#and more when she eventually helps the Sole survivor deal with the institute

[lifesliced]

STEPHEN “GEVANNI” LOUD  — THE SOLE SURVIVOR // * A MAN OUT OF TIME

NAME: stephen loud

ALIAS: gevanni

AGE: 27, almost 28 when frozen in vault 11

BORN: toronto, canada - immigrated when he was going into his freshman year of high school, had dual citizenship

LOCATION PRE-WAR: boston, massachusetts, usa - living in the neighborhood that would be become known as the settlement called “sanctuary.”

CAREER: “ [ ... ] is a former soldier and decorated war hero who served in the 2nd battalion, 108th infantry regiment of the united states army during the sino-american war.” was seen favorably in his ranks, as well as amongst his peers and superiors, and was honorably discharged [ reasons unknown ] .

VAULT: the only surviving member of vault 111

ON NORA: gevanni is actively taking the place of “nate” from the baseline male sole survivor, which leaves the female player character option “nora” as the wife to nate. this is so that players can choose between them, leaving the other to fill the role of spouse at the beginning of the game to establish the sosu’s life pre-war, what they lose, who they care about, and what they were doing before the war (living in a suburb of boston). canonically speaking, nate is a soldier that is recently returned to civilian life, while nora is a recent mother that is looking to “shake the dust off” her law degree, inferring she is a lawyer of some kind. i will be keeping gevanni as a soldier, leaving the default identity of his wife to be “nora,” and their son to be “shaun.” 

after emerging from the vault and stabilizing himself, gevanni went back for nora to give her body a proper burial. she is buried away from vault 111, but near sanctuary in a secluded, woodsy area. something about her body being eternally frozen seemed wrong to him, allowing her to properly be laid to rest. 

he keeps nora’s wedding ring on him, and still wears his ring throughout the series, even if he becomes romantically involved with someone else. this can be a point of contention. 

he visits her grave sometimes when he is at the red rocket truck stop near their old home. while the red rocket is close to sanctuary, it is far enough away (with fond enough memories) to be occupied as a settlement, as well as being near concord, a city that gevanni hopes will become reoccupied via extension of the red rocket. 

by extension, about codsworth ... he and gevanni still get along post-war, gevanni finding codsworth first before anyone else. while codsworth is a companion, i don’t consider him one here. he primarily takes care of the first settlement that gevanni establishes at the red rocket, helping him seal up sanctuary after moving out preston, sturges, and the others. eventually, codsworth is allowed to choose where he wants to live, be it graygarden with the other robots, the castle with the minutemen, choose another settlement, or leave entirely. his relationship with gevanni remains amicable, as many of gevanni’s decisions fall into codsworth approval.

HEY GEVANNI, YOU’RE S.P.E.C.I.A.L. !!

* fallout 4 starts with 28 base distributive points. immediately after leaving the vault, you gain an additional point via a ‘you’re special’ book that is beneath shaun’s crib in sanctuary. total starting points = 29 to distribute at the beginning of “fallout 4.”

these base stats serve to reflect as closely as possible gevanni’s main canon while still remaining within the constraints of fallout 4. i based these SPECIAL stats off of gevanni’s canonical death note stats, compromising and equaling out my totals based on 

these base stats will also determine what branches of perks he pursues, and he does eventually boost these core 7 stats throughout time, ending pretty “stacked” by the time he “deals with” the institute. most threads take place during early-to-mid fallout 4, meaning his stats more closely align to what i have below.

(S)TRENGTH - 3

(P)ERCEPTION - 4

(E)NDURANCE - 5

(C)HARISMA - 6

(I)NTELLIGENCE - 7

(A)GILITY - 3

(L)UCK - 1

gevanni associated his YOU’RE SPECIAL point allocation to intelligence.

* i always start my sole survivor’s at 1 for luck as a reflection of their situation at the beginning of the game, but that skill is prone to change ... for good or bad.

ON PERKS: i decided to go starting, middle, and end for perks; from what he would start with to what he would end the game with. beginning perks, aside from locksmith, are based in his core SPECIAL stats at the start of fo4. if he has the core stat for it, he could potentially have that perk unlocked at the beginning. as the verse progresses, the starting perks would be built on as he gains new perks throughout. by the end, gevanni will have a lot of the perks unlocked, but that does not mean he filled out the entire tree. some i have left out due to not being in the realm of his character. this also includes beginning perks. i did not give gevanni every perk that was technically unlockable to him at the beginning, and some that should have been at the beginning are instead gained in the middle, as i feel they are perks that are related more to the environment, so realistically would make sense to adapt into over having at the beginning (such as aquaboy, cap collector, or lifegiver, for example, both perks he could have had unlocked at the start, but instead show better in the middle, as they are wasteland associated perks, not pre-war perks). 

STARTING PERKS: armorer, iron fist, pickpocket, rifleman, awareness, locksmith (master locks)*, toughness, lady killer, lone wanderer, attack dog, vans, medic, gun nut, hacker (expert), gunslinger, commando, sneak, fortune finder.

* this is one of the few starting perks i have already “maxed” out for gevanni based on his canon. all other perks will follow the traditional “leveling” systems as gevanni gains skills throughout. to have the locksmith perk, you have to already have a perception of 4 to go further than basic locks. 

GAINED PERKS (MID): strong back, heavy gunner, blacksmith, demolition expert, night person, aqua boy, lifegiver, cap collector, local leader, hacker (master), scrapper, mister sandman, action boy, moving target, mysterious stranger.

GAINED PERKS (END): steady aim, sniper, penetrator, concentrated fire, rad resistant, intimidation, ninja, quick hands, gun fu, scounger, bloody mess, better criticals, critical banker.

CARRYING CAPACITY: 230lbs (base of 200, 30lbs additional due to strength stat)

WEAPONS: primarily relies on a 10mm pistol for close range and a .50 sniper rifle for long range, as well as the use of tactical assault rifles, though is known to swap out guns as needed (mostly based on ammo) without issue. you can expect that he uses pipe pistols, submachine guns, and other weapons found in the wasteland.

with limited supplies, the luxury of a preferred weapon is not the same as pre-war. he is skilled in most combat weapons, including knives, as well as in hand-to-hand combat. throughout his time in the commonwealth, he has probably touched one of at least every gun or weapon out there. he also carries a combat knife and a switchblade. 

on average, he typically carries a rotation of two close range weapons, one long range, and two combat weapons that are non-ammo reliant (such as the ripper or a knife). 

as guns breakdown, become worn out, or damaged beyond repair, gevanni will scrap them for parts to upgrade new weapons. while he has his preferences, he has forced himself to become more skilled with weapons he did not favor pre-war, but had experience with. 

TO BE NOTED: i typically play this verse in the mid-beginning around the middle of the game to give a lot of leniency for the plot to progress, as well as to allow gevanni that natural growth versus being met as a fully op bethesda mc, if that makes sense. i would say right around after concord but before getting into kellogg’s memories. this still allows for a lot of the content in fallout 4 to be accessible. i will play throughout this entire timeline, however, and will not only be playing mid-game content, but that’s where i’ll focus. given that this is meant to follow the bulk of fallout 4′s core story and lore, it does not mean that the verse has to entirely follow the game play-by-play. this verse has a lot of leniency, deriving instead from the game for a lot of its mechanics, restrictions, inspirations, and motives, but also allowing for a more open experience versus something more neat and streamlined. 

ACTIVE COMPANIONS: dogmeat, currently a lone wanderer. occasionally travels with preston when needed, or nick when required (eventually choosing to journey with nick and dogmeat in tandem). has been known to travel with deacon for railroad business. he also traveled with danse for a short period of time.

currently has met - the mayor hancock of goodneighbor, piper of diamond city, the detective nick valentine, and preston garvey of the minutemen (now located in sanctuary*). 

nick valentine being so interwoven with finding kellogg is a big reason why gevanni’s favoritism towards nick is so apparent.

he is on good terms with piper, finding her feisty, extroverted, and opinionated. their relationship is generally positive. 

while jarring at first, gevanni adjusts to the ghouls of the commonwealth, much the same as he does synths. in fact, it is the acceptance of ghouls that allows gevanni to make the leap towards independent synth recognition of the third gen series. because of this, we can assume gevanni’s relationship with hancock is also rather positive, encouraging him to go more straightedge, but not entirely dissuading hancock to be himself. after all, hancock actively survived for years without gevanni’s interference. as gevanni is not a chem user, he does not push hancock to experiment, at least not with him.

he is always meeting the active companions of the commonwealth throughout this verse, so depending on thread, sometimes he might know / know of a companion, sometimes he might not (yet).

gevanni does do most of the required companion missions throughout his time in the commonwealth, all while pursuing his primary goal to find his son. you can expect that he got curie her body, for instance. i believe there could be potential romance with curie, but that is neither here nor there. 

gevanni does not pursue much with companions like cate, allowing her to go off on her own after enabling her companion status.

he is obviously on good terms with deacon, seeing as they both work for the railroad. other companions like maccready, ada, etc are all generally left to their own devices after being “helped” by the sole survivor. gevanni does not keep close enough tabs to force them to do much of anything.

in most instances, at least for big picture stuff, he does generally have their support if needed, particularly in battle. 

he is closest to dogmeat, nick, codsworth, deacon, preston, curie, and piper. 

he does not side with porter gage in nuka world, seeing as gevanni actively liberates nuka world, hoping to get it back to its former glory as a settlement for the citizens of the commonwealth. 

SANCTUARY: gevanni has no desire to return to sanctuary, walling off his house entirely, basically encapsulating it further to be “sealed in time.” from there, he suggests the minutemen move fully to the castle, eventually walling off sanctuary forever. while it is an inhabitable place, gevanni seeks to have that entire upper left-hand corner of the map. while he has isolated sanctuary, he did move all “scrappable” items from other houses, as well as the scrap from around the neighborhood, to the work station at the local red rocket that was once near his home. 

LOCAL LEADER / SETTLEMENTS: the settlements that gevanni uses most prevalently, thus sending eventual supply lines to run between, are the red rocket (main), the outpost zimonja, the tafington boathouse, a brief supply line that only runs supplies from abernathy farm (the only inhabitants that live there are the abernathy family), the coastal cottage (a private settlement), the house in diamond city (eventually bought in hopes to have a home in the city for his son, no active supply line as it is in front of the market), and the starlight drive in.

the castle, while considered a settlement, becomes run solely by the minutemen, who gevanni helped “re-establish,” but encouraged preston himself to run as the eventual “general.” gevanni only held the general title until preston was willing to (forced to) take it on himself, having earned it rightfully. 

he eventually creates a supply line with the nakano home for the far harbor section of his story, but does not actively turn the nakano home into a settlement, similar to abernathy farm. the nakano house becomes a tradeline. 

for the most part, gevanni tends to occupy the more previously uninhabited (or inhabited by raiders) settlements for his reconstruction projects, leaving settlements that function on their own alone, instead just establishing trade routes and supply lines with them. bunker hill is another good example of this practice.

ALIGNMENTS: the minutemen (originally, see local leader for more, formerly “the general”), the railroad. nick is a major reason, along with my viewing the railroad as a supplement for the SPK, that gevanni chooses to side with synths and synth-sympathizers. 

in the end, gevanni would choose to live his life with the synth version of his son, shaun. he would destroy the institute, allowing synths that has been already made and introduced to the world, or freed from the institute before its destruction, to live, while ceasing new synth production entirely. 

notably: gevanni did a lot of work for the brotherhood of steel at first, finding a sort of soldier’s bond, commonality, and a nostalgia factor that made the idea of becoming an initiate enticing. eventually, however, he breaks ties with them, which leaves it open to whether or not they would have to be “chased out” of the commonwealth, would actively start a war with gevanni and his alignments, or would continue on their own business silently without his involvement ... or until their involvement becomes too great to ignore. 

either way, there is likely a clash with the brotherhood, though i would imagine they would have definite interest in dismantling the institute, potentially creating a point of compromise between gevanni’s interests, the railroad, the minutemen, and the brotherhood all in order to favor a common goal of getting rid of the institute. 

things would likely settle for a while, but eventually, the brotherhood would go back to trying to fulfill their original goals, but also still targeting synths post-destruction of the institute. 

his involvement with danse became a strong friendship. by default, i believe we still could get the synth!danse reveal, with gevanni encouraging danse to follow the route (through some charisma) of being able to leave the brotherhood without being pursued for execution via elder maxson’s promise, find his own life in the commonwealth, and potentially have ties with the railroad (given his identity). he and gevanni do not pursue a romantic relationship, but have a “soldier’s bond.”

FAR HARBOR: TBA

NUKA WORLD: gevanni fully clears out nuka world, giving it back to the people of the commonwealth. he does not work with raiders, so this is pretty open / shut.

#/ * GEVANNI ( STEPHEN LOUD ) #/ * HEADCANON #/ * VERSE ( FALLOUT 4 ) #/ * VERSE ( THE SOLE SURVIVOR ) #gif #gif // #ill probably add more to this or edit it later but #here it is for now

[hancockstan]

Hey can we talk about X6-88 for a bit y’all? Because he is such an absolutely underrepresented companion, both in game and in the fandom. The obvious shortcoming in the game being; that there is no way to convince him that he’s a person who deserves freedom and thus turn him against the institute.

So I’m just gonna throw around some X6 concepts I’m probably not gonna get around to fleshing out

- After the fall of the institute most of the other companions keep him at arms length either because of their prejudice towards synths or him specifically due to his loyalty to the institute but Deacon, Curie, Hancock, and Preston are exceptions.

- Deacon likes to take the piss out of him whenever he gets the chance but he also has empathy for him given he’s unlearning the Institute bullshit and now has to deal with a Commonwealth that is at best wary of him and at worst thinks he’s the literal bogeyman. Catch him pulling punches when he thinks he might be pushing X6 a little too far.

- Curie and X6 bond surprisingly fast after spending a bit of time traveling together. X6 is comforted by the familiarity of her passion for science. He probably rolls his eyes at her capacity for kindness and desire to help people but she eventually rubs of on him too. He eventually starts collecting samples for her unprompted.

- Now for John . . . These two probably have the roughest start to their eventual friendship. X6 probably first sees John as an annoying thorn in the Institute’s side before he ever actually met him and probably has some residual negative feelings towards him. Especially because on the surface Goodneighbor is everything the Institute claimed that the Commonwealth was. Hancock on the other hand, upon being convinced to give X6 a chance by the Sole Survivor, probably went too hard in the paint about it and confused him more than anything. He’d eventually come around simply because Hancock was one of the first people to give him a chance.

- Preston aka the king of just treating people like people?? Who doesn’t tolerate prejudice towards ghouls? And has devoted his life to trying to make life better for total strangers??? That Preston? Yeah as soon as he’s sure that X6 isn’t about to cause problems for anyone anymore he treats him like anyone who has a dark past that they are trying to put behind themselves. Which is to say, not only does he not treat him worse for being a synth and former courser, he treats him on the same level as everyone else. If X6 is on a settlement you better believe Preston is assigning him chores. At first X6 will be insulted and probably refuse but Preston is not going to be bullied when X6 is the one who’s supposed to be turning over a new leaf. Many years down the line I could see X6 and Preston laughing together about the way X6 acted like he was allergic to dirt when they first met.

#X6-88 #X6 my beloved #and Hancock my beloved #and Preston my beloved #and #well you get the idea

[danses-with-dogmeat]

Introducing My Fallout OCs!

OMGGGG y’all, I can’t. I’ve apparently reached over 200 of you fantabulous followers and I am so ecstatic! I honestly don’t even know if this is considered a milestone or anything, but I was super psyched, so I'm doing something about it, dang it!

Also, just a heads up on me right now, I just started school again, so my posting miiiiiiight be a bit sporadic every now and then, but I’m determined to still try and get a few posts out every week, so we’ll see how that goes. I’m also pretty backed up on requests at the moment, I’m still accepting them for the time being, but I may turn off my asks if I’m finding difficulty getting to everyone.  

Anyways, I know I don’t ever really talk about my Fallout Original Characters, but I’m thinking of doing some stuff with them in the future, so this seemed like a good place to start  🤷‍♀️ So, here they are! One from each of the 3 FO games I write for. If ya’ll want to send in any asks about these folks, please feel free to do so! 

(Art for these peeps is pending potentially as well).

My Lone Wanderer: Hope

Appearance: 

- Basically like a black-haired, blue eyed Sarah Connor (y’know, from Terminator), she’s got a small frame, but is an absolute beast. She loves to change up her hair, but prefers the iron maiden, unladylike, or rude ridge styles and will often dye it bright-ass colors, cuz why not? She’s pretty pale considering the vault background and the fact she is constantly wearing full body combat or leather armor when she’s outdoors, and she has a few piercings she actually got before leaving the vault. 

What’s in a Name: 

- “Hope” was the name that her parents chose for her before she was even born, but she can’t stand it, she just tends to see it as a cruel joke in the world they live in. She instead goes by Effie (short for Ephialtes, cuz she’s edgy and dramatic and read too much in school). Hope tends not to tell anyone her real name, and if she does, you’d best not use it to refer to her, unless you like being enslaved. The only one who could ever get away with it is Jericho and a select few people from the vault (Stanley, and her father, but she’s still not happy about it.)

Sexuality: 

- Pansexual

Main Companion: 

- Jericho

Relationship(s): 

- She has a sort of “friends with benefits” type situation going with Jericho, but it ends up getting... complicated, and turning somewhat into a relationship.

Bestie(s):

- Even though he’s her boss, Hope likes to hang out with Eulogy when she’s in Paradise Falls. When she was in the vault, she spent a lot of time with Stanley, and was pretty close with Butch, Wally, and Paul as well. 

Fam Dam: 

- James and Catherine are/were her parents (obviously). But she also considered Stanley to be a sort of uncle to her. 

Karma: 

- Oh, the worst. She’s honestly awful. She steals, she murders, she enslaves, she blows up settlements, all of it. She’s got a lot of things she needs to work out...

Faction of Choice: 

- The Slavers of Paradise Falls. (Yeah... she sucks.) The Brotherhood and the Outcasts just never really struck her fancy, and her and Jericho found it was easy to make bank with the slavers. Hope also is a friend to Allistair Tenpenny and Mister Burke... and not the folks in Megaton. Cuz they’re all not really alive.

Vault Occupation: 

- Engineer

Fun Fact!:  

- Hope is really bad with empathy, and absolutely needs to experience something for herself before she can make any sort of judgement on it, or other people who have had that same experience.

My Courier Six: Sage

Appearence: 

- Sage doesn’t really consider herself very “flashy” in comparison to most folks in NV. She’s got shoulder length brown hair (blast back or clean cut style) and brownish-hazel eyes. She’s pretty damn tan (Mojave, you know) and doesn’t have many scars, but the ones on the right side of her forehead clearly indicate where she was shot in the head (thanks, Benny). She and Boone tend to twin quite a bit, with matching red berets and sunglasses.

What’s in a Name: 

- The poor girl has no clue what her real name was before she was shot, but she saw a box of labelled herbs in Doc Mitchell’s house when she was recovering from her headwounds and decided she liked the name “Sage.”

Sexuality: 

- Bisexual

Main Companion: 

- Craig Boone

Relationship: 

- Also Boone :) it’s a pretty darn slow-burn romance with lots of bumps along the way, but their love always seems to prevail. (Gross and sappy, I know)

Bestie(s): 

- Arcade, plus Rex, and ED-E. Also Victor and Doc Mitchell.

Fam Dam: 

- No clue, unfortunately. She eventually tries to find out something about her past and her family, if she has any, but she’s got a few things to deal with first (hint, one rhymes with pleaser’s fleegion).

Karma: 

- She may make mistakes along the way, but Sage really does try her best to be as good as possible. 

Faction of Choice: 

- Mr. House and the Followers of the Apocalypse. Would like to get rid of House, but can't bring herself to become responsible for everything once he's gone. She considers herself his personal empathy and tries to assist with the goings on of the Mojave even after the battle of hoover dam. Fucking wiped out everyone in the Legion. Her and Boone are a force to be reckoned with. And she never really cared much for the Brotherhood since she had such little interaction with them. She has a good relationship with Freeside and most of the settlements/other towns as well.

Previous Occupation: 

- Courier? She has no idea what else. But she’s oddly really good with medicine 🤔

Fun Fact!: 

- She supports Mr. House for a number of reasons, but one of the biggest is that she doesn't want to lose Victor. He saved her, and she considers the securitron to be her oldest friend (besides Doc Mitchell). She knows it's a little selfish, but she can't bring herself to put an end to him after he pulled her from her own grave and helped bring her back from the brink of death.

My Sole Survivor: Jolene Arvanidis-Ryan

Appearence: 

- She’s got auburn hair she usually keeps cut short (clean cut) or in a bun, green eyes, pale skin with a good amount of freckles and has exceptionally straight teeth (braces suck, but you know.) When traveling with Cait, people tend to think they’re related. Jolene tends to wear a black beret and, if she has the time and resources, she likes cat eye style eyeliner. 

What’s in a Name: 

- Her first name runs in the family... plus her dad really liked Dolly Parton, so that helped cement the first name for him. Nate’s last name was Arvanidis, and she tends to use that as her last name exclusively, she rarely reveals her maiden name (Ryan) to anyone. 

Sexuality: 

- Straight

Main Companion: 

- Paladin Danse

Relationship: 

- It takes a long time (post BB), but she ends up being with Danse. 

Bestie(s): 

- MacCready and Cait

Fam Dam:  

- Pre-war, her father was a carpenter and her mother was a major in the US military, she had no siblings and was very close with her father since her mom was often away on deployment. 

Karma: 

- Decent. Tries her best to do what’s “right,” but she sometimes has a hard time determining what that is. Is good at following orders, even if she doesn’t always agree with them (BB is the exception in this case).

Faction of Choice: 

- Brotherhood of Steel, at least until BB, then she tends to focus more on the Minutemen, but still stays by the BOS’s side when it comes to taking down the Institute. Despite her loyalty to the BOS, she always regrets what she did to the Railroad, and how she ended things with the Institute, and she holds quite a bit of resentment towards Elder Maxson for ordering her to pull the trigger that ended her son’s life, and the other lives within the Institute. 

Previous Occupation (Pre-War): 

- She was a Gunnery Sergeant in the US Military. (Trying to follow in her mother’s footsteps).

