for ten minutes about how hot this chick is. I'll have to remind her I want to see for myself."
"So your other half knows her, right?" Shiner confirms. "She can introduce us, then. I'd totally owe you one, dude."
"I dunno," Devlin shakes his head, "I don't think she actually knows her. I think she's just seen her, and thinks she's hot. I'll ask her," he agrees, grinning smirkily, "I think we'd all like to meet her."
"Frak it," Shiner grumbles, putting his cue aside and waiting for Devlin to pot the inevitable final shot. "If she /does/ see her, though, you've got to tell her to tell this chick what a great guy I am, right? And how I'm seriously fit and all that."
Devlin laughs, and leans over the table to plunk the final ball into the pocket, and easy shot Shiner's helpfully left him. He leans back afterwards and nods, "I'll suggest it. I can't promise anything," he admits, "I'm pretty sure if Psyche makes friends with her we get first dibs," he winks and then goes on, "But yeah, maybe she'd do some matchmaking for you, she's into that sometimes."
"I don't pretend to understand women, but if they want to fix me up with a girl with big tits, I'm not exactly going to complain," Shiner points out, offering his hand as he loses the game. "Purely to keep you out of trouble, of course."
"I dunno about 'want to' but maybe I could convince one to try a little," Devlin replies, before laughing, "Keep me out of trouble? Yeah, thanks, man. Thank Gods I've got friends to keep me out of a threesome with my hot wife and a hot redhead. That'd be the worst."
"Hey, what are friends for, pal?" Shiner replies modestly, giving a little bow.
"Cockblocking," Devlin retorts, though he's laughing a little, "Seems like."
"For the good and well being of your marriage," Shiner tells him solemnly. "You should probably thank me."
Devlin laughs, and shakes his head, grinning wider than ever, "Dude, you don't know a thing about my marriage. But I appreciate the thought."
Shiner agrees, nodding. "Yeah, I stay well clear of marriages in general. I've got more sense than you, buddy."
This makes Devlin laugh again. "Yeah, see, I'm just gonna say it again: dude, you don't know anything about my marriage," he repeats, grinning and shaking his head, "Any of your random girls as into smokin' redheads as you are? No? Then I win."
That shuts Shiner up, eyes widening as he considers the possibilities. "Seriously?" he finally manages, leaning back against the pool table with a slight grin, apparently in a contented little world of his own imagination.
"Shit," Devlin groans and laughs at once this time, shaking his head, "I shouldn't have told you that, huh? Now you're gonna be a skeeze about it. Just be cool, dude," he requests before, after a beat, finding himself unable to resist replying, "But yeah, seriously."
"I'm cool! I'm cool!" Shiner protests, grin unabating. "Hey, any time you and your other half want a double date, you'll shout, right?"
"No foursomes, dude," Devlin shakes his head, "I dunno what you mean anyways, but if it's foursomes with you? Not happening."
"How about you go have a coffee, then, and I'll entertain your wife and my date," Shiner suggests helpfully. "I'd do that for you, dude. Totally."
Devlin bursts out laughing again, and shakes his head, "Man, Shiner, you are such a good friend. I don't even know what I'd do without you. I'll keep that in mind if the idea of my wife and a hot girl ever starts turning me off."
"Well, I'll level with you, it's set me up for a few nights with just my hand for company," Shiner freely admits. "I'll save those images in my head just in case Shakes doesn't put out."
Devlin makes a grossed-out sort of noise and rubs a hand over his face and into his hair, shaking his head, and then shrugs, "Eh. Can't really blame you, dude. It's a seriously hot image, and there's always gonna be people jerking it thinking about her. I just take it as a compliment," he grins, "Makes it even cooler she's only mine."
"Selfish bastard," Shiner jibes, grinning as he heads to fwomp down into a seat, taking up the controller to some video game or other. "Sharing's caring, you know."
Devlin grins, "Hey, I just shared enough to give your porn a break for a night, you should be thanking me," he replies, before grinning more, "But yeah, totally keeping that all to myself. 'cept for the top-heavy redheads, anyways." He winks, and then finishes his coffee, setting the mug down, "Alright, gym time. Catch you later, man."
Shiner lifts a hand. "Later, dude. Give her one for me!"
Devlin just laughs, and lifts a hand in return. "Good luck with Shakes!"