Fun Fact!: 

- She hates killing feral ghouls, but keeps it under wraps since she tends to travel with MacCready and Danse the most. After that random encounter where she found herself murdering her own neighbors, she can’t bring herself to look into the eyes of any feral ghouls she has to kill. 

Bonus! Fun Fact!:  

- She started out as my sort of "throw away" playthrough where I wanted to do a BOS run, just out of curiosity, but she ended up being my main playthrough… probably because Danse is just the best and I can't get enough of that tin can thesaur-ass.

#fallout #fallout 3 #fallout new vegas #fallout 4 #original character #fallout oc #thank you guys again #ily all so much #thank you for reading #you all are the best

[pumpkinov]

Where the Dust Settles

You can read Chap. 1 here and Chap. 2 here

Portia Collins, the sole survivor of Vault 111 has lost more than most. With the Institute defeated, she sets her sights to the next big jobs - unification of the Commonwealth wastelands and the large warship docked at the Boston Airport. More work for the General of the Minutemen, who is finding herself increasingly alone as her companions move on with their lives. John Hancock, the Ghoul Mayor of Goodneighbour is struggling to find his footing in the new political climate of the Commonwealth, and is finding a surprisingly vocal supporter in his local Minuteman General.

Chapter 3. Do you wanna come over, and kill some time?

Portia meets with an adoring audience, Hancock gets high. They walk home together.

Portia’s headache was back, and this one was a ripper.

She briefly considered decapitation, and settled for a stimpak. Two and a half years in the wasteland, and this was still the grossest part.

Well, maybe not the grossest, but she still hated it. She poked the needle through the delicate skin of her elbow and decompressed the vial, feeling the weird cold sensation of something entering her bloodstream. She’d left Preston, Nick and Piper at the Dugout Inn and headed straight home. Not that she spent much time here anymore, but Home Plate was hers and she could relax here, at least a little.

She sat in her arm chair, waiting for the Stimpak to work. It didn’t take long, the headache was already less crushing than it had been before. There was a stack of paperwork upstairs on the desk that she needed to look over before the final meeting tomorrow. And oh Jesus Christ what was she going to do about fucking Hancock.

He was right, of course he was right. She just hated being put on the spot like that.

And there was no way she could skip on the socialization of the night - the General of the Minutemen summons you to walk the dangerous roads between your settlement and Diamond City, and doesn’t even bother to speak to you?

She sunk a little lower into her battered chair, allowing herself a moment to scrunch her face up. She could have a cry later, maybe, as a treat. But right now, there was work to be done. Portia put her shoes on, grabbed her coat and her scarf, flicked off the lights and stepped into the market of Diamond City. It was snowing again, lightly for now. It lay across the ground, shimmering under the string lights running off the roofs in the square. She breathed in the noodle smell wafting in the air, and for a moment she felt a little lighter.

She was greeted at the door of the Dugout Inn by Nick, who was smoking out the front.

“Hey there kid,” his yellow eyes burned bright against the darkness creeping in from the corners of the old park. “How’d it go today?”

Portia sighed, and dug around in her pockets for a cigarette, “It went pretty good.”

“Is that so?” the old synth looked over at her, she could hear the faintest of whirr’s as his eyes focused on her. “Heard John had something to say at the end. He dropped past my office earlier.”

“Oh. Yeah, he did.” Portia lit her cigarette and inhaled, staring up at the sky. The snow was starting to land in her hair. “He’s right.”

Nick nodded slowly. “He is. But folks around here, they like their town the way it is. It seems pretty unlikely anything will change.”

She chewed on her lip a little, rolling her cigarette between her fingers. “Yeah, I tend to agree with you.”

“Most smart folks do.” Nick agreed.

“You knew him when he was a kid, right?” Portia asked suddenly, “What’s the Mayor’s deal?”

“John?” the detective seemed to deliberate for a moment.

“Yeah, is he all bark and no bite?”

More whirring, as mechanisms hidden under the plastic pulled Nick’s mouth into a smile. “Oh no, he bites. But under all that bark and all that bite, he’s a bleeding heart.”

Portia rolled her eyes, and Nick laughed.

Inside was even busier than the Third Rail had been last night. It was hazy inside, steam rising off everyone’s clothes dampened by the falling snow. The coat rack near the door was overburdened, but Portia had no choice but to dump her coat and scarf on top of the pile, it was a million degrees with all these bodies and the fire going. People reached out to her as she passed, she fixed a smile on her face as she desperately looked for a familiar face. But no Preston, no Piper. She almost reached the bar before being cornered by a woman, a trader from The Murkwater Construction Site to the south. There was a Minuteman checkpoint nearby, and they had helped defend the settlement from a supermutant raid a few weeks earlier. She grabbed Portia’s arm, desperate to tell her how her men had defended the farms, how they had saved this woman’s home.

“That’s the Commonwealth Minuteman ideal, to be ready at a minute’s notice,” Portia gritted her teeth, subtly trying to pull her arm out of the woman’s grip but it was a vice. Then came the wash of shame and guilt - this woman just wanted to tell her how much she appreciated the work Portia and her group had accomplished. And all she, Portia, the fucking General wanted to do was get away. It took her fifteen minutes before she was finally released - after which another family wanted to pass on their thanks for the Minutemen’s work protecting Oberland Station. A man touched her shoulder; he wanted to tell her that his son had died defending the Minuteman checkpoint near the entrance to the Glowing Sea, and how proud he was that his son had died doing something so honorable.

By the time Portia’s hands collided with Vadim’s bar, she was emotionally wrent. Vadim placed a glass of whiskey down on the bar for her, stopped and considered for a moment, then left the bottle. Portia stared at it for a moment - tempting, really. But she made the responsible decision, and knocked back the glass instead. She turned to face the room, leaning her back against the bar. There was a flash of red in the corner, and her eyes chased it without really thinking. There was something so distinctive about the mayor. He wasn’t particularly tall, or muscular, but his presence filled a room. He moved with his shoulders - they were broad for his frame, emphasized by the ridiculous frock coat he wore everywhere. He swiveled around, almost if her gaze had summoned him. He looked over, and winked. A wicked smile spread across his face, and he turned back to say his goodbyes to his captive audience, two women with drinks in their hands and fire in their eyes; before making his way towards Portia.

She watched him approach, feeling the heat creep through her stomach as he made his way through the crowded bar. Interesting response, best ignored. There was no time for nonsense like this. She wrapped her hands around the whiskey bottle Vadim had left on the bar and moved away, spotting Piper near the door. Was she avoiding him? Maybe.

Another few hours of greeting people, of being seen, and Portia was finally free. Preston had appeared, and eventually shooed her out the door, bundled in her coat and scarf, hands still wrapped around her untouched whiskey bottle.

“You look like you need a sleep, it’s fine, I can handle this!”

“I need a fucking coma.” Portia replied to him after he’d closed the door to the inn. She leant her forehead against the wooden door for a moment, before turning around and almost screaming.

“Mayor, do I need to make you wear a bell?”

He grinned, “Are you trying to collar me now?”

He was sitting on the stone wall, a cigarette between his lips and a jet canister in his hands. The snow had stopped, but the air was bitingly cold. Portia briefly considered her options, before heaving herself up to sit next to him. She nestled the whiskey bottle between her thighs as he handed her the jet. She turned it over in her hands, glancing around. There was no one else around, and she raised it to her lips and took a quick breath in.

There was the sound of rushing blood in her ears, and everything fell away for a moment. All she could feel was the freezing cold of the stone under her ass, which was steadily going numb.

It only lasted a moment, bit by bit the rest of the world returned. She opened her eyes to the sound of Hancock laughing, almost a growl in his throat. “What?” She asked blearily, pushing the little plastic container back into his hands.

“I’ve never seen someone look like they needed a jet hit as badly as you did when you walked out.” He chuckled, inhaling his cigarette deeply.

Portia hummed a little, the afterglow of the jet slowly working it’s way out of her system. “I fucking miss weed, man.”

“Weed?”

“Cannabis, it was a plant, you dried and smoked it.”

“Oh right, yeah I’ve heard of that.”

Portia sighed. “I smoked a lot of weed back in the day. I can’t believe that fucking scorpions survived the end of the world, but no more pot.”

Hancock slid the jet canister back into his coat, blowing a stream of cigarette smoke into the night sky. “If you’re looking for other things, I have enough daytripper to help you avoid reality until next week.”

Portia chuckled, and shook her head, “Mayor, not all of us can function on jet fumes and mentat dust.”

He grinned at her, “Heh, yeah it’s a skill I’ve spent years honing. I didn’t pick our General as a habitual drug user.”

Portia smiled a little thinly, “You all seem to forget before I went into the deep freeze I had a whole life, you know?” Hancock slid his hand back into his coat, this time producing a cigarette, which Portia took. “Is your coat the nuclear wasteland version of Mary Poppin’s bag?”

“None of that made any sense.”

“It’s an old story, she flew around on an umbrella and put kids up the chimney. It’s, uh, unimportant.” She saw his expression and laughed a little. “I’ve seen you pull a fucking shotgun out of the coat, how do you keep so much stuff in it?”

His eyes flashed again, “You’ll have to get me out of it, General.” He leant over and lit her cigarette, before returning the lighter to the bottomless coat, and sliding off the wall. He held his hand out, steadying Portia as she dropped down to the ground with him. They moved down the street, their breath and cigarette smoke rising in front of them.

“I hadn’t planned on my punch at the entirety of Diamond City,” Hancock said casually. “I was just thinkin’ and I just … said it.”

“Makes sense.” Portia was focused on her boots shuffling through the snow, “I should have realised dragging you back here was gunna stir some feelings up.”

He laughed, low and deep. “Sure stirred something up.”

Portia felt her stomach spike again, and frowned at herself. She lifted her chin and aimed for a professional tone, trying to shake the intimacy out of the moment. “What are you hoping to achieve, Mayor?” She noticed they were walking close enough for their arms to brush against each other; she took a slight step away from him. If Hancock noticed her abrupt shift in energy, he didn’t react.

“Honestly, General? I don’t know. I don’t expect them to go back on what they voted for all those years ago. But I also can’t resist reminding them of who they’re fucking with.” He stared straight ahead, and Portia found herself staring at his face in profile.

High cheekbones, the faint outline of lips still left in the scars of exposed muscle on his face, his dark eyes shone in an otherworldly way. There was a twitch in his set jaw.

When he had greeted her in Goodneighbour two years ago, she’d found his face confronting, upsetting; a constant reminder that she was in a completely different world. Now his face was almost comforting.

They’d reached the front door of Home Plate now, Portia turning the whiskey bottle over in her hands. Hancock glanced at her, the wheels in his head turning.

“Is this … is this your house?”

“Yeah.” Portia was distracted, digging her keys out of her coat pocket and unlocking her front door. Then the penny dropped, as she pushed her front door open and she felt the warmth behind her shift forward slightly. She spun around barring the door with her arm. “No, no absolutely not!”

He was grinning across at her now, leaning an elbow against her door frame. “One drink?”

“In my house? No way.”

He pulled an expression of mock hurt, “Don’t you trust me?”

His body was inches from her, the warmth radiating through the layers of her clothes. “In general? Sure - in my home? Nope. You’ll never leave.” Shit

“Is that a threat or a promise, General?” He grinned slowly, before shifting his weight off the wall and standing up straight again. “Fine, one drink, in the freezing night air?”

Portia stared at him for a moment, he stared back. He was always fucking smiling. Sometimes she couldn’t tell if he was flirting with her, or mocking her. He was still close to her, she could smell him. Smoke, and something heavier. Patchouli, maybe? Or something close to it. She rolled her eyes, and let her arm drop.

“I am going to regret this, aren’t I?”

He followed her through her doorway, reaching his arm out to close her front door behind them. “General, I am nothing but a gentleman.”

She stared over her shoulder at him, “If I catch you in my underwear drawer, I’ll break your arm.”

His laugh drifted out the door, before it snapped closed.

#Fallout 4 #fanfic #John Hancock #Hancock/Sole survivor #Hancock/female sole #Where the Dust Settles

[concussed-to-pieces]

The Mettle Of A Man; Part Twenty

Fandom: Fallout (4)

Pairing: Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: Welcome to the end of our tale, everyone! Thank you so much for reading and enjoying over the years. I love you so much and appreciate you more than words can say. Here's to 2021, my friends! Ad Victoriam, and stay safe! Tagging @anonymouscosmos​, @culturalrebel, @wrestlingfae​, @toxiicpop​,  @mercy-and-malice, @deepkittycollecto, @nelba, @mechanicalism, @commandershepardshtole, @valkyriejack and @kovu-the-mythical-being. Enjoy!

Part One: ArcJet

Part Two: The Prydwen

Part Three: Orders

Part Four: Finding Brandis

Part Five: Weston Water And Oberland

Part Six: Meeting Preston And Matthew

Part Seven: Radstag And Radstorm

Part Eight: The Return To Sanctuary Hills

Part Nine: Domestic Ruminations

Part Ten: Institutionalized

Part Eleven: Two Weeks, Three Days

Part Twelve: Haylen’s Warning And The Glowing Sea

Part Thirteen: Under Fire

Part Fourteen: Dichotomy

Part Fifteen: The Litany Trial

Part Sixteen: Nice Try

Part Seventeen: Preparations

Part Eighteen: Divide And Conquer

Part Nineteen: Lucky

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains holiday celebrations, brief emotional distress and unprotected sex. Stay safe!]

Time seemed to pass both too fast and not fast enough. 

  Synths were accommodated, reprogrammed at their wishes or helped to adjust to their new lives. Doctor Amari and the rest of the Railroad had no shortage of work, and Desdemona eventually tapped MacCready and Cait to oversee their caravan logistics back to the Capital Wasteland. 

  "And the people of the Commonwealth slept soundly, for the greatest monster was gone." Nick had remarked, touching the brim of his fedora in a half-salute. The old detective quickly appointed himself as head of first impressions in Diamond City, making certain that no trouble befell any wayward synth that accidentally wandered in. There was still a lot of work to be done to repair the Broken Mask incident, after all.

  New settlements sprang up overnight and while there may not have been total harmony, there was the sensation of the whole Commonwealth heaving a sigh of relief. Recruits flocked to the Minutemen and Brotherhood in droves as Piper's Publick Occurrences spread the word of their successful campaign against the Institute. 

  Commonwealth boogeyman decimated by combination effort: Brotherhood Of Steel and Minutemen join forces to save Boston from bodysnatchers!

  Deacon had effortlessly deflected Piper every time she asked for an interview, the mysterious man more than content to keep the Railroad shadowy. The less everyone knew, the less they could tell, and that suited him just fine. "You did real good, Icebox. Helped a lot of people."

  Elder Brandis sought approval to establish a permanent outpost at the Boston airport ruins, the former paladin keen to send the Prydwen back to the Capital Wasteland. "Oh the Prydwen's a fine ship, but put me in the field any day!" The airship, once a proud symbol of the Maxson reign, now served little purpose aside from blocking the sun on occasion. Scribes laughed and played in the massive shadow, kicking up dust until the circle where the litany trial had taken place was nothing but a memory.

  X6-88 had floundered for several weeks, the courser falling into a depressive slump that not even Curie could rouse him from. Oddly enough, it was Preston who ended up being able to haul him out of the darkness, the lieutenant making a point to visit the courser to drag him from his room for target practice and other low-effort patrol duties. "Sometimes all folks need is a hand, General." 

  The courser went on to reluctantly take the role of defective defector, working as a consultant to the Minutemen to help ward off any future attacks by desperate coursers or Institute scientists. Preston found his input invaluable, and the duo could often be found in the lieutenant's quarters poring over threadbare maps and trading tactical information. Preston also seemed to have a calming effect on the synth hunter, helping to blunt some of the cold steel edge that X6 had honed his entire life. Add on to that the constant caring presence of Curie, and they made a strange but surprisingly effective trio. 

  With the new supply line firmly established between the verdant utopia of Starlight Drive-In and Oberland Station, the strain of the prior lean months finally eased a bit. Faces grew less pinched even with the increased burden of the synths, and many settlers began to tentatively plan for a small celebration in the beginning of the winter. 

  "'The Holidays' is what they been callin' it, real simple and succinct. Some freaky hodgepodge of everyone's traditions. I guess a lot of folks on that fancy director's board also celebrated around this time of year. Not that the synths would know, naturally." Hancock had muttered, his expression sour. "Poor bastards always workin', and they ain't got fuckall to show for it. Seems like a shit deal."

  Elder Brandis granted Danse an extended leave of absence after the toppling of the Institute without the paladin even requesting it, the large man dumbfounded for a moment upon receiving the news.

  "If you're up for it, I could use a hand back at Sanctuary." Vega had grinned up at him, her eyes squinting a little under the force of her smile. "A lot of prep work goes into a holiday, after all."

  ...

  Danse had taken it upon himself to retreat from Shaun's previous bedroom when he accompanied Vega and her son back to Sanctuary. He debated heavily on returning to the airport; after all, there was no real reason for him to stay in Sanctuary Hills, at least none that he dared to dwell upon. The few small projects that Vega had to manage were easily accomplished and he was left a bit lost in the wake of the excess of his leave.

  Vega, however, had begun framing in what was once the carpark for her house. Sturges helped of course, and once Danse caught on he was touched by the gesture. 

  "I don't want you to feel like there isn't room for you just because Shaun is back." Elizabeth had said, lugging a chunk of scrap metal from the wreckage of her car. 

  The paladin had to take a moment, claiming sawdust in his eye as the culprit.

  Now Danse lived in the area she had partitioned off for him, uncertain if he still believed he was intruding. Those thoughts were troubling, because if he could get comfortable…

  What if Vega eventually decided that Shaun needed a father and what if...what if she chose a real man? Really real, not a sham like Danse was. And if she did, what man would permit Danse to stay? What real man would permit a synth that was currently entangled by these...human emotions to remain on their property, even if Danse proved he wasn't a threat?

  What man would believe him if he claimed to have no interest in Vega? Hell, Danse didn't even believe himself. 

  But he didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay. He wanted to tell Elizabeth...well, there were a lot of things he wanted to tell her.

  His silence was more of a burden each day, and Danse knew he must seem sullen. It gnawed at him; it felt like lying every time he choked the words back down because it wasn't the right time or he just didn't know what to say, and he didn't trust himself not to say something foolish.

  He decided he would wait until after the holiday gathering. Whatever the verdict was, it shouldn't take away from the joy she was clearly feeling over the festivities. So Danse threw himself into helping Sturges, Mama Murphy and the Longs around Sanctuary.

  Secretly making a toy truck for Shaun had been a painstaking process fraught with peril. Mainly because Danse was somewhat indelicate and carving tiny wheels had never been his area of expertise. Oh certainly, he could build a survival camp with nothing but a combat knife and time, but a toy...

  The paladin had spent countless hours creating prototypes in his cobbled-together room as he pondered the path he should take, sometimes working into the wan light of the morning. He eventually showed the truck to Jun, immensely fearful that Shaun might not enjoy the toy. Danse couldn't recall his own interests when he had been Shaun's age, and thus fell back on the other man's expertise. 

  "It looks good! Sand the wheels a little more, maybe give it a coat or two of paint." Jun praised the pensive paladin, turning the vehicle over in his hands to examine it. "Kyle loved these kinds of things y'know, trucks and trains and little toy boats." His gaze grew distant for a moment, the rough plaything stilling in his grasp. "Marcy thinks she's pregnant." He said abruptly.

  "Pregnant?" Danse repeated without meaning to, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline.

  Jun nodded jerkily. "It's been three months now. She's scared, Mr. Danse, real scared. Thinks something bad will happen."

  "What can we do?" The paladin asked sharply. 

  Jun gawked up at him, seeming confused. "We?"

  "I am unfamiliar with this process. What needs to be done?"

  "I...I don't follow, Mr. Danse."

  "To simplify the duration! What precautions can I-"

  "Whoa, hang on." Jun protested. "We aren't sure if the general will even let us stay here with an extra mouth to feed. I've been trying to figure out how to bring up the subject." He admitted. 

  "You haven't even told General Vega yet?!" Danse squawked. 

  "W-Well, no! I figured maybe we would...we'd see how the winter went and play it by ear." Jun mumbled, seeming defensive. 

  Danse seized the other man's arm, heedless of his protests as he hauled him across the front lawn to Vega's abode. Today was the day that Vega had planned to sort through decorations; there were many left over from the fall holiday the Commonwealth had been preparing to celebrate before...well, time had stopped for most when the bombs fell, it was understandable that faded pumpkins and skeletons would still grace crumbling walls with their orangey-cream presence.

  Vega looked up from the veritable pile of brittle, salvaged decor in confusion when Danse barged into their...her home, the paladin immediately halting and offering a sharp salute. "Danse! I...uh, what's wrong?"

  "Mr. Long has something he needs to discuss with you immediately." Danse informed her, tugging the other man forward. 

  "I-I...er, General, you…" Jun struggled to speak, twiddling his fingers wildly. "M-Marcy--"

  "What's wrong, Jun? Is she okay?" Vega asked, getting to her feet and shooting Danse a worried look. "Did something happen?"

  "B-Baby." Jun squeaked. "Pregnant."Backhand went still, her freckles stark against the fresh pallor of her face. "I'm sorry, General, I know we haven't discussed it beforehand a-and I know food's been better as of late...I-I guess she got enough nutrients and got healthy enough for...er, well, you know." Mr. Long looked like he wanted to disappear into the ground. "We should have spoke to you sooner; I don't know if she can leave with the weather being--"

  "Wh-Where are you going? Why leave, what?" Vega stammered, "Jun, you can't travel now, if something goes wrong-!"

  "We weren't sure if you'd let us stay!" The thin man interrupted her frantically. "This is your base, after all, and you didn't sign on for an extra person to worry about."

  Vega inhaled deeply. "Danse, could you give me a minute with Mr. Long?" She requested, her voice suspiciously even.

  Danse obeyed, closing the front door gently and meandering a pointed distance down the main thoroughfare so as not to eavesdrop. He had a relatively good idea of how the conversation would go, despite Jun's misgivings. So he wandered down to the huge tree at the end of the cul-de-sac, fiddling with the truck in his pocket absently as he stared upwards at the barren branches. 

  "Y'know kid," Mama Murphy piped up from her customary chair on her porch and the paladin turned to face her, giving the elderly woman his full attention. "When I had the Sight, I saw this place. Sanctuary." She nodded in the direction of the river, then gestured upwards. "The bridge, and this tree. Massive and old, worn out from all those years." She cocked her head, giving Danse an appraising look. "The tree though, it was...covered in lights. Like what you see in the pre-war mags. The Holidays, shinin' like a beacon of hope at the end of the tunnel." 

  Danse hummed, the vaguest beginnings of an idea taking root in his mind. He couldn't bring Vega's old life back, but maybe...maybe he could bring something from it back to her. Like what you see in the pre-war mags.

  "I think you're pickin' up what I'm puttin' down, kid." Mama Murphy's smile was knowing, the old woman reaching over to pet Dogmeat. The dog seemed to materialize out of thin air sometimes! "Now get to it."

  ...

  Backhand was already scurrying around the kitchen when Danse rose on the morning of the Holiday celebration, the paladin pausing only momentarily to yawn in the doorway before sleepily offering his assistance. "Is there something I can help with, Vega?"

  "Uh, Sturges, he said something about you and stuff from Goodneighbor, I think?" Elizabeth replied, obviously preoccupied with whatever she had in the semi-functional oven. Danse nodded, trudging across the kitchen to tug on his boots by the door. 

  Shaun bounded out of the bathroom, his face still damp from his morning wash. "Oh, can I help too? Please Mom, let me help Mister Danse and Mister Sturges!" He begged.

  "You'd better stay right where Danse and Sturges can see you." Backhand instructed him sternly, one oven-mitted hand gesturing to indicate the gravity of the situation. "Otherwise you're coming straight back inside. Go put on your warm coat."

  Shaun cheered in delight, racing back to his room.

  "It's okay that he's with you two, right? I know he's not your responsibility." Backhand continued in an undertone to the paladin.

  Danse's throat tightened and it took him a moment to respond, "I don't mind at all. He's a very well-behaved child." 

  "Let me know if he's an issue and I'll bring him back inside. I just need to get this done and the oven is being all-" 

  Danse stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders, deliberately schooling his expression into something more stern. "General, you're doing a fine job. Stop worrying."

  "Am I? Shit, I really hope so." Elizabeth mumbled, tipping her forehead until it rested against his chest. Danse prayed she couldn't hear his heart, hammering merely from her proximity. God, his body was nothing but an embarrassment waiting to happen. "I've never really done this crap. Not sure if I'm cut out for it."

  The momentary respite was broken when Shaun reappeared in his oversized flannel and oilcloth jacket, the child bolting past the two adults to put on his boots. Danse reluctantly released Backhand, noting how flushed her face was but not really daring to dwell on it. "I'll...I'll watch him." The paladin said, his voice a bit stilted. "I promise."

  "Thank you." Backhand mumbled, wiping her eyes and then returning to coddle…whatever it was in the oven.

  "Ready, Shaun?" Danse asked the boy, who nodded rapidly and extended a hand. 

  The snow outside was still fresh from the night before and Danse took a moment to appreciate the view of the Commonwealth covered in a thin layer of white. Off in the distance, the towering crimson insignia of the Red Rocket gasoline station stood stark against the backdrop of the gray sky. Even further down the road slumbered the empty shell of Concord, the tallest of the town's dilapidated buildings only just visible from the paladin's position. 

  Shaun tugged at his hand, pulling his attention back to the present. "Mister Danse, Mister Sturges is waiting for us!" The child announced, waving up at the engineer who was currently settled into a crook of the brittle branches that graced the tree on the cul-de-sac island. "Hi Mister Sturges!"

  "Howdy fellas! Come to give me a helpin' hand?" Sturges called, grinning down at the two of them. 

  "What assistance can we offer?" Danse queried, wary that the other man might suggest Shaun climb up to him. His fears were quickly allayed when Sturges instead asked Shaun and Danse to begin untangling the long strands of old lights. 

  Hancock and his ilk had arrived from Goodneighbor, bearing the gifts of dubious treats and many, many mangled strings of lights. Goodneighbor had always been drenched in neon, after all, so Danse had assumed the ghoul mayor would be the best person to call upon for aid. It would appear that Hancock had delivered in spectacular fashion.

  "With your help, we'll have this place lookin' pretty as a picture in no time!"

  …

  Maybe she had bitten off slightly more than she could chew, trying to cook a traditional dinner. Backhand sighed, glumly poking at the cold poultry with a wooden spoon. Her cooking skills had never been much to write home about in the first place, and this only served to solidify that fact. 

  "Oh Mum, I'm so sorry. The old oven just isn't how it used to be." Codsworth commented, his mechanical voice tinged with melancholy. 

  "It's not a big deal, Codsworth. I hate to waste the food, that's all." Backhand muttered, assuring herself that she wasn't fighting back frustrated tears, her eyes were just tired. "Damn thing didn't even get to the warm phase."

  "Mum, if I might suggest…?" The robot started hesitantly, carrying on when she nodded. "Perhaps it can be salvaged. After all, we make bread in that same pan by tucking it beneath the hot coals out front. What do you say, shall we give it a go?"

  "Got nothing to lose, right?" 

  "It will be just fine, Mum! You're an adaptive sort." Codsworth remarked, drifting out the front door to stoke the usual cooking fire to life once more. "Indeed, just fine!" He called. 

  Vega shook her head ruefully. "Oh I'm sure." The woman grumbled. "Can't cook and comes with baggage. What a catch ol' Vega is." At least the bread had come out well, in spite of the brisk weather. She could thank whoever for that small favor.

  Once Codsworth had coaxed the embers to life in the fire pit, Elizabeth bundled up and brought the still-cold cast-iron pot outside. Maybe it had been wishful thinking to believe that the oven portion of her stove would still work. Or even heat at all. It had been promising earlier in the week, but this might be a blessing in disguise. If the whole house had gone up due to a cooking malfunction...well, the holidays wouldn't be too happy then, would they?

  "Please cook." She begged under her breath, troweling hot coals onto the battered dutch oven lid. "I need this, y'know? Just a little victory, that's all I'm asking for here." 

  "Shall I get started on the tatoes, Miss Vega?" 

  Elizabeth nodded, only half-listening to Codsworth. She knew she would have a good forty five minutes to an hour to wait, and it wasn't as if it was colder outside than it was inside. The joys of semi-functional heating! 

  Vega shook her head at herself after a second, since when did she dwell on everything that Sanctuary wasn't? At the end of the day, it was her home. She wouldn't trade it for the world, and she knew she had much more than most people.

  At that thought, her gaze wandered to where Danse and Shaun were. The larger man had Shaun on his shoulders while he patiently unwound a massive bundle of flickering string lights. Shaun, for his part, was passing the untangled lights up to Sturges. The engineer slid down the ladder so he could reach the child, looping the lights over his arm before climbing back up and painstakingly placing them in the gnarled grasp of the tree's limbs.

  The manufactured cheer that the lights had given off pre-war was still somewhat there, though the radiant colors were washed out to pastel and the warm whites had gone dingy gray. Instead of it being a melancholy reminder that her life had changed irreparably, Backhand was overcome with gratitude. For her son's safe return, regardless of his synthetic makeup, and for the man who was currently carrying Shaun on his shoulders. For her home, for her family.

  A family. 

  Perhaps she was getting a little ahead of herself. After all, Danse was still adjusting to life in ordinary time. It would be selfish of her to voice her feelings to him while he was coming to terms with everything that had happened. For better or for worse, their lives were different now. 

  It ought to be enough that he was in her life at all. She should be content. His presence alone was a miracle; for all intents and purposes he should be dead. Yet there he was, mere feet away, helping to brighten up the holiday celebration.

  Tonight there would be a multitude of visitors. God only knew how many would arrive from settlements near and far, to say nothing of Goodneighbor, Diamond City, the Prydwen and the Castle! It would be an incredibly busy evening for certain. Hancock had arrived early with a posse of ragtag drifters from Goodneighbor, all of them offering gifts of food or scavenged ornaments to decorate. Hence the massive mound of lights that was currently being diligently sorted through.

  The aforementioned ghoul appeared to have delegated the task of quality checking the lights, as his form currently leaned against the faded blue siding of her house. With cigarette smoke wafting from his mouth and nasal cavity in equal amounts, he seemed content to just watch the chaos unfold. 

  "Aren't you a little chilly?" Backhand queried, raising an eyebrow. The mayor was still clad in his usual garb of...for lack of a better term, repurposed period dress. Granted it wasn't seasonably cold out, at least not like how she remembered it being before the bombs dropped.

  "Nah, we ghouls run pretty warm. Ham's like a portable space heater." Hancock answered, giving her a lazy grin. "Cute of you to worry, though. I must be growin' on ya'."

  "Whoa there, let's not get too crazy."

  "Whatcha' think, General?" Sturges shouted from his perch, waving to get her attention.

  Danse turned in place, appearing to realize that she was watching as his hands flew up and grabbed Shaun's legs, stabilizing the small boy on his shoulders. 

  Backhand couldn't keep from smiling when she called back, "it looks wonderful! Keep up the great work!"

  "That ain't the only thing that looks wonderful, right Sunshine?" Hancock snickered, rolling his eyes at the now-sputtering woman. "You better give the Brave Little Toaster the ride of his life, that's all I gotta' say."

  "Hancock!" Vega hissed, making a half-hearted swipe at the mayor. "You fuckin'--"

  "Ah ah, little pitchers!" Hancock scolded, tilting his head to the side to draw Vega's attention to the rapidly-approaching form of Duncan, MacCready's son. "Gotta' watch that mouth of yours, Sunshine."

  "This ain't over, ya' raisin-lookin' bastard." Backhand snarled under her breath, pasting on a friendly smile for Duncan while Hancock wheezed with laughter. "Hey bud, how's things?" She greeted the child, who grimaced. 

  "Dad's kissin' Miss Cait again. S'gross." The little boy announced, wrinkling his nose in disgust. 

  "That does sound pretty gross." Hancock piped up before Backhand could reply. "But you like seein' your old man happy, right? The lady makes him happy. Simple as that."

  "Yeah, I guess. Can I play with Shaun?" Duncan asked Vega, eyes wide as he seemed to take in the tree covered with lights. 

  "Go ahead, kiddo! Just be careful and stay away from Sturges' ladder." Elizabeth warned, grinning when the little boy took off with a whoop. 

  Cait and MacCready strode up after a moment, both of them red-faced. MacCready bent double, his hands on his knees. "I'm not built for these bullsh--awful conditions." He panted. "I don't know how the kid does it. He was nearly dead a few months ago and now he's out here kicking the snow in the a--er, butt."

  Backhand glanced around, and then snorted. "You call this snow? It's a dusting. Back before-"

  "Ah ah, easy now Mumsicle, we ain't got time for yer trip down memory lane." Cait teased. "Work to be done, aye? C'mon then, General, shape up. What you doin' on the ground anyway, all crouched like a mother hen broodin'?"

  "I'm cooking." Vega replied tersely. 

  "Oh aye? Looks like yer shirkin' t' me, love. Codsy can manage that mess, c'mon." Cait seized her elbow, levering her up out of the snowy grass. "Now, what needs doin'?"

  ...

  The day was a whirlwind of arrivals, preparations and well wishers. Elder Brandis even stopped by briefly, taking precious time away from his all-consuming duties to distribute some useful supplies and catch up on the gossip. 

  The Diamond City trio graced Sanctuary with their presence shortly before noon, Nat scurrying off to play with Duncan and Shaun while Piper made a beeline for Hancock's merry band. Nick was more keen to meander around the outskirts of the groups forming, amber eyes taking in his surroundings.

  Preston appeared midafternoon with X6, Curie and the entire O'Brian clan in tow, later than expected but apparently they had stopped to help out a settlement along the way. 

  The cul-de-sac soon rang with the laughter of the rambunctious children; even little Siusan was permitted to briefly toddle about in the trampled snow under the watchful gaze of Eamon. The weather was chilly but the sun had broken through the clouds throughout the day, sending momentary waves of brilliance across the Commonwealth. 

  Every table and chair that could be salvaged had been assembled on the old foundation at the end of the cul-de-sac, and it was there that the adults began to gather as the sun set. Metal drums loaded with wood were lit, providing heat and illumination to the many guests of the Commonwealth's first official potluck dinner. 

  "Or rather," Piper amended, clearing her throat with a touch of self-importance as she tapped her notepad, "the first documented official potluck dinner."

  The large tree twinkled and shone in the fast-approaching darkness, the occasional flicker or broken bulb doing little to diminish the cheer it provided. The food was distributed, Backhand's roast chicken disappearing without a hitch. The young woman couldn't help doing a mental dance of victory, delighted that Codsworth's quick thinking had saved that particular endeavor.

  Vega found a place to sit somewhere in the middle of one of the many long tables, red from the praise of her companions and the persistent chill in the air. She got even redder when Preston loudly proclaimed a toast, to the General!, her lieutenant tipping his bottle and everyone else following suit. 

  "I remember when I first met the general, she was half-dead on her feet." Preston began the story, his smile fond. "Sturges couldn't even believe our luck. Hell, none of us could. When freedom called, our general answered!"

  Backhand, who had lived the story and knew all the ins and outs, found her attention wandering to Danse while Preston regaled the crowd with his tale. The paladin seemed to be listening closely, his meal forgotten. Deacon even began to thieve bits of chicken and tato out from beneath his nose, the Railroad agent shooting Vega a sly wink over his sunglasses. 

  Backhand shook her head at the other man's antics, then focused her attention on Preston. "...'Lurk queen, a huge, mean seabug, taken out by landmines! The Castle was ours once again, and we all had General Vega to thank for it." The lieutenant stated firmly. "The one who can get things done in the Commonwealth, the one who gave folks hope when it was in mighty short supply. We uh, we owe you a lot, ma'am." He raised his bottle once more. "To General Vega, leader of the Minutemen!"

  "To Elizabeth!" Hancock yelled, echoed by half the damn populace as Vega tried to wave it off, the young woman laughing awkwardly. "To our Sunshine, the hero of the Commonwealth!" 

  "Synth savior, a regular knight in shining armor." Deacon teased.

  "Well done, General Vega." Danse said warmly, "I can't know for certain whether the Brotherhood itself would be proud, but I certainly am." His praise for whatever reason made Vega's blush feel like it would scorch her skin. 

  Oh she knew damn well why, she was just being willfully oblivious at this point.

  "Speech! Speech! Is that not zee norm for zis sort of occasion?" Curie called, the diminutive synth currently sharing X6-88's coat as well as his plate of food. X6 didn't seem to have any reservations about the matter, his arm slung around her shoulders without a care in the world.

  Much to Vega's chagrin, the majority appeared to be in favor of such a vocal endeavor. She attempted to laugh off the suggestion to no avail, and finally got to her feet. "Alright, alright, settle down. I'll say a few words if it'll get you all off my damn back." She grumbled, her body thoroughly warm now with a combination of embarrassment and gratitude. "I uh…" 

  Vega trailed off as she looked out over the ragtag gang of expectant faces staring back at her. So many friends and neighbors, finally getting the chance to breathe. The chance to celebrate the fruits of their labor...it was sobering.

  "I can't thank you all enough for...well, for everything that you've done. You all sacrificed so much for this peace, stuff I could never imagine doing even before the bombs dropped." She cleared her throat. "My mentor, Sergeant Shaun Cathan, was a great man, and he often had some very succinct or choice words which I'm not about to repeat in polite company."

  "Aw c'mon-!" Zeke began to protest loudly, his voice fading as he noticed the small gaggle of children still gawking at his power armor.

  Backhand continued, her jaw set firmly, "but one thing I can say that he told me is this: a leader who permits their pride to impede their decisions is doomed to failure. Pride built the Institute, and that same pride rotted it to the core. Pride built the Brotherhood of Steel, the Minutemen, and we've seen the both of them nearly toppled." Vega clenched her fist. "Pride brought nuclear fire down on Boston, but people hauled themselves outta' the ashes of that fire. Good people, tough people. Folks I knew. Folks I cared for, even if some of 'em did spend a little too much time on the Cape. If pride can do so much effin' harm, I expect simple compassion and decency to do just as much good. Hell, more than that. Humanity's built itself back up after the cluster that was armageddon, and we ain't through yet." 

  She tipped the jar she had been drinking out of towards the crowd, sternly studying the collection of scavengers, families both new and familiar.

  ...

  "So here's to you, my friends. To all that you've done, and to all that you will do." 

  Vega's salute was rigid, pre-war. Like her helmet on the table beside her, scraped and covered in faded sigils. The mixture of candlelight and the lights on the tree reflected off the worn lenses of her glasses, shielding her eyes from view. Danse wished desperately that he could see her eyes; more than anything he wished to stand up and flat-out state what she had done for him to every soul there, display his...admiration. 

  Was that even the right word? Admiration, adoration, affection--

  His face was strangely warm all of a sudden. Danse flinched, staring down at his mug of coffee with single-minded intent as the buzz of conversation around him picked back up. His mind raced, pieces falling into place in a nigh-unstoppable rush.

  Affection. Like...what he had felt for Cutler? Almost. A little to the left of that. Brighter. 

  Happier. 

  Not perfect, nothing could ever be perfect. But...

  "Elizabeth Vega?" A male ghoul's voice barely penetrated the paladin's consciousness, his words not really registering until, "Beth, it really is you!" The ghoul exclaimed. "I thought I was crazy! It's me, Beth. It's Nate."

  "...Nate?" 

  Danse's head whipped up so fast his neck popped in warning, the paladin having been only tangentially aware of the conversation happening mere feet away from his position. But at that particular nickname his entire being snapped to attention, eyes darting sidelong from where he had been intently studying his mug of coffee. 

  The ghoul man that Vega was currently speaking to was an inch or two taller than her, with a single tuft of dark hair that still remained over his left ear. He appeared absolutely delighted, but Vega seemed...wary.

  "Beth," Danse heard him say once more, and he watched Backhand visibly tense. "I never thought I would see you again! After the bombs dropped--I mean how the hell did...is that Shaun? God, he got so big!"

  "Nate, is there something I can do for you?"

  Nate. 

  Danse's breath caught in his throat and his mouth went dry. Nate? Nate her ex-husband from before the war? Nate, the man who had divorced her once he found out she was pregnant with his child? 

  Somehow he had managed to survive? 

  Oh, what an incredibly bitter thing to think! Danse was somewhat startled by his own dark path of reasoning. But it wasn't untrue; his mind railed at the unfairness of it all. 

  The paladin stood up, his mug of coffee forgotten. He wasn't exactly certain what he was about to do, but he also wasn't going to do nothing. He cast around wildly for a plan as he approached Elizabeth from behind around the table, and Danse latched onto what was probably the least intelligent course of action that he could have conjured up.

  "Elizabeth," the paladin called, loud enough to be heard over the general hubbub. She turned and Danse briefly spied a look of intense relief on her face before he enveloped her in his arms. "You appeared cold, figured I could warm you up a bit." He reasoned aloud, smiling benignly over her head at Nate. "Who's this?"

  Vega began to introduce him even with her face still comically buried in Danse's chest, "Nate, I'd like you to meet-"

  "Paladin Logan Danse, Northeastern chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel." Danse interrupted her smoothly, extending a hand to Nate. "I've heard a great deal about you, Nate. It's a privilege to meet you, and a welcome surprise to see that you endured the radiation."

  "Uh, is it? Well I-I guess it is." Nate looked flummoxed and crestfallen all at once, glumly shaking Danse's hand. "I suppose you two are, er..."

  "Vega is my partner, yes. For over a year now." Danse replied once the other man had trailed off, his tone saccharine-sweet. He heard Vega gasp against his chest. "She is a truly incredible woman. I'm immensely lucky."

  "Yeah, I...yeah. Uh, I have to go...talk to--I'll see you later, Beth." Nate squeaked, sidestepping away from the two of them and making a beeline for the road.

  "I can't even believe it." Backhand's voice grated with tangible irritation. "I cannot even fuckin' fathom--I...dammit, why him?!" She seethed into Danse's jacket, clenching her fists on his hips. "Phew, boy, I sort of thought I'd already dealt with all that resentment." The woman admitted unhappily.

  "You do things in your own time." Danse replied quietly. "Are you alright?"

  Vega went still for a second. Danse felt her unclench her fists, hands going slack on his body. Had he misspoken-?

  "In my own time, huh?" Vega muttered, almost like she was thinking out loud. "I...I'll be back in a little while, Danse."

  …

  I'm not panicking. Definitely not panicking. One hundred percent not panicking, totally fine.

  Backhand scurried away from the paladin, trying to hide the tell-tale redness of her face. She needed to find either Mrs. O'Brian or MacCready, fast. 

  As luck would have it, MacCready found her. The former merc tapped on her shoulder as she bounced up on her tiptoes to search for Mrs. O'Brian. "Hey boss, Shaun wanted me to ask you if he could sleep over with Duncan tonight." The man began after she whirled around to face him.

  "Yes." Vega replied, perhaps a little too quick and definitely too enthusiastic. "Mac you're a lifesaver, I was just about to ask-"

  "-for me and Cait to watch your kid so you and the tin can can get some alone time?" MacCready smirked, giving her a wink. "Dang General, I don't think I've ever seen you so red! Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

  "Shut up, Mac, you're so exasperating." Backhand jabbed a teasing finger into the center of his chest. "You talk, Mayor, and I'll know." The threat was toothless; the both of them grinned at each other after their fierce staring contest. "Thanks for everything."

  "Don't mention it. I figure getting you some Brotherhood...uh, Steel, heh, is a pretty decent way to make up for the fact that I didn't bring you a present." Mac shrugged, fiddling with the bill of his hat. "I have beef with the Capital Brotherhood, but these guys...I mean, they don't seem all bad." He allowed grudgingly, giving Vega a gentle nudge with his shoulder. "Go on."

  A bracing shot of whiskey shored up her tenuous spark of confidence and Vega marched back to Danse, the large man now engaged in conversation with X6 while Shaun, Duncan, Bridget, Nat and Matthew swirled around their ankles. 

  Danse was saying, "--collateral ramifications would be inadvisable, I suggest a soft breach. With adequate preparation-" 

  "Adequate preparation on your part borders on over-caution." X6 interrupted him dismissively. "However, I will take it into account and speak with Preston on the matter. He seems to share your morality. A pity."

  "Play at the unfeeling machine all you want, X6." Danse retorted. "It does you no favors. You have people who care about you now, and you would not have asked for my input if you believed the endeavour would be futile."

  "True enough, Paladin." The vaguest hint of a smile tugged at X6's mouth. "You are capable."

  "I suppose that is the best that I can hope for."

  "Hey, Danse? Can I uh, have a little chat?" Backhand asked, stifling a hysterical giggle when Danse immediately looked guilty. The paladin nodded, bidding X6 farewell and attempting to sidestep around the children who were currently playing tag in an ever-tightening circle. "Not um, here though. Let's go to my house, okay? Shaun, you're all set to stay overnight with Duncan, Mac and Cait, right?"

  "Yeah!" Shaun replied breathlessly, pausing in his chase to give his mother a massive grin. "Already brought my blankets over and everything. Mister MacCready said Duncan and I could sleep in their wagon, and that he'd tell us Grognak stories!"

  Danse's brow furrowed. "We are leaving the gathering, then?" He asked, looking a bit distressed when Elizabeth nodded. "A moment, please." He turned back to the children, calling for Shaun. 

  The boy bolted away from the group, skidding in the muddy slush. "Yeah, Mister Danse?" He asked, his impatience plain.

  "I, er. I...happy holidays." The paladin mumbled, extracting a small bundle from his jacket pocket and giving it to the child. 

  "Whoa, for me?!" Shaun practically crowed, tearing through the old newspaper to reveal the gift.

  It was a sturdy carved vehicle, its edges sleek and smooth. The wood was coated in shiny green paint, giving the little truck a distinct air of newness in this post-apocalyptic world. Danse swallowed audibly as Shaun stared down at the toy without saying a word. 

  Backhand closed her eyes, hoping and praying that the kid remembered his manners. She hadn't even known Danse had planned on giving him something. Did he make the truck himself? It was wood, not the usual plastic or aluminum of pre-war children's toys. When had he found the time to make a toy? She suddenly remembered his uncharacteristically wide yawn that morning and her eyes flew open, darting to look at Danse. He had been staying up, hadn't he?

  "I love it, Mister Danse!" Shaun interrupted her mental panic with his enthusiastic eruption, smiling wide and bolting forward to hug Danse around the waist. Danse's own relief was evident, the large man patting the child on the back with an awkward chuckle.

  Oh Jesus, I'm not going to cry, Vega insisted, taking a deep breath. Nope, won't do it.

  "Mom look, look what Mister Danse gave me!" Shaun exclaimed, as if she hadn't been standing right there the whole time. 

  "It's really cool, right?" Backhand grinned, rumpling his hair and then giving him a kiss on the forehead. "Make sure you wash your face and brush your teeth before bed, okay? I hope you and Duncan have fun. I love you." 

  "I love you too, Mom, I will. Thank you again, Mister Danse!" Shaun rushed to say, clearly eager to return to his friends. 

  "Alright, go on." Vega tapped the end of his nose, "go have fun." She watched him scramble through the slush, nearly tripping again. "Jesus, he's a bull in a china shop," she sighed, making Danse snort. "Shall we, Paladin?"

  He fell into step beside her, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket and his back ramrod straight. He was silent until they were actually in Elizabeth's living room, the young woman barely able to shut the front door before he started babbling, "if I offended you earlier, if I-I overstepped my bounds, I apologize. I just recalled what you had said about the name he used for you and I'm afraid I started moving before I could reconsider-"

  "Danse, do you remember how we started all of this?" Vega cut off what promised to be a downright incredible justification, cocking her head to the side. "How we met, and what happened?"

  "You came to our aid at the Cambridge police station. Then you carried on assisting me with our mission. You helped acquire the deep range transmitter. You greased my armor." Danse paused, fidgeting. "You...said it was alright if I wanted to kiss you."

  “It’s alright if you want to kiss me, you know.” Her smile was gentle. “I wouldn’t mind.”

  Vega nodded, smiling once more. "The offer still stands, naturally."

  "I...things are different now. I'm different. You still...even now, after everything that you know about me?"

  "Of course."

  "I didn't want to believe you felt that strongly about our...about us." Danse was smiling, actually smiling! "I'd given up hope a long time ago that I would ever be enough for anyone. I was never...enough. Smart enough, or strong enough or...well, just enough, I suppose." He shrugged, his smile fading. "With what happened between Maxson and I, and previously with Cutler…" The large man trailed off.

  Vega took a deep breath, nodding furiously. "I do feel strongly for you. Danse, I know that this is a lot, b-but I...uh, I think I love you." She gestured up and down at the speechless paladin, feeling the heat that bloomed fresh on her cheeks. "Not just the wrapping, y'know, but uh. The whole package. You."

  His look of shock and confusion slowly dissolved into something unreadable, and he broke eye contact for a moment to stare down at his boots. 

  "Uh, it's okay if you don't reciprocate! O-Or even if you can't reciprocate, I'm not going to be offended!" Elizabeth rushed to add, waving her hands nervously. "I know that this is a lot to dump on you all at once, I-I'm sorry. I don't want you feeling pressured to give me an affirmative answer just because you don't want to hurt my feelings or whatever."

  "I...I can't say that I haven't thought about it." He admitted softly. "But Shaun, he needs--Vega, I'm not really human." 

  "Neither is Shaun, but I don't love him any less." Elizabeth replied. "Shaun is my son. For all intents and purposes, he is my real son, Danse."

  "It's one thing to overlook it for a child, Vega. But I'm...what if something goes wrong with me? What if there's some sort of fault in my programming, and that's why I'm like this? What if-"

  "It's alright if you don't want me, or even if this is too much right now. I know, it's a lot." Vega interrupted him, her heart sinking but determined to make damn sure he didn't feel pressured.

  "Christ, that's not what I meant. I just want to make certain you know exactly what it is that you're agreeing to." Danse cut her off, his shoulders rigid like he was bracing for impact. 

  "I understand, Danse. I've understood for a while now." Elizabeth dared to rest her hand on his arm. "I want to be with you. I know that nothing in this shitshow of a future is guaranteed and I want to have something good in my life before my inevitable demise at the hands of some overconfident mole rat."

  Danse nodded stiffly, and then grabbed her by the lapels of her canvas coat. Vega found herself abruptly pinned against the wall, Danse's mouth hungrily seeking her own. "You mean that?" He panted.

  The brush of the stubble on his face reminded her of their first kiss in the Cambridge station and drove home the differences between he and Nate for the hundredth time. Nate was always clean-shaven, favored pecks on the cheek and lived saturated with cologne. But Danse was grizzled, earnest, reeking of the outdoors and power armor grease. Nate had been eloquent, while Danse was taciturn or tripped over his words. Nate was cold and calculating, and Danse…

  Danse was fiery and raw, more vulnerable now than she could ever recall him being before. His knee nudged against her thigh and without conscious input, Elizabeth parted her legs for it and threw her arms around his neck to try to urge him even closer. "Yes, Danse," she gasped. "Oh, Jesus, yes, fuck-ing shit--"

  She ground herself down against his leg, relieved that everything seemed to be functioning normally and somewhat impressed by her body's ability to mount such a rapid response after a two hundred-plus year dry spell! 

  "Language," Danse rumbled in reply, his hands tugging her heavy coat off of her shoulders. "Too fast?"

  "No, hell no!" Backhand protested, "not fast enough."

  "Shh," Danse rested his hands on her hips, shoving up her shirt slightly so he could touch bare skin. "I have you, Vega." Vega pushed herself excitedly into his grip, grinding on his thigh and arching her back. The way his breath hitched sent shockwaves to her core; the way he watched her...

  "Danse we should...we should-" Vega's voice wavered as Danse laved her throat with tender kisses. "-should--bedroom, bed."

  "Yes." The paladin growled, making no move to actually follow the direction. That is, until he hoisted her up to rest on his hips. 

  Backhand yelped, her thighs gripping his sides tightly. "H-Hey!"

  Danse pressed his forehead to her own, brown eyes attempting to read her soul. "Elizabeth…" he sighed, his expression gone hopelessly soft. "I should warn you, if we...if you do this, I...listen, I can be a little--a little wordy, sometimes. If I am speaking too much-"

  "Hey, no, you talk as much as you'd like, okay? Doesn't bug me at all." Vega assured him, slightly curious about what this might mean. Wordy? 

  "Elizabeth, you are everything that I never knew I was looking for." Danse murmured. "When I lost Cutler, I didn't think I deserved to be happy again. I assumed that my failure would continue to darken any future triumph, and when the majority of Gladius was...I feared that I was unfit for my rank. How could anyone have faith in my skills after such a catastrophic loss of life?"

  "It's hard being the one making the choices. You have to be able to bear the burden of responsibility and also the burden of guilt." Vega reasoned, sympathizing with his plight.

  "You had faith in me, though. You didn't even know me, but you didn't judge me for my inadequacy and you allowed me some damn peace. I'm just sorry you had to go through that abuse at Maxson's whim for my sake." Danse cupped her hand in his own, pressing kisses to her scarred knuckles. "You've already done so much for me, Vega. Let me undo you?" He offered seriously, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

  "Well, I uh, I-I can't say I've ever been propositioned quite like that!" Backhand stuttered, certain that her flush covered her entire body at this point. 

  His laughter, heard so rarely, washed over her like a tidal wave. "Forgive me."

  "Only if you keep asking me to have sex like that." Vega shifted her hand in his grip, intertwining their fingers. "C'mon, bedroom."

  "It's not just that." Danse tried to protest, shaking his head. "I care about you. About your wellbeing. I want to make you happy."

  "You do. So happy. I'm so glad that you're here with me still." Vega turned in the doorway of her room when he set her down, seizing Danse by the collar of his worn t-shirt and tugging him into her arms. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Danse."

  "You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that." 

  "It's the truth, though!" She insisted.

  Danse surged forward, his kisses still rough and demanding as he fought to claim her affection. But she gave it freely, all he could ever want and more.

  He stripped her of her shirt and dragged his own off over his head, chuckling at the way she greedily drank in the bare skin he presented. "See something you like, General?" 

  He was hairier than she was used to, but Backhand decided it suited him. Nate, after all, had been absolutely adamant that body hair was grotesque, and now look at him. He'd likely never have to worry about that again.

  Thinking of Nate yet again put a frown on her face and Danse paused, giving her a quizzical look. "Is something amiss?"

  "Oh! No, I'm sorry. I was just remembering. Nate was all…" Elizabeth gestured vaguely at Danse's chest. "He shaved everything. I'm not used to all...well, seeing so much."

  "Is it off-putting? I assure you it's within the Brotherhood's hygiene guidelines, but if you don't like it I-"

  "No, I love it. It's new. I've seen your arms, after all, I knew what I was getting into." Vega teased, grinning to ease his worry. "If you can accept all my stretch marks and leftovers, I can definitely handle your chest pelt."

  "I'm planning on doing far more than accepting." Danse cradled her breasts in his palms, the paladin lowering his head to draw his tongue over one of her nipples. "I don't care." He soothed when Elizabeth tried to stammer out something else in regard to her stretch marks. "I don't care. It doesn't make you any less desirable to me, Elizabeth."

  Vega squeezed her eyes shut, kissing his forehead as he continued to cautiously rouse her peaks until they were stiff and aching for more. Then his thumbs took over, stroking in slow, firm circles that made her quiver from head to toe. "You...you're really good at that." Elizabeth said faintly.

  "I'm pleased you think so." Danse grunted when her fingers found his belt buckle. "It has been a significant amount of time for me as well, I...my excitement may be a bit obvious." He admitted, his smile sheepish. 

  Vega's breath caught in her throat, her hands trembling as she struggled to draw down the worn zipper of his jeans. The underside of his cock throbbed against her palm when she dared to slip her hand into his briefs, his skin searing and smooth. 

  Danse huffed out a breath, crumpling a little at her tentative touch. "Elizabeth," he groaned, hiding his face in her neck as he rolled his hips eagerly into her hand. 

  "Keep saying my name like that." She ordered, laughing when the paladin nodded rapidly into her shoulder. "I love you, Danse."

  ...

  Danse rumbled again, words failing him while Elizabeth's fingers wrapped around his cock. This seemed like a dream, another one of his fantasies brought into being. He couldn't seem to do anything aside from stare down at her hand. 

  "Hey, Danse?"

  He jerked to attention, eyes flying up to meet her own guiltily. "Y-Yes, Vega?" He stuttered.

  "Do you...uh, y'know." Backhand fumbled to undo the button on her jeans. "You can, if you'd like." She finished awkwardly.

  No sooner had she given him permission than Danse was pulling her hand out of his pants, urging her backwards onto her bed even as he kissed her battered knuckles again. "Yes." He grated out, kneeling to untie her boots so he could get her pants off. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes."

  "A for enthusiasm, big guy." Elizabeth teased, lazily fingercombing his short hair back. Her veneer of composure was shattered when the paladin eased her underwear down her legs, the young woman covering her face as if she was embarrassed. "Listen, just uh, go easy on me. It's been over two hundred years, after all." She reasoned weakly.

  Danse swallowed hard. Cutler had always praised his dirty talk, the calculated way he could take apart a person with his words and touch alone. Maxson hadn't appreciated his speech, granted, but perhaps…

  "You're saying you don't want me to bury my fingers in you, Elizabeth? You don't want me to open you up, work my way into that beautiful, flushed little cunt of yours?" Danse rasped, two fingers tracing lightly on her pubic mound. Her cesarean scar was faintly visible, and he felt a brief flare of concern before recalling that was indeed where the scar was from.

  "Oh, Jesus. Okay." Vega gasped, blue eyes wide in what Danse could only assume was shock. "Keep that up and you won't have to worry about using anything else. Fuck, Danse, have some pity here." She pleaded, burying her hands in her hair. 

  "Language. Do you deserve my pity? How would you earn it?" The paladin queried, the heel of his hand applying steady pressure to her mound now. 

  "I can be good, Paladin! I can be really good. So good." Her breathless use of his title had Danse's cock pounding, though he tried not to make it obvious. "Please Danse, please touch me…"

  Danse climbed up onto the bed alongside her, gently parting her labia with his fingers. "You'll be good for me, Elizabeth?" He asked, propping himself up with an elbow.

  "Yes, please."

  She had wonderful manners. Danse grazed her clit and her breath stuttered, the paladin spreading the liberal lubrication that she had already created with deft, slow strokes of his index. "Please, what?"

  "P-Please...Danse."

  He cautiously eased one finger into her, exhaling raggedly when her hand sought out his cock. "Vega-"

  "Shh, let me." Elizabeth hushed him, her smile a little dreamy as Danse crooked his finger and rubbed in just the right spot. "Oh, f-uck, Paladin, you--"

  "Language, Vega. Can't have you being a bad example while I'm knuckle deep in your cunt." Danse admonished, groaning when she whimpered. "You're so tight, this could take ages. We'll need to come up with some stretches to cope with this." He teased gruffly, sliding in another finger and spreading her open. "Mm, Elizabeth, you need to relax. Relax." He murmured, latching onto her breast.

  He felt her pussy clench down around his fingers and he took a greedy suckle from her breast, making Vega cry out his name, "Danse!" She twitched and writhed under his deft attack, her thighs quivering even as she tried to spread them wider for him. Her hand fell still on his cock, not that Danse minded. It had always been more about his partner, he couldn't care less if nothing was done for him. Watching someone else fall apart because of him...now that was its own reward.

  "What do I need to do to get you there, hmm?" Danse taunted playfully, tonguing sloppily over the peak of her breast. "What will it take, Elizabeth?"

  She arched her back in response, pressing her breast firmly against his mouth, and Danse gently nibbled on the sensitive area she had offered up. Elizabeth sobbed out, shoving one hand down to her cunt to spread herself even wider for his plundering fingers. "More, Danse! Please please please-" she begged, her moan when he pressed a third finger into her absolutely enough to have Danse hurrying to talk himself down. "Yes, Danse." She was practically growling, her arousal something primal and untamed. 

  If Danse had his way, it would stay like that forever. 

  "What is it that you want, Vega?" His inquiry was almost lazy, three fingers stroking in and out with much less resistance now. "Hmm, I wonder if you're wet enough to take me."

  "You can't just-" Vega made a noise of dismay. "That's not fair, Danse, that's not fair, you know it's not. Please, please fuck me." 

  Jesus. Danse almost choked on his own breath, letting his fingers slip out of her cunt. "How do you want me?" His voice broke noticeably. It felt like a lifetime since he had been desired, wanted in such a blatant and strangely pure fashion. She loved him. She wanted him inside her. Wanted him to make love to her. Wanted him.

  The speed at which she flung herself up a little higher on the bed made Danse want to laugh, but then she was arching her back and looking over her shoulder at him and he suddenly forgot how to breathe for a moment. "This okay?" She panted, brown hair all tumbled around her face as she took off her glasses and pitched them in the general direction of her bedside table.

  Danse nodded hurriedly, kicking his pants off. "If you need me to stop, just grab my hand." He instructed.

  "This isn't exactly my first time getting fucked, Danse-"

  "Language," the paladin reprimanded her with a chuckle, greedily fondling her rear as he mounted up behind her. "You have such a beautiful form, Vega." He murmured, leaning over to press a kiss between her shoulder blades. "An absolute vision."

  "I do have nice tits." 

  Danse rolled his eyes, slipping his hands down to grope said breasts. She gasped out, rocking back against him as he agreed, "yes you do, that can't be denied. Soft, the perfect size, they fit in my hands so well, and so sensitive." He found himself laughing when she whimpered again. "Don't offer up all your weak spots unless you want them taken advantage of, Vega."

  "The only thing I want to take advantage of right now is the raging hard-on I can feel." Elizabeth wriggled and Danse grunted, shuddering. "Pl-ease Danse, please put it in me."

  The paladin slipped his cock between her labia, the hot, slick flesh pressing against him mercilessly as he teased her. He suddenly felt her fingers on his cock and then-

  "Fuck." The paladin grated out the uncharacteristic curse through his teeth, his fists meeting the bedding on either side of her body as he fought the urge to thrust himself home in one breath.

  Elizabeth half-collapsed while he slowly, slowly rutted into her, the woman panting and clawing at the blankets. "Mmmgod, Danse-" she slurred, sighing loudly. "So good, fuck, Danse…"

  Danse toyed with her nipples, stupidly snarling "language," as she keened in reply. "I'll take care of you, Elizabeth. Be good for me." He pressed a kiss to her temple, smirking at the way her body quaked when he finally bottomed out in her. "That's it, look at you, taking all of me so well," he praised. "Now, how can I make you come?"

  "Fu--Please use your big cock to get me off, oh please Danse!" She begged and Danse fondled her breasts yet again.

  "You don't want me to touch you here, just like this?" He asked, stroking over her nipples and lingering to tease the area. "They're so hard, though, begging for my attention."

  Backhand made a noise of despair, burying her face in her pillow. 

  "I think you need me to play with them, don't you? You like when I touch them like this." Danse muttered, thinking out loud and coming to that realization even as the words left his mouth. "What is it about it that you like?"

  "S-Sensitive." Vega whimpered, "feels good."

  Danse rumbled again, bending over to press his chest to her back so he could whisper in her ear, "does it feel good when I'm inside you, Elizabeth? Can you feel how hard I am for you? Feel how badly I need you?" 

  Elizabeth gifted him this pitiful sound, canting her hips and clenching down around his cock so tightly it took Danse's breath away. "Yes, I love it. I need you too, Danse." She murmured, shifting back and forth ever so slightly.

  "Good. I'm glad." Danse took hold of her hips, seating his cock as deeply as he could in her cunt. Elizabeth whined, burying her face in her pillow again as he slowly began to make love to her. 

  Paladin Logan Danse, pride of the Brotherhood of Steel, had never been a man who took sex lightly. It was too important. Even after everything that had happened with Maxson, Danse still held to that belief. The display of vulnerability, the offer of power in exchange for pleasurable release, the brief moments of tenderness in an existence that was soul-crushingly difficult…

  It was serious. It always was. 

  Vega's arms gave out and she slumped onto the bed, but Danse followed her down. Covering her with his body, the paladin thrust into her again and again, her soft whimpers and cries of his name music to his ears. "What do you need, sweetheart?" He asked raggedly when she began to squirm and arch back against him. "What can I give you, Elizabeth?"

  "Fuck me, Danse!" She pleaded, turning her head to the side so she could see him. 

  "Language," Danse smiled, kissing her temple again. "But understood, ma'am."

  …

  For the first time since she'd awoken to an irradiated hellscape, Vega was wholly content to just lay down and be taken care of. 

  Danse was huge, proportionate to his already overgrown size, and he made the most incredible sounds when she inadvertently squeezed down on him. Groans burring in his chest like some untamed animal; he seemed content to just slowly fuck her into oblivion. Which was honestly more than she thought she would ever get. 

  Her fantasies, much as she'd believed they were wrong or silly at the time, didn't hold a candle to the reality of having Danse on top of her. She had gotten off more than once to this exact idea, being dominated and pinned by the massive paladin. This was a dream come true.

  Elizabeth whined when he bottomed out in her again and just rutted himself back and forth slightly, making her feel every inch of his cock. The underside of his dick throbbed against the spot that made her see stars and then, the bastard, he slid his cock out of her cunt to press the head to her clit for a second. "Turn over for me?" He requested, punctuated by a gentle smack to her ass.

  Vega rushed to obey, eager to have him back inside her as quickly as possible. The woman spread her legs wide so Danse could settle in between them and when the paladin did, he shifted upwards to kiss her tenderly. 

  "I've wanted this for so long." He admitted quietly.

  "So have I!" Elizabeth replied in delight, her grin beaming. She was sure she looked like a mess, her hair stuck to her forehead with sweat and her face all flushed. But the way Danse was smiling at her…

  She found she didn't really care about her appearance at this point in time.

  "I love you." Danse murmured as he slid back inside her. 

  "I l-love you, Danse." Vega stuttered, the natural curvature of his cock applying steady pressure to her g-spot. "Make me feel so good, fuck."

  "Language." He growled, making her laugh and then moan. 

  "Feels too good, brain can't cope." She gasped, wrapping her arms around his neck and tugging him closer until all he could do was grind down into her in a merciless manner. The motion flung her towards her peak, disconnecting her mouth even further from her brain and making her ramble into his ear, "God, I love you so much, make me feel so good--"

  "I love you too, Elizabeth." He panted into the hollow of her throat, "you feel incredible. Outstanding."

  Elizabeth wasn't sure how she could feel both so aroused she thought she might die and so annoyed that she wanted to explode. "Danse, did you just call my pussy outstanding?"

  "It's not an incorrect statement, from my perspective. It's perfect. Wet and tight and hot." The paladin praised her freely, a hand lowering to apply gentle pressure over the scar on her lower stomach. "Beautiful."

  I am not going to cry, Vega told herself sternly as she hid her face in Danse's neck. Definitely not going to cry, not going to.

  A sob somehow escaped her as she came and Danse froze, his whole body flinching when her cunt clenched down on his dick. "V...Vega?" He asked tentatively.

  "I'm fine! I'm fine, I promise, m'not hurt or anything. My brain is just dumb." Elizabeth hiccupped, rubbing her eyes. "I'm okay, Danse, I'm fine."

  The paladin seemed uncertain and she couldn't blame him, she didn't seem fine even if she felt a thousand times better than she had in literal months. 

  "I swear I'm okay, that was just...it was really intense, y'know?" She mumbled awkwardly, unable to make eye contact anymore. 

  She felt Danse shift his weight and then he settled down on top of her, holding her close and tight. "You're sure?" He murmured, "if you're overwhelmed, that's entirely acceptable. I'm not hurting you, am I?"

  "No, shit no, you feel incredible. I'm not going to be able to walk after this." Vega huffed, giggling a little when he rolled his eyes. "Keep going, okay? It feels fantastic."

  "If you're certain." Danse acquiesced, kissing a hot trail down her neck when she nodded. "Let me know if you need me to stop." 

  Watching his forearms cord with muscle as he propped himself back up again, Vega's mouth went dry. "I have to say, this might be the best night of my life." 

  Danse pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead, the tenderness of the action a wonderful contrast to the needy way he sheathed his cock in her body once more. "I've thought about this." He confessed again, punctuated by a roll of his hips. "What you'd sound like, look like beneath me. You put my imagination to shame." 

  "What did I do in your dreams?" Backhand asked, unable to keep from breathlessly laughing when Danse hid his face in her neck. "So shy, Paladin! Even with that huge cock in me?"

  "It's lewd, Elizabeth, I-I'm not proud of it." He mumbled. "Shouldn't have thought of you that way." He spread her legs wider, one hand on the back of each knee to urge her to bend. 

  "Mm, you thought about fucking me? Nice to know I'm not the only one with dirty thoughts." 

  "I did not." He protested staunchly. His cock slid back and forth between her pussy lips in a purposeful teasing motion. "I thought about how...I thought about how good it would feel to make love to you." He continued, his voice wavering slightly as his dick brushed her entrance and he plunged deep yet again. "Thought about how good I could make you feel."

  Now it was Vega's turn to be shy, the woman looking away from him and flushing.

  "It was still inappropriate at the...time, but I assure you it was never about that. I am not-" Danse struggled for a moment to find the words, before he sighed and rested his forehead against her own. "This already isn't simple, and I know I make it miles less so. Forgive me."

  "I feel like it's pretty simple." Vega gasped, twitching as his fingers landed on her clit. "I f--fuck, Danse--I feel like it's real simple. You like me. Love me, yeah?"

  "It's more than that, dammit." Danse growled, rubbing her clit in merciless circles. "What you did for me...how can I ever be worth your affection? Hell, your time?"

  Elizabeth threw her head back, arching her entire body up into his chest. "Whatever good I give to you," she moaned, almost exasperated that they were even having this discussion, "you deserve it. Take it." 

  Danse's hands latched down on her hips, thumbs stroking back and forth over her pronounced stretch marks as he fucked into her so fiercely that Vega swore she saw stars. His pelvis ground against her own, body hair providing a delicious new sensation that had Vega grasping at the blankets in an effort to keep herself grounded. "I'm going to come, Elizabeth." Danse panted. "Where do you-"

  "Inside." Backhand implored him, "come inside me, Paladin, please come inside me-" Her voice broke as she begged and Danse groaned loud, the sound incredulous.

  "You...inside? Are you sure?" He asked through gritted teeth, dark brown eyes conveying his uncertainty. In reply, Vega dug the heels of her feet in beneath his rear, effectively locking him in place. 

  She caught a handful of his hair, gently tugging it until he leaned down again so she could seethe in his ear, "yes."

  "Oh, dammit." With that wonderfully characteristic swear, Danse shoved his mouth against hers gracelessly. The heat in her belly spilled over from the onslaught of his enthusiastic thrusts and Backhand cried out, fingernails digging into his back when she came a second time. 

  Danse, either spurred on by her sounds or by the way her pussy gripped his dick (maybe a combination? Backhand mused) found his release seconds after, his voice breaking and dropping into a lower tone as he moaned her name. Her real name.

  Elizabeth.

  Vega cupped the nape of his neck, guiding his face into the hollow of her shoulder. "Lay down, sweetheart, you're shaking." She murmured, stroking over his quivering back.

  "Don't want to flatten you." Danse rasped, his dick still throbbing inside her.

  "Lay down. It's okay." Elizabeth flexed her bicep. "I'm strong, I can handle it." Danse laughed wearily, almost immediately going limp on top of her. She wrapped her arms back around him, fingers digging into the knots that she found to ease out the tension. "There, isn't that better?"

  "Mmmmuch." Danse slurred into her neck, sounding exhausted. "Love you."

  "I love you. Sleep, okay? We'll get cleaned up later. Right now though you seem like you could use a nap."

  Danse nodded, the tangled mess of his hair mashed flat against her cheek in the process. "Want...to be a good parent." He mumbled several minutes later, just as Vega had thought he was dozing off. Danse propped himself up with one arm, cradling Vega's cheek in his palm. His thumb absently traced the cryo burn marks from the stasis as he continued, "a true partner for you. I don't know if you...if you even want me in that capacity, I--I don't know whether you would prefer that Shaun thinks of me as simply your friend, but I-"

  "Danse," Elizabeth interrupted him sternly, raising an eyebrow. "Someone who's simply a friend wouldn't be balls deep in me."

  Danse sputtered, his blush spreading down his neck to his chest. Despite his proclivity for dirty talk in the moment, he was endearingly embarrassed by her blunt words. Vega felt her heart pound as he floundered to collect himself, the large man looking away. 

  He's really nothing at all like Nate.

  "Danse." Her voice was gentler this time, unmistakable affection bleeding through. "I would have to ask Shaun, of course, and I'd like to have an adjustment period before I do so that he can get comfortable with the idea on his own, but…" The young woman swallowed hard. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? Oh sure, she could handle the vulnerability of being naked and fucked with absolute abandon but this? This was where her brain drew the line? Unbelievable, Backhand grumbled at herself. "I think the odds are in your favor." She concluded with a grin.

  "You...even though I'm not-?"

  "He's probably the last person to care about that kinda' stuff, Danse. C'mon." Vega chided, running her fingers through his sweaty hair. "Now. We are...absolutely disgusting. We need a bath big time."

  "I...you're right, of course." Danse agreed absently, still seeming shocked at the whole scenario. "I should...w-we should bathe. Er, at the same time. To save water." He didn't meet her eyes, his attention focused somewhere by her left shoulder. 

  Elizabeth laughed, bumping their foreheads together before carefully scooting up the bed. His cock slipped out of her and she couldn't help her sigh, the noise echoed by the paladin who tilted his chin to catch her with a kiss.

  "You are amazing." He breathed when they parted, his smile small but sincere. "I'm...I'll be hard-pressed to keep my hands off you, Elizabeth."

  "Why bother?" Vega asked, chuckling as he ducked back in for another kiss. 

  ...

  Hours later, Danse laid awake while Elizabeth slept peacefully on his chest. The paladin stared up at the ceiling, his mind running rampant.

  The future.

  He hadn't really dared to think about it since discovering his true identity. Hadn't felt like it was something he deserved. After all, if he was just a machine, it hardly mattered. But Elizabeth…

  She thought it mattered. She wanted him. Wanted him to stay with her. Wanted him to act as a father. Pending Shaun's approval, of course. 

  It was surreal how much his life had changed, how far they had come in such a short amount of time. Danse was a little overwhelmed by it all, if he was being honest. Scared, yet hopeful at the same time. And, he thought as he wrapped his arm around Elizabeth, incredibly, immensely grateful.

  This new world was unforgiving, the universe coldly testing the mettle of a man time and again. But Danse had finally come out the other side, and he liked to think he had changed for the better. 

  Whatever the future held, they would face it together. 

  Ad Victoriam, General Vega. Thank you for having faith in me.

#fallout 4 #fallout four #paladin danse #paladin danse x sole survivor #paladin danse/sole survivor #paladin danse imagine #fallout fandom #fallout fanfic #slow burn #Eventual romance #The Happy Ending #that's right #paladin danse x f!sole #fo4 companions imagine #fo4 companions #epilogue #the gang's all here

[radreactions]

Mandalorian Kellogg

Courtesy of our one and only Master of The Force - @saintlyguy!! 

Kellogg as the Main Character Instead of the Sole Survivor (inspired by The Mandalorian)

Sent to retrieve an asset for the Institute from Vault 111, Kellogg discovers that the package that’s been under ice for almost 200 years is really just a baby still fussing in the arms of his already dead parent. Rediscovering his paternal instincts and discovering a chance of redemption, Kellogg dispatches the scientists with him and decides to protect the boy and raise him as his own. On his journey to escape the Institute and find a new home for him and his new son, he stumbles upon a unique cast. Are these people potential allies, or just obstacles to his new found family? Ada: Years of experience and overall distrust of any sentient machine due to his experience with 2nd gen synths have led to a preference Kellogg wishes to satisfy in any situation: NO DROIDS. Be it a synth or Protectron (after a certain unpleasant experience with one back in the Mojave), Kellogg prefers to work with those who haven’t been programmed to think the way they do. But with enough whining and teary eyes from his adopted son, Kellogg came in charging to save a lone automatron that looks like a mess of parts. “First that Mr. Handy in Sanctuary, now this.” Ada had no one left and sought to avenge her family. Above all she wished to not be alone. All 3 desires are satisfied with this grizzled man and his son- “No droids. Get lost. No need to thank me. Didn’t want to help in the first place” But he did. Surely that must mean this man must have some shred of compassion. That would be enough to go on at the moment since Ada has nothing. She’d follow this man until he’d take her with him. “I could be of much assistance to you and your son. I’ll protect the two of you. I’m well equiped for scavenging and building. I can even create a nursing subroutine and care for your son.” “ALRIGHT! I’ll take care of this Mechanist for you. Just stop talking. Take point.” “Wonderful. Now that we’re on our way, I’d like to tell you all that I can do for you-“ You ever hear a robot get their head ripped off without a sound? No. That’s because you gotta be Kellogg to pull something like that. “Finally” the exasperated merc exhales as he looks down on his napping son. “Finally he’s asleep.” Cait: “Get outta here you junkie! Don’t show your face ‘round here til you get that psycho out of your system!” Tossed out of the Combat Zone, Cait never thought that putting on a good show and gouging out a raider’s eyes would get her tossed out. “Your loss Tommy! I’ll just put these guns to work somewhere they’ll be appreciated!” Tommy sadly sighs at how Cait doesn’t realize she’s beating herself to death. Eventually Cait made herself a name as yet another Commonwealth merc, one that even the Gunners stay clear of in fear of getting their head smashed in. Cait would take the most dangerous jobs not just for the hazard pay, but to have an excuse to need psycho. She’d go after a raider boss with nothing but a bat and rage fueled by the poison. She can be found in Goodneighbor at the Third Rail where she’s claimed the counter for herself. She’d drink from the top shelf in between jobs with her own space. Until the infamous Kellogg took a seat at the other end. “Oy cunt! This here’s my bar! Piss off!” First that wannabe shakedown, now this. “Don’t see your name on it. I’ll finish my Nuka-Cola and be on my way. You won’t even notice.” “Oh but everyone else will notice the stain that balding head will leave on the counter!” A brawl breaks out. Well I wouldn’t call it a brawl. More like Kellogg just tiring Cait out by just dodging all while having something bundled beneathe his jacket. Almost out of breath, Cait pulled out  a psycho she didn’t think she needed. Knowing how much damage a psycho user can inflict, he puts her into a vice and forces it out of her hand. “That stuff could kill you.” Cait was just about to explode as a small hand reached out from Kellogg’s jacket and touched her on the nose. Now you don’t boop Cait on the nose without losing that hand. Unless you were a swaddled baby with big puppy eyes. For the first time in her life, Cait felt...soft. Her rage subsided and she eased up, causing Kellogg to finally release her. Cait felt at ease. Actually more than that. She felt...at peace. She felt better than she ever did in her life. “Holy Shite!” Cait was amazed to see that her arms were no longer veiny or pale, she could see and hear clearly, and she wasn’t as angry! She yanked the psycho from her pockets and threw them in the trash. She doesn’t know what happened, but she’s now healed and free from the psycho. “That kid... Could they have...?” Cait looked back at Kellogg to see him fussing over the kid now knocked out. Codsworth: The butler’s sensors had picked up a familiar lifeform coming from Vault 111. “It couldn’t be.” Then he heard a familiar coo from the end of the street. “It could be?” Anticipation was replaced by fear upon seeing young Shaun in the arms of a rather unpleasant looking stranger. Whoever he is, he has clearly abducted young Shaun and it’s up to Codsworth to save him and deliver him back to his masters. “You! I don’t know who you are! But you will unhand the lad or I will contact the authorities!” Oh blimey, there aren’t any authorities left. This may boil down to fisticuffs, but Codsworth will save Shaun no matter the cost! “That’s not gonna happen Mr. Handy. Now why don’t you go clean something. I gotta get this kid to a safe-“ TALLY HO! Codsworth charges Kellogg with his saw aimed at his head and his claw ready to catch Shaun. Soon Codsworth will have one piece of the family he lost when the bombs dropped. Then he’ll go find his masters and reunite them all. Finally he’ll have the life he had lost serving- SKKRRRRRRR Kellogg let go of the robot’s saw after it had cut clean through its armor and he was sure to have destroyed its cpu. “Ma-Ma-Master Sh-Shaun! Wo-Wo-Would you li-like to see Mu-Mu-Mummy and Da-Da-Da-“ As the Mr.Handy’s voice died out, the child reached out to its lifeless hull. Kellogg had connected the dots. This wasn’t just some malfunctioning Mr. Handy, it somehow knew the kid. All sorts of feelings swelled in Kellogg. Finally he looked down at the child. “So. Your name’s Shaun.” Curie: What’s the perfect place to ride out a radiation storm? The very same vaults that protected its inhabitants from nuclear annihilation. The sky turned green and thundered like never before. The closest place was Vault 81. Although it wasn’t too keen on allowing outsiders in, Kellogg needed to get Shaun out of the storm immediately and he knew he had plenty of worthwhile Institute tools he could trade for shelter. After bargaining his into the Vault, Kellogg was able to finally get a warm meal and rest for himself and his adopted son. That is until this Ms. Nanny came bubbling and insisting on seeing to Shaun. “S’il vous plait monsieur! I only wish to give your little one an examination and any treatment he may need! Free of charge. Just let me-“ “NO!” Silence in the cafeteria except for the humming from Curie’s thruster. “If I need a doctor, I’ll go to the real one. Just let us eat our meal so we can go rest.” Curie complied, hiding her disappointment and hurt. She only wants to help... She’s ashamed to admit, but she had hoped to get in the good graces of the man and convince him to allow her to venture out with him and his son (whom she greatly adored and worried about). Curie wanted more out of her life than being Vautl 81’s Ms. Nanny, she wanted to leave her mark on science! She knew she couldn’t do that in 81’s confines. She also knew she wouldn’t be acheiving her goal anytime soon. Danse: “Brotherhood, better sneak around.” Kellogg maneuvered through College Square as to avoid the ferals only to run into a Brotherhood of Steel outpost and they’re not the biggest fan of the Institute. Kellogg’s pretty sure that saying he betrayed them won’t give him a free pass but a trip to a holding cell and Shaun being taken from him. He couldn’t risk that. While slithering on by, Kellogg halted at the sound of ferals screeching then running towards his direction. Kellogg almost drew his revolver but saw a small squad of Brotherhood soldiers come out to deal with the ferals. “Good a distraction.” Kellogg was almost home free until Shaun pointed back at the Brotherhood with the same damn puppy eyes Kellogg has yet to find the strength to refuse. The ghouls nearly overan the soldiers until a civilian charged in and singlehandedly dispatched then despite their overwhelming numbers. “We need him for the Brotherhood” Paladin Danse thought. Before Danse could thank him, Kellogg hushed him with a finger. “Your welcome. No thanks needed. And no I won’t be staying for long. Also I don’t want to work with a machine.” That last part confused Danse. Maybe he doesn’t like tech, which wouldn’t sit well with being a Brotherhood soldier. Danse then saw a tiny body appear over the civilian’s shoulder which waved back at him. Deacon: Oh crap oh crap oh crap. “I’m in the same room with Kellogg. Worse, he’s got a kid! Where did he get them from? Did he kidnap them?” Whatever the case, Deacon needed to conduct some espionage. “So... you come here often?” “Hmm.” Not much of an answer. “Oh my stars! Your kid is so cute! Mind if I held him.” “Hmm” aggressively as Kellogg turned away. Uh oh, I’m losing him! Better think of something quick! “So I’m guessing a busy man such as yourself needs all the help he can get when raising the little one.” “Hmmm” “Well you’re in luck! I am the Commonwealth’s best, if not the only nanny! I’ll watch him while you go do...stuff! I’m a great cook! My bloatfly jerky is hard to pass up! I’m great with kids and I can entertain your kid for hours. Does your kid like songs? How’s this? Ahem.” “Toss a coin to your-“ Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! “Oh great! Your awful singing upset him!” Dogmeat: A faint scent passed Dogmeat’s nose, waking him from his nap at Red Rocket. Standing at attention, Dogmeat spotted a human carrying a small human. Tail wagging, Dogmeat wanted to run up to see the small human. He wanted to follow to see them all the time. He wanted to PROTECT. But that big human may be dangerous. MORE REASON TO PROTECT TINY HUMAN. So Dogmeat followed at a distance and helped where he could. A pack of hounds too close? They’re gone before the humans get a wiff of them. A yaoi gui looking for a meal? Dogmeat stands his ground and gives the humans time to get far. Dogmeat was a good boy. And good boys get rewarded! One night when the humans rested, Dogmeat was invited to join them by the fire with a hunk of meat thrown in front of him. Kellogg dropped a few more hunks to get Dogmeat to come close. After enjoying his meal and a bowl of water, Dogmeat was finally able to see the tiny human up close. Gage: How could one guy get through the gauntlet with a baby strapped to his chest? And how could he defeat the Overboss without the water gun? BY CRUSHING HIM WITH HIS MIND! That last part seems unreal but it’s the truth! Colter was crushed within his power armor when the bald guy went to fight him! Every raider ran out of there except for Gage, who was still in shock. He didn’t notice the man approach until he was asked “What’s the fastest way back to the Commonwealth?” “R-right this way sir.” Now Gage didn’t like being subservient to those he disliked, but he wasn’t looking to die today. Gage had brought him back to the train, sending the man on his way. Just as the train pulled away, through the window, Gage saw the man’s baby peek out and reach out to him. Gage was confused and was further puzzled when he saw that his pants had fallen out of nowhere. Wait. “Did my pants just- Because of that kid- What the hell is going on?!” Hancock: RIP to the bastard Finn, who thought he could shakedown the guy who looks like he could kill with a stare AND carrying a baby. Now Hancock enjoys seeing bullies get their just desserts, but he wasn’t so sure seeing someone’s jaw get ripped off and shoved down their throat. Sure Hancock has killed his own fair share, but never that brutal. And the guy who just did that is taking care of a BABY. “Now hang on a second. I’m all for not seeing Finn again, but I can’t just let a guy who can do all that carry a baby. Goodneighbor is my town, so everything that walks in is my business. Including you two. Now tell me why I should let you hold on to the little tyke-“ Kellogg retorted without halting “Unless you wanna taste what’s left of your jaw just like him. Leave us alone.” Hancock can’t stand a brushoff threat like that, but he can’t do anything with a baby in the crossfire. So he let the guy go for now, gesturing to Fahrenheit to do surveillance on him. Longfellow: 

Kellogg’s journey to find a safe home will take him all over the Commonwealth and to Far Harbor. After hearing of a rumored synth refuge exiting there, Kellogg thought that Maine may be perfect for him and Shaun if the Institute hasn’t found it. Upon arrival, Kellogg realizes that the fog brings all sorts of monsters and that he’d need some of those defogger contraptions if he’s to settle on the island. Asking around the bar, an old man in a trench coat speaks up. “You’re gonna want to get them defoggers from Arcadia, the synth refuge up over yonder.” Kellogg didn’t want to have to interact with the synths, especially since he’s ex Institute. “Are you serious.” With a nod and arming of his rifle, the old man confirms. “I have spoken.” MacCready: Waiting for business in the Third Rail seems like a safe move until Cait gets into a fight. Just like any other fight, Mac was gonna sit this one out. Expecting to hear a loud climatic crack on the bar, Mac was caught of guard to hear Cait happily laugh. Peeking out he sees Cait looking better than she ever did. He then looked over to the man she’d tussled with. He was fawning over a baby?! Mac’s daddy instinct kicked in and he was gonna help the fellow parent. Mac knew something was up with the kid. A sleeping kid doesn’t look like that. As the man tried shaking the kid awake, Mac put a hand on his shoulder only for it to be squeezed and twisted. “Owowowowowow. Hey I just wanna help your kid! I’m a parent too! Just let me help!” “Don’t need it.” “Are you sure about that?” The kid was barely moving but still breathing. It was clear that he needed something more. “I’m gonna buy some meds for him, then a room for the two of you.” Kellogg let go, allowing the help of fellow parent. Mac delivered. Fruit gummy meds for the kid and the cleanest room in Hotel Rexford. Not a single word of thanks. But a hefty sack of caps. Which Mac denied. “This one’s on the house.” Maxson: The Brotherhood’s arrival in the Commonwealth is preceded by reports of Institute teams becoming a more regular occurrence. It’s as if they’re looking for something. Or someone. Scribe Haylen of Paladin Danse’s team mentions that this began shortly after an encounter with a skilled civilian carrying a baby, probably nothing but they’re still worth looking into. Whatever or whoever they’re looking for, Maxson declares that the Brotherhood must find it first. Of course, Maxson wishes to put his best man in charge: Paladin Danse. However, Danse refuses only stating that “I’m not the right person for this job. Please consider Captain Kells to lead the search. Maxson reluctantly agrees but is confused at Danse’s answer. Once again he states that “I’m not the right person” and excuses himself. “I may not even be a person” Danse thinks to himself. Nick: Called out on a case for his old friends the Nakanos, Nick boards a boat to Far Harbor in search of their missing daughter who believes she’s a synth and is escaping to a supposed synth refuge in Maine. “Holy smokes. For a refuge to be out all the way there untouched. Wow.” “Perfect.” Nick sighed as he heard a deep voice and gun click behind his head. He already knew who it was. “Didn’t think I’d run into you out here. Kellogg.” “I see my reputation precedes me. I’m flattered. Now step away from the controls.” Nick does as he’s asked then spits that the most dangerous man in the Commonwealth has a baby strapped to his chest. He has to get the baby away from Kellogg, he doesn’t know how but he has to. Hours pass as Kellogg stands at the control, gun still aimed at Nick, and trying to comfort a fussy Shaun. “I know you got a gun pointed at me, but I’m still decent enough to be willing to take that kid off your chest and give you a break. What say you?” Before Kellogg could refuse, the boat is roughly shaken and makes both lose their balance. In this small window of opportunity, Nick lunges at Kellogg in hopes of getting the kids from him. Nakano’s boat arrives in Far Harbor and is greeted by a welcome party. “Come out where we can see you!” Kellogg emerges from the controls, gently bouncing Shaun in his arms. “Anyone else on board?” “No. Just me and my son.” Piper: Through the town of Diamond City rode a stranger one fine day. Hardly spoke to folks around him. Didn’t have too much to say. No one dared to ask his business. No one dared make a slip. For the stranger there among them had a BABY! Piper has a weakness for babies, whether it be their tiny hands or feet, their coos, or giggles. She just wants to look at the cutie hung from the grizzled man’s chest. Why did this little cinnamon roll have to be with this sort of guy? Why couldn’t he been with some masked stranger in shiny armor? Or hanging in the arms of a well learned woman? “Why do we always get the scary ones?” Suddenly, she felt her hat slightly rise from her head and fall forward. But before reaching the ground, her hat began discreetly floating towards the scary dude. Piper looked up to see a small head and hand over the man’s shoulder. The cutie was reaching out towards...her hat? ............... GASP “Magic baby hands!” Preston: It would take a miracle to deliver him and his friends from Concord. It would take some angel to come from above to save them. But no, they got Kellogg. An unexpected but welcome assistance. “I’m only here because of my kid.” Preston never thought that he’d be saved on the whim of a kid, but here he is on the museum’s rooftop providing cover for Kellogg as he eliminates the raiders. And Mama Murphy and the baby are on the roof watching- MAMA MURPHY AND THE BABY ARE ON THE ROOF WATCHING “Mama! Take the kid and go back inside! It’s too dangerous!” “Aww, don’t be a sourpuss Preston. The little man just wants a front seat.” A front seat to a deathclaw emerging from the sewers and knocking Kellogg a couple of meters back. “Oh crap!” Preston thought as he began to crank his musket in hopes of nailing the deathclaw in a single shot. Just as he thought Kellogg was gonna be deathclaw chow, the big lizard was lifted into the air! As the deathclaw thrashed in the air, Preston felt his jaw drop. “Nice one kid.” Mama Murphy complimented. To which Preston turned his head, seeing the kid’s arm outstretched. “Holy crap the kid is lifting the deathclaw with his mind.” Strong: Nothing gets Strong excited more than a good fight. His favorite by far is when him, human, and tiny human fought Sean. Human had been knocked out with tiny human trying to wake him up. Strong stood between them and Swan to protect them. Just before Swan had brought his anchor down, it was knocked out of his hand. Confused, Strong needed a moment. A moment short lived when he was lifted into the air up to Swan’s head. Looking down, he saw that the tiny humans was doing it! Feeling pride in his tiny brother, Strong knocked Swan’s head clean off. After that fight, Strong would always ask “Tiny Human! Do the magic hand thing!” X6-88: “Kellogg has gone AWOL and intends to keep the asset from us. Eliminate Kellogg and return the asset to us alive X6.” The courser had been given his most important assignment as well as his own long awaited desire: to kill Kellogg. Ever since he had heard of Kellogg’s skills, X6 had wanted to put him to the test and even beat him. Delivering the child is just a bonus. Cornering the two at Greentech, X6 was about to get his wish. “I’ve been waiting to go toe to toe with you, Mr. Kellogg.” “Sure. Fight me. That’s actually easier than the second part of the mission.” “Oh please I’m pretty sure I can handle a baby.” A small head peeks through Kellogg’s jacket and lets out a coo. *Software Instability Detected* “Oh! YOU’RE RIGHT! GET THAT OUTTA HERE!” How could X6 give a baby with such soft cheeks to the Institute?

#fallout 4 #the mandalorian #companions react #ada #cait #curie #codsworth #danse #paladin danse #deacon #hancock #gage #porter gage #dogmeat #maccready #maxson #elder maxson #arthur maxson #nick valentine #old longfellow #saintlyguy #piper wright #preston garvey #strong #x6-88

[unikornu]

Page 18 is out.

“Welcome to Lucy's diary - a set of short pages of her minor adventures in Nuka World and embracing the raider life along with Gage by her side and mysterious figure following her behind. Where would a pre-war killer, disappointed in justice system, crocked and bent towards criminal life find her new home? Could it be between the most hated society, along raiders as the Nuka World signal calls her one last time?”

Chapters: 18/?

Fandom: Fallout 4 Relationships: Porter Gage/Female Sole Survivor Words: 46178 

Page 18 -  A Guest,  

(Words: 2440)

The burn stench and smell of blood was still felt throughout the streets of Nuka town even if heat of the battle was put down to the dust of its dirty grounds. The pack raiders were cheering and howling in a victory leaving the operators faces just slightly disgusted of such a behavior but letting the smirk show up on their faces anyway because it was indeed an important fight that they just won.

 Lucy was walking towards Fizztop with Gage supporting her gently with an arm wrapped around her, she didn’t care about other’s people eyes this time, she was relieved but tired and still having in the back of her head the newly raised problem in a shape of Harrison. She felt a pinch of happiness seeing him back again, still in a shape of a metallic skeleton but she knew it was still him, the same one she left 200 years ago. The only thing bothering her was how to deal with his arrival in the glance of the whole town but for now the focus got switched to the Black duo and Mason awaiting them at the bottom of the Grille mountain.

- So the Overboss not only strikes a plan but makes it out alive after all. Mags started, brushing with a napkin the remains of the blood from her fingers.

- Did what have to be done. That was a deal. Lucy responded while moving out of Gage’s arm and nodding to him in a grateful manner.

- And you have our respect for that. At least enough to not consider killing you anymore. Mags chuckled, trying to joke but still sounding way too serious in her stiff voice tone. Lucy could only smile with a corner of her lips, raising an eyebrow in a response.

- Anyway...did any of you see Nisha? Mason? She turned to the pack leader.

- No, Boss. We already scoured every corner of the street. The chicken bitch probably ran away to strike later like a coward when we ain’t looking. He shrugged, a little grump heard in his voice but he was still standing proud, cheerful enough of having a chance to finally crash some necks he wanted to strangle before anyway but rules were keeping him away.

- Now at least we can organize a decent civilized meeting. William started, steeping up to Lucy. - With the bloody psychos gone we can think of finally getting hands on the power plant, make this place really shine, Boss. He looked down at her with a shine in his eye that only made Gage release a deep sigh.

- Okay, hold on. We will get to this but let her catch a breather too. It’s been hell of a run. Gage interrupted, stepping up and convincing to leave them, at least till the next morning.

- Alright, Boss ,we will be around. Stop by us when you are ready. Mags sighted and pulled William behind her, back to Parlor. Mason still went for a stroll through the streets, keeping his nose up and eyes open, searching for any disciples potentially still hiding around.

- Ah, Boss, before i forget. Mags turned around and handed to Lucy the most smooth and perfectly folded piece of suit she have ever seen, its color dark olive like wearing a swirly gold shiny ornaments all over. Lucy’s eyes shined, looking down at it as she gently took it from the operator’s boss hands. - A gift...that you are part of us, now, the Operators. Mags nodded with a soft smirk as Lucy whispered a quiet and honest “thank you” between them two. It felt warm and welcoming, a nice change and good place to start a cooperation.

When everyone left back towards their quarters Lucy pushed the entrance door to the Fizztop, shutting it right after her and dropping her head down while leaning with her hand on a door wing, other one holding a suit under the arm.

- Finally....some fucking peace but we have another problem. She pushed herself away.

- Harrison....right? Gage took her by the arm and lead towards the elevator. Lucy only nodded in response, corners of her lips turning downwards, not even a clean shiny suit smelling of pre-war perfume could change that. - So...what the fuck is he exactly? He asked.

- A fairly successful pre-war experiment....a mix of human and synth...something about probing a human soul and injecting it into other sources. At least its what i heard from him right before...well i shot him. She brushed the inner corners of her eyes, leaning her head on Gage shoulder as the elevator was taking them up to his room.

- I don’t know if i want to ask more...shit. All that weird scientific mumble wasn’t something that was easy for him to understand but he tried his best to at least not call this bullshit.

-Still..what are you planning...what is he planning to do? Stay here? I mean...what are going to tell the others? Gage walked behind Lucy’s back, unloading a mouthful of questions that she could no longer bear the moment they arrived in the middle of his room.

- Gage, i don’t fucking know! She punched the wooden table standing next to her. Gage stopped abruptly, closing his mouth. He reached for her shoulder as she leaned against the table, her head facing the floor.

- It all happened so fast yet more problems arise...i mean...i’m kind of glad to see him, he saved my fucking ass but i’m just tired and we need solution, fast. She squeezed his hand as he shook her shoulder and pulled her to his chest.

- Mags probably will find out even about the Institute deals, sooner or later, its her nature to dig for every secret. Maybe we just tell them truth. Gage suggested, shrugging his arms, looking down at her doubtful look.

- About deals it won’t hurt but Harrison? No....they won’t trust him unless he looks at least like human. Right now i need to find someone who can repair him and keep his mouth shut. She sighted and walked off to Gage’s bed, dropping gracefully onto it and holding up the suit. - It looks nice....reminds me of the office..back then.

Gage sat next to her and leaned down, sweeping the strand of hair off her forehead, taking in all the peace and quiet this park never seen since her arrival. Despite the bed being made for just one person he still squeezed and lied next to her, taking the suit away from her and putting it down next to bed.

- I might know someone who can help us with this...guy of yours but how bout we take a moment to ourselves before jumping into the wheel of murder and mayhem again?

- That’s so fucking poetic of you. Lucy chuckled and started taking her armor parts off. - So much better.

- You don’t have to stop there. Gage grinned, trying to look away but he couldn’t dodge that pair of amber eyes accompanied with a honest smile, striking him like a bullet in the heart. They were lying down, their sides pushed to each other and their faces just looking at one another.

- I don’t think you will need it right now. She reached for his eyepatch, slipping it slowly away. Gage hesitated, raising his hand to stop her but eventually allowed it. She got his full trust on that.

- We should talk over the plans for the morning, it will be even harder to sleep now that Nisha’s hiding, hell knows where. She turned to him, throwing her leg over his and digging her nails in the fabric of his top.

- Yeah...we definitely should. He turned as well and pushed her close, not waiting any word longer to kiss her, now that they have all that moment just for themselves, not knowing how long it will last he just decided to use it all. As she returned the kiss back to him, trying to crawl on top of him it only pushed him and his stuffed deep emotions harder, pushing her back onto the bed and ending instead on top of her, the kisses getting more deep and passionate, letting the soft shiver crawl the back of her neck. That was completely something else, more romantic and thoughtful even if rushed but the only sound she could release was the one of pleasure sights and soft moans as his lips went down her neck and his hands crawling up and down, all over her body, stripping down to the underwear in no time.

- I swear i will shoot anyone trying to disturb us right now. Gage pulled off his shirt and threw it to the side. She was scanning his chest, eyes slowly going down, not feeling the heavy blush coming up on her face. As they were about continue the sound of a broken glass came from the hallway.

- Are you fucking kidding me. Lucy crawled from under him, grabbing a pistol from underneath the clothes, unfolding the suit shirt in a rush and putting it on, squinting in the shadows of the hallway, just a gentle candle shade barely lighting up the place. She slowly stood up, Gage was ready right behind, pointing their firearms around. Taking light step after step she noticed a green shine like eyes, staring from shadow in the corner just ahead of her.

- Put that gun down, Feit. Lucy gasped loudly as the metallic arm grabbed and jerked her pistol away, bullet fired in the ceiling, wrecking some structure.

- Fucking....shit..Christ...how did you get here? And how long have you been standing there?! She waved to Gage to put down his gun and leaned over, patting her chest before looking at Harrison again, stepping out the shadows, clearly annoyed.

- Wasn’t he suppose to wait?! I freaking hope none one saw him. Gage gave him a sharp displeased look. Harrison returned it.

- The man owning that garbage started digging around so i had to move. And i don’t like to wait. His synth green bright eye lenses squinted. - If i have to hide like that then i need my body back.

- Your...body? Wait...wait a second. Lucy asked, surprised. - Your body vanished with half the neighborhood when bombs fell, i shot you in Sanctuary, you remember?

- Yeah, nice of you to remind me that. He growled lowly and took a step towards Gage, scanning him up and down.

- What the fuck you looking at now? He wrinkled his eyebrows and crocked the corner of lips downwards.

- Hmpf, interesting company you got yourself, kid. Anyway...i could use a gun and be on my way to Sanctuary. He turned away back to Lucy.

- Hold on a goddamn second. She raised a palm at him. - First, you are fucking broken. She pointed at the other arm being cut away. - And you can’t go out just like that! Institute will snatch you in no time, looking like that and going for a stroll.

- Did you say Institute? That word caught Harrison full interest. - Of course...the kid made in the vault because of your stupid fucking impulsive decisions! His tone raised, taking a step right up to her, staring down. Only then she realized how tall he is, feeling almost guilty for his accusation.

- Boss...i will just leave you to this shit, come see me when you are done with..this..thing, man..hell if i know. Gage felt stupid, observing the whole conversation and trying to understand what exactly is the deal between them.

- Gage..wait, shit. She looked at him disappearing in the patio and turning her head away to Harrison, squinting eyes but being too tired to yell anymore.

- What...? Harrison asked, shrugging.

- Shut up and just wait till the fucking morning, please. We will talk...make a plan..and all that shit. She sighted, tired, stretching her neck and just glancing at him in a begging manner to give her a break too.

- Eh, alright Feit...i will wait here. He looked around and got himself a chair.

- Jezz...thank you. You could keep an eye too since i really need some rest and you don’t, apparently.

He nodded and leaned against the chair, freezing in a place, entering some kind of trans and becoming a guarding figure with its eyes scanning the place around.

-Right....finally. She walked off towards patio, entering quietly and scanning for Porter signs. He was siting at the bar, smoking, the oil lamp throwing a gentle orange shade around.

- Hey...you okay? She placed a hand on his back and took a sit next to him.

- Yeah, just not entirely happy to see him around like that. Freaking Institute, now synth under our roof. He ran a hand through his hair and crashed a smoke in an ashtray.

- Hey, he’s not a synth, he is only trapped in body of one, it wasn’t his fault he got like that.

- And he plans to hang around? He asked.

- I don’t know what he plans but i will help him for now and see.

A quiet moment hang between them, she could feel a slight grumpiness vibing off his tired face. She reached for one of his hand, resting on the counter.

- We will solve it, like every other fucking problem we stumbled upon.

- Kill him? Gage chuckled, lowly.

- Oh no...no, one time was enough. She smirked and stood up, pulling him towards the bed. He followed with a lazy step but noticing her slim shapes popping out of underwear and white classic shirt, open, waving behind he let smile crawl on his face.

- I would rather use last bit of energy for something else, as long as you still have mood. She didn’t let them forget a moment that has been disrupted a while ago and she hungered to have him close, very close now that she was sure he might have a deeper and more emotional approach to their relations.

- You are kidding, right? He eyed her up and down as she sat down the edge of bed, leaning on her elbows.

- I don’t know, am i? She teased him.

- Oh, just fucking come here. He pushed her deeper on the bed, landing where he did before, on top of her, tangled in her arms and soft lips going as long as last remains of energy let them before falling asleep.

#fallout #fallout 4 #fo4 #ao3 #porter gage #lucy feit #harrison #dem raiderz #writing #short one but tryin to keep it goin no matter #i simply dont have time neither peace at home to make em longer than 3k words per page #so sorry for that #also i think i wont be posting them on tumblr anymore #but i need to give it a thought

[bardic-inspo]

❄🦋💎

Thanks for the ask, these really made me think! Answers are for my Sole Survivor, Natasha Sokolova. She’s the protag of my current WIP, Bring the Gasoline, and love interest to one RJ MacCready.  ❄️ What makes your OC sad, so sad that they can’t help but cry all day? How do they cheer themself up? Does their sadness upset any of their loved ones too? Nat’s the type to get angry, really angry, before she gets sad. But push her far enough down that path, and she’ll eventually pop. And when she does, it’s tears for days until she wears herself out and slowly crawls back to reality.  Eventually, Nat learns she can’t be angry her whole life, and finds healthier ways to deal with sadness: reading to someone she cares about (or having them read to her)  or spending time with her flower garden. Hugs always help, too.

Things that make that “pop” happen: her parents’ deportation before the war, Nate re-enlisting and going to Anchorage while she was pregnant (despite previous promises he was done with the military), and the aftermath of finding the truth about Shaun at the Institute (including other spoilery things I have planned for an eventual ending). Poor thing has had a lot of trauma. 

Her initial, self-destructive anger pushes away a lot of her companions (Piper and Nick). It takes somebody like MacCready, who’s been through similar things and is willing to talk back to her/push her buttons, to steer her on to a better path. 

🦋 If your OC could change everything (or just something) about their life would they? What would they change? What do they think would happen if they did? What would their loved ones think? 

One thing Nat wouldn’t change: she does not wish she could go back to pre-war life. She already tried to “save the world” once in her own way: she worked as an immigration attorney and fought against laws that targeted people based on race/prejudice stemming from a phobia of communism. She knew a lot of people trying to make that world a better place. When she wakes up in the Wasteland, her conclusion is that she, and all those others, failed. She already knows the end to that story. And honestly, that world was a scary place to her, anyway. Something Nat would change, if she could go back in time a bit: she would take a firmer hold of the Minutemen from the get-go, would’ve put more effort in. I think this would have soothed some of her strained relationships (Nick, Piper, Preston). Mac probably wouldn’t understand why she bothers with the effort until it became useful (which is similar to how Nat views/uses the Minutemen in the fic).

💎 Does your OC collect anything? Is there a reason? When did they start and is it beginning to turn into a little bit of a hoarding issue? What do they do with their collection?

Yes! She collects comic books. Her parents used to pick them up on their way home from work for her as a kid. When she traveled for work or had friends that traveled, she picked up comics in different languages / alternate covers available only in foreign countries. Her proudest part of her collection includes some that were technically banned as communist propaganda in the U.S., but she managed to smuggle in anyway. Mac is enamored with her collection. Nat is pretty generous with sharing it. She starts a new collection later, when someone special gifts her some flower seeds that are the start to her garden. Her parents owned a flower shop, and this gift just about makes her melt into a puddle.

#ask memes #natasha sokolova #sokolova #wip #fanfic #my oc #maccready

[mwolf0epsilon]

Out of curiosity, what are your favorite companions out of all of the Fallout games, and why?

Fallout

The Original Dogmeat (After looking into it, it feels like this ornery dog had a lot more personality than the available human companions, enough so that he made a comeback in FO2.)

Fallout 2

Goris (A sentient and intelligent albino deathclaw scholar that wears a robe to hide his appearence from trigger happy assholes. What's not to like? Goris is an interesting character and I hope there will be another deathclaw companion in a future game!)

K-9 the Cyberdog (Cyberdogs are cool. Talking Cyberdogs with good moral compasses? Even better! Super pissed the NCR ended up destroying him to gather Intel on the Enclave. That's something I'd expect from the BoS instead, and it's left a bitter taste in my mouth. Rest in peace you poor pup.)

Fallout 3

Butch Deloria (He was an asshole and a bully during his and the Lone Wanderer's childhood, but you can't deny he isn't loyal to a fault. He's still a bit of an asshole with an unobtainable greaser teen dream, but honestly he's not that bad considering he was neglected as a child thanks to his mother's alcoholism. If you scratch his back he'll definitly scratch yours, even if he pretends he's not a goody-two-shoes like you. Plus he can give you a haircut, who wouldn't want a personal barber out in the Wastes?)

Charon (His situation is an uncomfortable moral conundrum since he's basically a brainwashed slave by anything but name. Oxhorn put it best in his video on Charon's situation, and I agree that the only good thing you can do for him is buying his contract and doing good out in the Capital Wasteland with him as your companion, as a form of atonement for any past shady/cruel actions his former employers have had him perform.)

Fawkes (A super mutant who may or may not have been a man named Shelton Delacroix, Fawkes is unfortunate in the sense that he was alienated by his fellow vault-tec security officers for having a conscience, and then alienated by his super mutant kin for being uniquely intelligent and kind. To add to these tragedies, Shelton was apparently married so Fawkes has a wife he can't recall who is either dead or a mindless super mutant herself.)

Dogmeat the Second (A loyal heterochromatic cattle dog who would fight to the death if just to avenge his fallen master. Dogmeat is a scruffy scavenger and definitly man's best friend. You have to wonder if he might be a descendant of the Original Dogmeat with just how strong his personality comes off. Some dogs in the wasteland are definitely smarter than others.)

Fallout: New Vegas

Arcade Ganoon (A gay mess of a doctor with social anxiety and a lot of personal demons related to his origins. Arcade is an intelligent and interesting character in the sense that he has a deep-seated desire to help everyone, but knows the consequences of one's ideals outgrowing the needs of others. He's grateful to the Enclave Remnants's loyalty to him and his mother, after his father passed away, and he definitly considers them his family. That in itself is an issue because the Enclave's sins will follow and haunt him for the rest of his life, even if he was just born into that life and not one of the people commiting atrocities.)

Craig Boone (His story is the typical wasteland hardened ex-soldier. He committed atrocities that left him mentally scarred and suffering from PTSD, lost his wife who was the only good thing in his life, his need to avenge her has left him dangling between cold-blooded killer and decent human being, and on top of that he's a bit of a cynical asshole. Still a pretty cool companion to have around, and honestly it feels nice to have him around doing some good for the Mojave wasteland instead of stewing in his depression and self-hatred. His sniping skills could help a lot of people with the Courier's encouragement.)

Lily Bowen (She's a super mutant elite spy soldier. She's also a sweet old granny with schizophrenia and a murderous imaginary friend. Lily is another tragic character who's story pulls at your heartstrings, and the three choices regarding her meds are another moral conundrum. Again I'd recommend Oxhorn's video on her story, since I wholly agree with his assessment on what choice is actually the best for her.)

Rex the Cyberdog (His background before he joined the Kings is shrouded in mystery, with the Legion's faded mark painted on his armour platting. Rex is a loyal pup with a hate for rats, hats and people who wear hats. His greatest ire is probably reserved for rats with hats. His recruitment story arc is also pretty interesting and it definitely affects his personality and endings. If you have Old World Blues and construct Roxie the Cyberdog he even becomes a father of a litter of "Boston terrifiers"!)

ED-E (Honestly it's my love for robots that make this little damaged travel companion so appealing. His mission is interesting, and the cashe of Enclave Intel he holds can be benefitial, but most of his endings point to ED-E continuing his journey eventually so there's a sadness with letting this little guy go if you get attached.)

Fallout 4

Preston Garvey (All Preston has ever wanted to do was help make the Commonwealth a better place for people to live in. He's a selfless man who joined a militia at age 17 to do some good, and it honestly breaks my heart that the Minutemen collapsed as hard as it did. Preston had to watch as the ideals of the Minutemen were crushed underfoot by a bunch of selfish assholes, along with an entire settlement of innocent people. He did everything in his power to keep the only four survivors safe and alive, and he's clearly traumatized, depressed and suicidally throwing himself at danger because he'd rather die fighting the good fight than caring for his own safety. He puts everyone else above himself and it infuriates me that people are so hellbent in painting him off as a bland character or a pest. Oxhorn puts it best in his profile of Preston.)

X8-88 (The Institute's top of the line Courser, the closest the Commonwealth will ever get to the Terminator, and livable despite his cynical remarks and persistence that he's incapable of emotions or attachment. It saddens me that X6 is only obtainable if you follow the Institute. It also pains me that if you do manage to befriend him and destroy the Institute, you're destroying this loyal synth's only home. You're basically stripping away everything he knows and believes in, inherently doing what the Institute has done to the Sole Survivor: Taking their life away from them. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth...)

Nick Valentine (Moral conundrums are painful. Ethical conundrums are just as bad. Nick didn't deserve anything that happened to him, and it's obvious he struggles with his identity and purpose but chooses to follow in the Original Nick's footsteps to do some good, rather than hide away and mope. He's a good person overall, even if he's a bit of a smartass sometimes. He's the perfect robodad for anyone in need of a fatherly figure in the Commonwealth.)

John Hancock (This man has a lot of emotional baggage and has made a LOT of bad choices, but if there's anyone you can trust to be loyal and helpful out in the wastes, it's definitly Hancock! His crude humour and liberal use of drugs and knives to deal with his problems can be a bit off-putting, but Hancock will defend you no matter what. Heck, he would even defend Danse from the BoS and the guy's a racist dickbag to him from the very moment they meet. That says a lot about his character.)

Codsworth (He waited for the Sole Survivor to return. For 200 fucking years. Please be kind to him, he's probably one of the nicest companions and also one of the most lovable too! He is the friend you'd wish you had if you ever found yourself in the same situation as the Sole Survivor. Cherish Codsworth, he's all you have left, and he'll protect you to the best of his ability.)

Dogmeat the Third (A brilliant genius dog that is very likely a synth. Dogmeat, like Codsworth, is a lovable guy and should definitely be cherished. I'd recommend getting the "Everyone's Best Friend" Mod so that you can have him travel with you and another companion. It's almost like FO2!)

Deacon (He's intelligent. He's sneaky. He's a pathological liar with good intentions. Deacon is mysterious and charming, and definitly a little fucked in the head. I'd like to meet his plastic surgeon if they can make him flawlessly look like a woman and a ghoul, no questions asked. Oxhorn has a pretty interesting video that explores Deacon's character and intentions, if you're interested!)

Paladin Danse (I'll admit I wasn't all that impressed with Danse when I got my first impression of him. He's rude, he's impatient, he's condescending, and worst of all he is an asshole to anyone just a bit different from him. Still, the plot-twist left space for this racist Buzz Lightyear knockoff to go through some personal growth. The years of militaristic indoctrination will probably take a while to be resolved, but Danse IS redeemable if given time. He's not inherently evil, just in dire need of a tolerance lesson.)

#Friend Anon #Fallout #Fallout 2 #Fallout 3 #Fallout New Vegas #Fallout 4 #Fallout Companions

[birdsandbatsofgotham]

It Goes Like This Prologue: Diana

Next up of the Big Three, it’s mortal born Diana Prince! Well, more precisely, it’s the women who came before her, but she’ll show up properly soon enough.

---

“I’m sick of men.”

Not looking up from the financial reports she was going over, Antiope hummed in response to her sister’s growled complaint.

“I mean it, An. I’m sick of them - no more, I refuse to have anything else to do with those, those-”

“Pigs,” Antiope offered.

“Pigs!” Hippolyta agreed, throwing her hands up as she paced back and forth. “Good for nothing except thinking with their stomachs and their-” A knock at the office door interrupted her, causing both sisters to pause.

“Come in,” Antiope called, setting her reports down. One of their younger administrators poked her head past the door, looking excited.

“Pardon the intrusion, ma’ams,” she said, “But you have a visitor.”

Hippolyta grimaced. “If it’s anyone male, tell them to wait an hour.”

“No, Ms. Prince, it’s- well-” A hand reached past her to push the door open further, allowing a tall woman in an austere suit to stride through. Antiope’s eyes grew wide as she immediately stood, and Hippolyta’s expression smoothed over into something pleased.

“Athena Pallas, what an unexpected surprise.” She extended a hand to shake with the head of Owl Enterprises, one of the few big-name tech companies with a woman in charge. Athena smiled back.

“I hope you’ll forgive the abruptness of my arrival, Hippolyta, but my schedule had an unexpected opening and I thought I’d see if we could move up next week’s meeting,” the brunette explained.

“Of course, of course, please have a seat - this is my sister, Antiope, my right-hand woman.”

“Delighted to finally meet you in person, Antiope,” Athena said, exchanging one sister’s hand for the other.

“Likewise- do you prefer Athena or Ms. Pallas?”

“Athena is fine - I’d like to think we’re all sisters in arms, here,” the woman grinned. “Especially if the two of you are willing to consider my offer of a merger.”

That caught their attention, and two pairs of steely grey eyes locked onto her as they all sat down. “What are you proposing, exactly?”

“An upset in the status quo, as it were,” Athena purred. “A few close friends and I find ourselves in positions of individual power, but we’re constantly hampered by those who think less of us thanks to a biological difference - I’m sure you both know what that’s like.”

Hippolyta nodded with a disgusted huff, while Antiope kept her focus. “And what friends would these be?”

Athena smiled sharply. “Demeter Floros of Greenfinch Producers. Aphrodite Loveborne with Passion Advertising. Hestia Kokkinos of Hearthside Manufacturing. And my stepmother, Hera Argyris, who’s recently taken charge of Olympian Industries with my father’s, ah, indisposition.”

Zeus Skyson’s sudden legal troubles, the sisters knew, meant his company’s board of directors had seen fit to remove him from the position of CEO. What they hadn’t known was that Athena apparently didn’t mind working with her stepmother, contrary to tabloid gossip.

“That’s, ah, quite an array of companies,” Antiope said slowly.

“Powerhouses in all their fields of business,” Athena agreed. “Which is why we’d like to join forces with you ladies - we need financial managers capable of keeping us working together, of blending us into a proper conglomerate.”

The sisters exchanged a wide-eyed glance. “...why?” Hippolyta finally asked.

“Why you?”

“Well, yes, but also - just why? What is the point? This can’t just be solely for female solidarity - can it?”

Athena chuckled. “Well, that is one aspect to it, but beyond that we want to make a business model that takes care of our employees, turns a profit, and sees a great deal of that money go towards programs that help teenage runaways, abortion clinics, battered women, daycares, single mothers, foster homes, so on and so forth.”

“Ambitious,” Antiope muttered.

“Will you help us?”

There was a brief pause, before Hippolyta answered. “We’ll need to work out precise terms, but - yes. This sounds like something we want to be part of.”

Their guest beamed. “Excellent. I’ll start making arrangements for you to meet with the others - if we keep this quiet up until the moment we all move, we’ll hopefully be able to keep the men on our various boards from being able to kick up a fuss.”

-P-

Amazingly, their plans went off without a hitch.

Working through Themyscira Financials, the women were able to put together their plans without arousing suspicions in their own companies. The announcement of the mass merger went out the same day they brought paperwork to their various boards, an ambush that left few able to protest. 

Demeter’s company brought in the raw materials for Hestia and Hera to create Athena’s architectural and technological innovations, which Aphrodite then marketed and sold. At the heart of it all, Hippolyta and Antiope kept crunching numbers, sorting out what profit needed to go back into the company, what went to their employees and shareholders, and the fifty percent that was put aside for the women’s programs, shelters, and other institutions. Within two years, they saw impressive returns on their investments, with many of the people they helped becoming dedicated customers in return - some even applying to be hired by Paradise Incorporated, eager to help pass on the goodwill that they’d been given.

Eventually, the group decided to establish a new headquarters - a company compound with offices and residential suites for all the on-site staff, within a reasonable commute distance to Metropolis. About that same time, Hippolyta, still sick of men, came to a decision.

“I’m going to have a baby.”

Not looking up from the financial reports she was going over, Antiope hummed in response to her sister’s sudden announcement. Then the actual words sank in, and she blinked. “You’re- sorry, what?”

“I’m going to have a baby,” Hippolyta said again. “I’ve got an appointment at an artificial insemination clinic in two weeks.”

“Oh for goodness sake, don’t scare me like that,” her sister groaned. “I thought you meant you were already pregnant - which would be a trick and a half, considering you swore off men three years ago and haven’t looked back since.”

Hippolyta snorted, moving to sit by her office window, the one that overlooked the enclosed park in the center of the Paradise compound. Six floors of tinted glass that absorbed light for solar power overlooked a couple of fish ponds, an in-house vegetable garden, various fruit trees and flower beds, and an open green. Women strolled or sat throughout the park, some with small children or friendly dogs, eating lunch or working on touchscreen pads or just enjoying the scenery. Paradise had some male employees, of course, but since their headquarters doubled as living space for women who’d been hired out of their rehab and recovery programs, none but the fairer sex and their children were allowed inside.

(Some news media did their best to turn the discrimination fight onto them for the conglomerate’s blatant favoritism - Aphrodite’s ladies promptly put out numbers on their endeavors to support male survivors of abuse and rape, as well as historical records of just how much women had suffered in the past when they were kept legally and socially from being able to look after themselves.)

Their work truly had turned Paradise into something incredible, and Hippolyta felt ready to share that with a child of her own.

A daughter of her own.

---

I admit, I’ve always been a big fan of Greek Mythology, hence some fun with the surnames and company roles of the goddesses. Other members of the pantheon will probably show up in future, either as allies or antagonists, so keep your eyes peeled!

Next up we’ll have Kal’s prologue, and then some actual adult shenanigans to add to the story.

#It Goes Like This #backstory swap au #DC comics #Wonder Woman #Diana Prince #Queen Hippolyta #General Antiope #Athena Pallas #anybody pick up on my subtle foreshadowing at the end there? >:)

[sosu-morgue]

Hi! I just read one of your reacts and it was brill! Could I request maybe the first time the companions knew they were in love with (a preferably female but if you’d rather keep it neutral im game) sole ? Especially hancock because im hancock trash lmao love that ghoul x

You got it! I’ll do F!SS, I truly do not mind any gender preferences of my asks. I love doing it all!I’m so glad you liked the last one, it was my very first so I was really nervous~(somewhat extra long Hancock romance part just for you) I just worked with whatever came to mind, trying to test what I can write off the top of my head.So I hope it’s good!

Please feel free to message anything was missing or you want to see something specific! I’m always happy to do “companion reactions” for a specific companion too.

Please forgive any grammatical errors, it took a good few hours to write this and I’m finishing at 2:00 AM. I will correct any I find later :)

Some companion story line spoilersAlso it’s LOOOONNNNNGGGG

Context:Sole, the pre-war survivor from Sanctuary, frozen in Vault 111. She came here to save her son, meeting colorful people along the way.All sorts of people flocked to her, but most of all she attracted…

Cait:Damn. She sighed, standing up from that awful chair. Cait felt horrible, trying to keep herself upright when she felt Sole’s hands helping her. It took a minute before Cait felt like she was able to even see straight.

Cait felt fresh, somehow she felt physically lighter. Everything seemed so… bright.

The first thing she saw with any clarity was Sole’s face. She looked worried, but hopeful. An kindness to Sole’s features entirely alien to Cait.

It’s as if Sole wasn’t even real; some kind of apparition designed to appease something Cait never thought existed.

A person who wanted to be there for their friend. A person who didn’t ask for their loyalty, caps, or anything else. She only wanted to care for her friend and hoped that friend wanted the same. Sole trusted Cait; something Cait wanted to resist.

There were so many rules of the world that Cait established. A hard earned understanding of people, of how everything functions in the commonwealth. Outside the commonwealth too, of course.

But… Sole was kind and gentle, but terrifyingly fierce when she wanted to be. She wanted to help her friends, defend innocent people, and Cait had heard Sole refuse payment for these acts of kindness many times.

There was no backstabbing plan in the end, no turn around for the people she helped. Sole did what they needed, so long as it was for a good cause, and wanted for nothing.

Generosity was not a word Cait believed in, yet she believed in Sole. 

They left Vault 95, Cait pausing just behind Sole as she walked out into the sunlight. With a deep sigh of annoyance, Cait cursed under her breath.I fuckin’ love that idiot.

Curie:She didn’t really know when she did. It was only a feeling that slowly built up, then washed over her like rain. Pleasant, sweet - she liked it and didn’t understand why.

Sole would not push Curie to do anything until she figured it out. There was no need for pressure, Curie had to learn how to live in a new body. Things were complicated enough as it was without having to deal with a budding romance; something that was complicated even to humans.

As the days went by Sole and Curie spent most of their time together. Being so close to Sole made Curie feel tense, it was a good kind of tense, but she wanted to satisfy whatever that feeling was.

She narrowed it down to longing. A strange emotion that was difficult to explain and more difficult to understand. This happened when she was away from Sole for any period of time.

But when she was with Sole the feeling turned into this uncomfortable churning. Something she learned had many names. One of those names was passion.

Curie gazed over at the sleeping form of Sole, the soft rise of her chest.

Suddenly Curie felt a powerful want to be resting with her, touching her… sharing a private moment with her.

Though she was aware of the word she was cautious to use it. It meant so much to people, often a major focus of their lives. Curie wondered… perhaps she could be this focus for Sole.

Curie had learned, understood what it meant. This was more than just affection for the person who helped her become a synth, allowing her to experience so much more of life.

This was desire to be with Sole, to be able to hold her. Only her, no one else. Curie now only hoped Sole felt the same.

Danse:He never quite caught onto anything that was not Brotherhood related. He stuck to his loyalties and never strayed far, romance of a civilian was not something he deemed acceptable.

Now his world changed.

No longer was his life dedicated to the Brotherhood, to their cause. He didn’t share those plans anymore, he didn’t believe in them.Sole was the cause of that, convincing him that everything he had done for the Brotherhood was being repaid with cruelty.

Synth or not - Danse dedicated his life to the Brotherhood. He fought for them, risked his life for them, and he knew he followed Maxson unerringly. Though Danse agreed with the Brotherhood that he should die, Sole disagreed.

She was the most charismatic and persuasive person he knew. Danse believed that Maxson was with how he rallied his soldiers and gave them the passion to fight for the Brotherhood’s cause.

But Sole… she convinced him that he should live. That his years of service to the Brotherhood proved that he, even as a synth, did not deserve execution. That Maxson was acting out of hatred to people he didn’t know.

Danse knew Sole wanted him to understand the Brotherhood’s morals were… questionable at best… and somewhere in the back of his head he knew that.

It didn’t matter though, he didn’t care to exploring those thoughts. Fact or opinion changed nothing. He wanted to move on with his life, learn how to live as a synth and figure out who he really was.

He is a synth who hated synths, a prejudice towards a whole that he now grew closer to.

Danse had judged Sole’s other friends. Nick Valentine, the older synth that didn’t hide himself. John Hancock, the ghoul mayor of Goodneighbor, a town with many under the table dealings. Curie, a pre-war machine turned synth.He won’t even mention Strong. His feelings on Strong hadn’t changed that much.

He joined them as an equal forming a new brotherhood… in a sense.Danse needed a new purpose and Sole got him a role within the Minutemen, he was a soldier once again.

Still, the Minutemen did not replace the Brotherhood to Danse.Sole would brush passed him and guide him… She had replaced the betrayal of the Brotherhood.She was his new purpose.

Deacon:The man who could blend in anywhere, remaining undetected all around the commonwealth. He found a friend in Sole who showed up on the Railroad’s doorstep with a sarcastic attitude and a receipt for good karma a mile long.

Her help was invaluable to the Railroad, furthering their efforts to free enslaved synths more than anyone had before. She was critical to both the survival of the Railroad and the synths.

That wasn’t why he liked her so much. Well, not the only reason.

Deacon traveled with her on tasks with no connection to the Railroad or Institute. He got to see firsthand how she was in the remote parts of the commonwealth with no agenda.

Yes, he was with her, but it didn’t matter. She was so genuine to the people she helped, so compassionate.

He figured he shouldn’t be surprised, she wasn’t raised in this world. So the ‘for yourself, fuck everyone else’ mentality wasn’t natural to her like it was to everyone else.

Slowly but surely, she helped him too. Partly in ways she did not know about and some she did. Though he was unsure if he could ever return that favor or even want to tell her about it.Not that he didn’t want to trust her, open up to her. He did this because sometimes potentially losing a friendship is not worth admitting to an emotional connection like that.

He knew himself better than that though. He knew he would say something eventually, regardless of how.Deacon did not find a singular moment where he loved her, it was many things that built up until he came to this conclusion.

Here, watching her help a commonwealth settler restore their home after super mutants tore it apart, he decided on how he felt about Sole.

When he was ready, he would tell her.

Hancock:She restored everything, she gave everything to everyone no matter how bleak it seemed.

He watched her walking ahead of him, a ghoul child in her arms. His name is Billy and he was trapped in a pre-war fridge. She had broken open the fridge door in a flash, helping Billy out and on his feet.

He was in there so long, she insisted on helping him. So she lifted him in her arms and carried him on her hip. Billy was too old to be carried, considering he is a child not including the 200 odd years he was stuck in a fridge. But she was concerned for his well being.

Trapped for so long, pitch black, unable to really move - she thought he would have a hard time adjusting. It was so simple to her; carry him. She reassured him they would go to Quincy immediately, redirecting their course from another task deemed quite critical in order to find her own son.

Yet she still stopped everything to save someone else’s son. She didn’t do it for a reward or expecting to find something, it just came natural to her. To help all people she came across.

Hancock, upon seeing her dote on Billy as if she was his mother, definitely made him think of her in a different light. Not that he hadn’t been attracted to her before - she is a gorgeous woman no doubt. That made him interested.

He would be attracted to any attractive person. That’s not news to anyone. He is attracted to her because of things like this.

She was unreal, her moral compass never wavered for a second. She is fiercely loyal, honest, trustworthy, empathetic, and her charisma; oh, how he loved how confidently she carried herself. Both physically and otherwise.

The second that they came across the slaver, she snapped at him. Though her expletives were censored. She purposefully went around certain words to both enforce how offended she was at the offer while not cursing like a drunk in front of Billy.

In Quincy, they found his home. And in Quincy, they found his parents.

It was perfect, like a story book. She and Hancock both didn’t believe his parents were alive, it was so unlikely it was ridiculous. Yet there they stood, Matt and Carol Peabody, the parents of Billy. All ghouls.

Hancock watched the family reunion, the three holding each other close stunned that each other were still alive.But Hancock wanted to see the pride Sole felt having been the catalyst for Billy’s return. Surely she would be beyond thrilled, feeling the same he did having brought them together.He loved shit like this. People pulling through, surviving, and finding each other. It really was amazing.

He didn’t find Sole beaming as she would after doing a good deed. She was facing the family, but her head was tilted to the side, eyes downcast. There was a faint smile on her face, yet it was a sad one.

Hancock sighed, he didn’t think about it at first. He saw the family talking among themselves, talking about what happened 200 years ago.

Sole wanted that and she didn’t know if she ever would. While she was happy they were together again, she could not help thinking about her own family.

How Shaun would never meet his father. How Shaun had already grown a few years, he think she said he was about ten now? He had been staying with the man who killed his father.She had so much to do in order to find Shaun and there was no promise he was still alive at all.

Hancock didn’t know what to say. He did want her to know he got it, that it’s all going to be okay. They’d find Shaun, just like they found Billy.

Then came another threat and he saw the instantaneous change in her demeanor. The man who wanted to buy Billy returned and he came back in numbers.

The intense fury that woman had… a contempt only capable by experience.

She tore through the slavers like a nuke fired from a fat man. The Peabody’s stayed inside, protected by Hancock in case any of the slavers got through her. No surprise that not a single slaver survived.

When she returned, her rifle was steaming and she had hateful gleam in her eye. Hancock figured that was her killing Kellogg all over again - just for someone else.

The Peabody’s thanked them, insisted on a reward which she naturally turned down. Then offered them a place at any of her many settlements protected by the Minutemen. All human, ghoul, and synth friendly with a grand defense. She gave them a gun, ammo, and enough caps to feed their family for a long time.

They would consider the offer to the settlement; she did not force anything.

Billy returned to her, she kneeled down, and he gave her a hug which she happily returned. Telling him to take care, be smart, and listen to his parents.

Back on the road she returned to their purpose out here as if nothing phased her. Strong as ever.

Hancock ran a hand over the back of his neck, not quite sure how to start, but figuring it was better than letting it pass. She deserved some appreciation.

“Hey,” He patted her arm with the back of his hand, “You did good with them, Billy’s a good kid. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

Sole nodded, “Yeah, I know.” Her tone was happy with a barely noticeable undertone.

Man… Hancock pulled her arm slightly, letting her know to stop a moment. She was confused, but didn’t mind chatting if he wanted to. He did, for sure, though he wanted to chat for her.

“It’s gonna’ be okay, y’know?” Hancock assured her. Poorly, perhaps, he didn’t like hitting the nail on the head too hard. It was better to be careful, allowing her to duck out if she wanted.

Sole gave him a lopsided smirk, “Well, course. They survived this long alone, I’m fairly sure they can continue. They’re smart, it’s no problem if they don’t go to a settlement.”

Again, he tried. “Look, I get it. With Billy and his parents.” Sole’s expression turned somber, finally understanding the point. “We’ll find him and we’ll bring him back, you know that, right?”

She didn’t respond for a moment, she thought to herself what to say. To her it wasn’t an option to express all the pent up stress and emotion she felt about Shaun. So she slid her arms over his shoulders, hugging him tightly to her.

Not what he expected and not unwelcome. Hancock returned the embrace, figuring it was comforting to her. To him too, but he wouldn’t say that.

He hadn’t actually touched her skin before, not really. Maybe during a fight he brushed passed her, but her skin… It was so smooth. Yes, she’s human. Hancock had been with smoothskin women before and it wasn’t even close.

This was the skin and warmth of a pre-war woman that didn’t grow up irradiated, burning in the hot sun, or suffering from some other affliction.Sole is perfect, inside and out. It was just how wonderful she felt skin to skin. It was like running his hands through down feathers. Impossibly soft.

He didn’t want to let go, he wanted this all the time. He wanted her.

When she released him, she continued their path. Hancock felt that telltale spark, feeling caught off guard. He liked her before, cared for her a lot… this wasn’t the affection two close friends have.

Hancock swallowed hard, his mouth dry. Watching her start walking ahead he really got it this time.

He was completely, helplessly in love with her.

And he had no idea if she would have a ghoul like him.

MacCready:He really didn’t think about falling for someone, especially not someone who employed him.

But she did what she could for him, with Daisy, to help Duncan. It was all so much for someone to do, someone who just up and hired him one day. He had no words to express himself properly.

She insisted it was nothing, that she would’ve done it even if she hadn’t been working with him all this time. Just like that, like it was nothing.

No caps, no trades, nothing. He believed in tough love for sure, though that didn’t mean there can’t be the occasional good deed here or there. To her those good deeds were her day to day life.

He was thankful, more than thankful, that she followed through with him. From the times she helped others for nothing to her haggling talents; he felt like he had it all.

She could be domineering to strangers and yet generous to others. He had no idea how she always seemed to know who needed what and when. Also how; she could just look at some random person and know.

Clairvoyant was the word for it. That’s just nonsense though, she was simply talented at understanding their perspective and empathize. It was uncanny how she settled into the life of everyone she came across with ease.

Provided they weren’t trying to kill her.

MacCready wanted to make caps in the commonwealth, to survive well, to keep his head above water. He believed in community being a mutually beneficial arrangement.

It wasn’t really her random acts of kindness that made him gravitate towards her. It was her unwavering loyalty to her companions, how she served them and did what they needed to keep them as well set up as she was.

She is kind too, she is beautiful. MacCready wiped the sweat off his forehead as they traveled through the heat. It was brutal and she tossed him a canteen of chilled water, purified.

He gave her a nod and drank. Relieved, he passed it back and watched her drink.It felt so normal to be out with her, like a part of him he didn’t know he wanted. He wasn’t sure if this really was love, he loved Lucy, but maybe… maybe he could do both?

Nick:There was a distinct moment he found himself loving this pre-war woman.

She tracked down the tapes, helped him find Winter and end him. It was revenge hidden under the guise of justice. Nick needed this, he truly needed it to be done so he could move on.

Maybe it was foolish, maybe he should admit the purpose of this whole thing. Aside from the obvious that he wanted Winter gone, he wanted to tie the last loose end left behind by the pre-war Nick Valentine. The man he carries the memories of and hid namesake.

He felt like he was pre-war detective Nick Valentine, but was aware of himself enough to recognize he is not that Nick. He’s his own person, sharing the memory of someone who died a long time ago.

She knew that too, it was clear as day to her. He didn’t know why he had such trouble understanding this. It was more complicated than he could put into words, yet when he tried she beat him to it. Always with the right thing to say at the moment, never too presumptuous, never invasive.

Aside from her interactions with him, she was openhanded all the time. Everything she had she was happy to give away to someone else if they asked of her.

She crossed the commonwealth over a dozen times, finding more people to save and more to settlements to build up. She established safe havens all over, none of them served her. She did not charge them fees like other landowners would. There was no tax or extortion.

If someone wanted to live there, she would do her best to accommodate them. If she could not, she would find an alternative.

What’s even more impressive is if she found a potential threat that needed her attention, she would handle it as soon as she could. Her willingness to risk her life for others was a trait he didn’t ask of anyone, but… he really didn’t know how to say he was honored to be at her side.

People began to recognize the two. They knew her first of course, but she traveled with Nick so often some people began to notice he was a part of all this.

For the first time he saw people uniting to the betterment of the commonwealth. He saw them change from hopeless wanderers, desperate families, and aimless vagrants into stand up people. They became hard workers. Some were farmers, others vendors in the settlements, some were taught engineering to maintain the generators and water pumps.

Together they became more. The world was safer with Sole in it.

And he got to be there with her through it all.He looked down to his metal hand, almost wincing when he saw it. He didn’t need reminding he is a synth - it’s just when he got lost in his own mind thinking about the woman that held his affections.

He is an old Gen 2 synth, damaged without any full repairs in sight. He wanted to believe her kindness extended to him in that way.That she could love a metal man… he doubted it. But that didn’t mean he loved her any less.

Piper:This sly reporter found so much to fill her papers with just by hanging out with Sole for a day. She was a walking story waiting to be told to the masses. Excitement, humor, romance, and it could tug on the ol’ heartstrings.

She knew it would be an easy week writing for Diamond City when she got to go out with Sole. She always wanted to go, to take on the commonwealth one mission at a time.

Not to say that she didn’t care about the people she wrote about. Piper thought that it was her compassion that allowed her to write better articles for Diamond City.

Sole was always a little embarrassed when she saw the papers or Piper ran a fresh print by Sole. It flattered her to hear the good things Piper wrote about her, even though now all Diamond City knew her name and she had a kind of celebrity status.

Sole always acted strange when Piper read the paper to her. She knew why and she just wanted to let Sole know people appreciated her.

She deserved the praise. Sole did so much for the people and Piper wanted to be the one to show her, prove to her, she is amazing. Her day was always better when Sole walked into Pulick Occurrences.

It never was enough for Sole to be kind, she wanted to care for them. When Sole was around she always managed to make everyone feel welcome. Approachable, humble - what wasn’t this woman capable of?

Nat eyed Piper when she watched Sole leave, a childish grin on her face.

“You like her.” Nat teased, dropping another paper onto the coffee table. That sly look the same one Piper would give to others.

Piper controlled herself, making sure she didn’t jump when Nat said that. “What? Yeah, she’s my friend.” She laughed, brushing it off.

Nat wasn’t done though. “You like like her.”

Piper felt her face slowly heating up, “She’s a good friend, she’s the protector of the commonwealth.”

Turning to walk up the stairs to her bed, Nat just nodded. “You’re not that good of a liar.” The girl disappeared upstairs, leaving a flustered Piper behind.

“Oh what do you know.” Piper huffed to herself, “She doesn’t, that’s what- no, I mean, she-” She sighed, unable and far too frustrated to form the retort she wanted. Not that it mattered, Nat wasn’t listening.

Is it that obvious? Piper bit her nail, anxious to know. Did Sole know too?

Preston:His love for Sole was the love of two brothers in arms.

Well, brother and sister in arms? He didn’t know what to call her anymore really. Aside from General of course. He always addressed her properly, though she insisted on a more casual approach.

He didn’t think he could do that though. It was all he used to keep himself in check around her.

While Preston did keep the Minutemen alive during their lowest time, it was Sole that restored even greater than it was before. Now the Minutemen were strong enough to train more people, patrol the roads between settlements, and positively change people’s lives.

He never wanted to be a General, he didn’t want that responsibility. He was better on the ground, better being up close. Preston knew exactly where he was best at and it’s where he wanted to be.

It might be thanks to the accumulative effort of all the Minutemen that made them strong, but he still looked up to her.

A woman from the past, over 200 years his senior which made him feel strange, and somehow she came into this world in a blaze. She started making the world a better place as soon as she was able to stand on her own.

She was impressive to say the least. A power to be reckoned with and she used that power to defend the good people trying to survive. No matter how big she got, she was always so down to earth.

Not a single Minuteman had not met her at some point. She welcomed them all with open arms, thanking them for joining their cause, making sure they all felt like they were making a difference.

Approval from the famous 111 meant something in the commonwealth. It give people pride for what they do and bolstered morale.

He loved knowing the Minutemen loved her. Their General was the example they all followed.

She offered so much to the world, yet all Preston really wanted was her. He wanted to be by her side, not for the prestige, but for the way he saw her back when they met.

During the early days when she fought for the Minutemen without really knowing anything about them. All she knew is Preston wanted to do good and she wanted to help.

She told him that she followed his example of a Minutemen and that’s why she  believes she managed this.

Preston had no idea how to respond so he just thanked her.

He really wanted to do something big, something to tell her how much he really wanted her. He thought it was his moment and he had no idea what to do with it. So it passed and he regretted it.

So he waited and planned for something new. He needed something special, just the two of them. He loved her and he was ready to take the chance that she might feel the same way.

#Fallout 4 Companion reactions #Fallout 4 Companions React #Companions React #Companion Reactions #FO4 #Cait #Curie #Danse #Deacon #Hancock #MacCready #Nick #Piper #Preston #Romance #Friends to Lovers

[doodlesfalloutcraze]

Here We Go...

Alrighty then, here we go!

This is the first post on my new self-indulgent blog that is completely dedicated to Fallout!

Mainly Fallout 4 at the moment, but I’m currently playing through Fallout New Vegas and I have the other games which I’m planning to play eventually as well!

Anywho, to celebrate, I went through my old Fallout 4 playthroughs and created backstories for all the characters I created! I hope... Somebody enjoys this? haha

(This got out of control really fast, so if you don’t want your dash absolutely destroyed by an info dump then don’t click ‘read more’ I’m so sorry)

All the characters here exist in the same universe and therefore only one of them is the sole survivor because I do what I want

This is Crystal. She is the character for my very first playthrough and also a self-insert (It helps me feel more immersed in the game okay?).

The sole survivor of Vault 111, Crystal emerged from the vault with very few survival skills. She didn’t know how to shoot a gun, wield a knife, heck, she barely even knew how to boil water. But the love for her son was greater than her fear of the unknown (And Deathclaws what the crap is that about).

While on her journey to find her son, Crystal tried to help as many people as possible and she did join the Minutemen, however, she refused the title of General, as she didn’t think she was in the right mindset to be leading anyone while trying to find her son.

When she first found Nick Valentine, she was immediately intrigued by him and it didn’t take her long to determine that he was just as if not more human than anyone in the commonwealth. In fact, she saw all synths as people who merely needed to be freed of the Institute to become their own people with their own thoughts, beliefs, and emotions.

Naturally, when she discovered the Railroad, she fit right in and vowed to help them free synths from the Institute. However, her methods are a little different than that of the original game. Rather than blowing up the Insitute, she instead agreed to take charge of it as well as raise Synth Shaun as her son in Sanctuary, but run the Institute differently.

She is still in the process of convincing the Institute to help the Wasteland and treat synths as people, however, it is the first step towards a better future. 

(realistically I know how incredibly difficult this would be, but shhhh let me live my dreams)

This is Rose. She is my most recent playthrough.

As a teenager, Rose lived in a small settlement with her younger sister. Until one night when her sister was kidnapped by raiders. She was determined to save her sister, even if she had to work for the raiders to do it. In the end, however, the raiders destroyed her settlement, killed her sister, and left her with a facial scar as she barely escaped with her life.

Ever since then, Rose was a drifter, not wanting to get attached to anyone for fear of losing them to her own mistakes. This is when she stumbled across a group of settlers, cornered by raiders in Concord. Maybe she wanted to redeem herself for her past mistakes. Or maybe it was just her hatred for raiders. Either way, she helped the settlers and escorted them to Sanctuary.

Originally, she planned to leave the moment they got to Sanctuary, but... they were so defenseless. And Preston was so nice. Maybe... She could stay... Just until they got settled and some defenses set up... Then she’d be on her way.

A couple of weeks passed, Crystal emerged from the Vault and Rose and Preston helped her get equipped a taught her some survival skills.

Soon Rose realized that she wasn’t going anywhere. And while she had previously denied the title of General, Crystal eventually convinced her to take it and now Rose lives in Sanctuary, traveling often to other settlements across the Commonwealth to help wherever she can.

This is Blaise.

Blaise was born and raised in the Brotherhood of Steel and was there the day that Danse joined the BoS. Blaise relies on her Strength and Endurance to survive and while she is an attractive woman, growing up in the BoS has given her a rough and rough demeanor that scares most.

She took a liking to Danse and tried to help him adjust to his new life in the Brotherhood. As time went on, she began to have feelings for Danse, however, she had no idea how to deal with them, not to mention elder Maxon’s feelings on ‘work’ relationships.

The day Danse was declared to be an enemy of the Brotherhood, Blaise was shocked, to say the least. She couldn’t believe someone she spent so much time with and trusted so completely could possibly be a synth. After Danse was declared dead, she cut off all her emotions and distanced herself from anyone she was even remotely close to.

Then, while on a mission, she came across Crystal... who was traveling with... Danse? Blaise broke down and all the emotions she had been bottling up exploded. Ever since then, Crystal has been helping Danse and Blaise overcome their prejudices and accept Danse for who he is.

This is Zetta (I really hate drawing backgrounds)

Zetta grew up in the Institute and therefore was given extreme schooling and very little physical training. Instead of relying on physical attributes, she relies on her mind and charisma as well as a little bit of luck.

Throughout her life at the Institute, she hated her parents, who were nothing special, merely janitors. Instead, she began to admire a man who not only was the best at what he did but additionally held a very important job: Kellogg. The man intrigued her and she saw him as a mentor.

The day the Institute brought back his dead body, she vowed to avenge him and while she was not as strong as him, she is willing to promise anyone anything to get what she wanted. Sometimes she’d follow through with the promise, but most of the time, she wouldn’t. It just depends on how far she needs to go to get what she wants.

Once Crystal took over the Institute, Zetta attempted to murder Crystal, but unfortunately for Zetta, failed. Crystal was forced to banish Zetta and Zetta was then forced to wander the commonwealth. She infiltrated settlements and caravans, sucking them dry of their supplies and slipping away before they even knew what was happening.

Finally, she stumbled into Nuka World, expecting to have to do exactly what she had been, but eventually realized these raiders were much like her, only their methods were much more... cutthroat...

She decided to join the Operators and was quite satisfied there, despite the growing tensions between the groups. That is until one day when a new challenger entered the Gauntlet and Colter was killed. Once again, Zetta’s way of life was being threatened... Crystal... Had become the new Overboss...

#fallout #fallout 4 #ocs #info dump #seriously I'm so sorry #this got out of control real fast #new blog #i had to much fun with this #Railroad #minutemen #brotherhood of steel #institute #nick valentine #preston garvey #danse #kellogg #my characters #fallout 4 characters

[foofygoldfish]

Sole Survivor Reyna Porter

shamelessly stolen from @sharky-broshaw lol

Name: Reyna Allegra Porter, nee Houston. Gender: Female Age: 25 Body type: Thin, but out of shape.  Hair: Dark brown Eyes: Steel grey Alignment:  lawful good before, somewhere between chaotic good and lawful neutral after

Go-to Outfit: A soft blouse and trousers, with the Minutemen general coat when the weather calls for it. 

Weapons:  Laser rifle, 10mm pistol. 

Face Claim: Gemma Chan

Pets: Dogmeat! She adopts a few more dogs and cats over her travels, 

Partner: Piper and Macready!  Preferred Companions: ....She likes all of them, tbh. Aside from Piper and Mac, though... She loves travelling with Hancock or Danse.

Skills: Tinkering, getting in/out of tight spaces, talking her way out of tricky situations, singing! SPECIAL: Strength: 5 Perception: 4  Endurance: 8  Charisma: 9 Intelligence: 6 Agility: 6 Luck: 5 Allegiances: Primarily Minutemen, will help the BoS on occasion and the Railroad whenever they need her.

Bio: 

eyyy here’s bullet points because i’m lazyyyyy

Random fact: her name means Queen Joyful! :D

Met Nate in middle school, and married him just out of high school (like, a few weeks after)

Reyna wanted to be a ballerina, but her parents convinced her she should do something more practical, leading her to go into law.

Nate was drafted a month after their wedding: she followed him where she could, doing correspondence classes until he was shipped out, and eventually passed the bar 

Shawn was conceived on Nate’s last home leave before he was injured (a week after going back to the front),  and he was about three months old when the bombs fell.

Her and Nate had a dog - a collie named Cheddar. He died of old age a few weeks before the bombs.

The first week out of the vault was... Rough. After dealing with the bloatfly nest down the street, she holes up in her and Nate’s room, rarely leaving - Codsworth brings her food (or what he says is food, she’s not too sure).

She meets Vivian shortly after Dogmeat decides to tag along with her - Viv goes with her to Concord, though she stays outside (later, Reyna finds out that Viv was one of the Gunners that attacked Quincy, though she regrets what she did there).

The company in Sanctuary helps - Preston and Viv keep her spirits up, and eventually, she heads over to Diamond City with Viv and Dogmeat, where she meets Piper (who she denies she has a crush on lol)

.....Going to skip forward a bit....

Her and Hancock are the most unlikely of friends - nobody really expects it, but they get along famously.

Her and Mac - well, same situation as with Piper. She throws herself into helping him when she finds out why he’s in the Commonwealth, and is overjoyed when they eventually find out that Duncan received the treatment, and that he was recovering.

She was heartbroken when she realised who the Father was - she tried talking sense into Shawn, but it didn’t go well.... 

However: she is by his side when he dies - she missed so much of his life, and she felt guilty, even though she knew it wasn’t her fault.

Uh. I’m running out of backstory lol

After everything with the Institute is settled, she settles down with Piper and Mac - Nat stays in Diamond City, but Mac sends word to Rose back in the Capitol Wasteland to come up with Duncan.

#fallout #reyna porter #i have a whole bunch about her childhood - she's the daughter of chinese immigrants #but i can't remember enough about the world to properly dive into that right now...

[transgodmother]

fallout OC meme, for both! 1, 2, 3, 13, 27, 30, 35, 39, 40, 51 (im sorry this is a lot but i love fallout OCs so much

Hoh boy this is a lot but ya know what, I got this. Long post ahead.

1:Which Fallout game are they from?

Jackson: I originally made Jackson in New Vegas but I canon him in Fallout 4

Laura: Again, Fallout 4. She is my Sole Survivor

2: Which faction(s) did they join and which did they destroy? Why?

Laura: I’m doing her first cause I did the very specific set to have ALL the factions (Except The Institute) To just stay alive. But she went with the Minutemen ending, let the Railroad continue operations with the help of the Minutemen, and convicinced the Brotherhood to get out of her Commonwealth after their help in destroying the Institute. I know that’s not the game’s canon ending but it’s my ending. And why? She’s the damn General of the Minutmen, the Railroad helped her with infiltrating the Institute, and the Brotherhood has the technical superiorty to help them take them down. And the deal was to help the Brotherhood with taking down their main target and leave when they’re done. 12 Charisma helps with that.

Jackson: He was basically Laura’s companion through the game.

3:What is their S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?

Jackson: S:3 P:3 E:5 C:1 I:10 A:3 L:1

Laura: S:1 P:3 E:1 C:10 I:5 A:2 L:6

I tried to remember Jackson’s as much as I can, and Laura is a little more fresh in my head.

13:What Wasteland threat do they fear the most? (ex. Deathclaws, super mutants, raiders)

Jackson: “Super Mutants, they are all over the place ya know? And all the gore they leave all the place, it’s fucked man.”

Laura: “I don’t care how green a raider is but if one of them gets clean hit on me, that’s it ya know?”

27:Do they prefer to travel alone or with company? Who have they traveled with if any? Current companion if any?

Laura: She’s always enjoyed traveling with Jackson and his dog ever since she met them at Red Rocket. He was good company and the first human contact she had since leaving Vault 111.

Jackson: He always traveled with his dog, Daisy. But never trusted most people with how a lot of raiders saw him and Daisy as food. So doggo good, a lot of people, no.

30: Do they flirt often? How easily do they fall in love?

Jackson: Drink and Chems were his first love, Hancock is right there at a real first love.

Laura: Not really no, the whole like losing her family thing..

35: Their most prized possession? This one is kinda hard on me, Sorry for skipping it.

39:What are their thoughts on having to kill on a daily bases in order to survive? Does it take a toll on them? Or do they shake it off rather easily?

Jackson: He was born in the wasteland and taught early on that it’s you or them

Laura: Pulling the trigger on a molerat was just on fear alone, but on another human being was hard on her, even when they shot first. Eventually she learned to pacify raiders and other creatures and fight for her.

40:Thoughts on death if any? (ex. Fear it, accept it)

Laura: She fears it.

Jackson: At this point in my story for him, he accepts it.

51: Anything they like to collect? (ex. Unique weapons, Bobbleheads)

Jackson: He likes to keep collect special shotgun shell for when buckshot isn’t enough. Things like birdshot for roaches, slugs for range, and explosive for when something really doesn’t deserve to live.

Laura: She loves a good comic book, whole pile of em in the castle.

I think that’s all of them, sorry if some them seem to be a bit poor. I’m awfully tired, but thank you for the ask!!

#long post

[zirawrites]

How do companions react to seeing soles face for the first time and they are absolutely stunning?

Cait: Cait wasn’t thrilled about leaving her home in the cages… until she caught sight of the person taking her away. She had seen just about every walk of life come through for a fight, but Sole? Their pre-war skin was unblemished, their hair was full and clean. In fact, Sole carried themselves with so much poise that for a moment Cait wished she was a little more ladylike to impress them. “Well then,” she said, “I suppose this deal ain’t all bad. You just walk in front of me though, dear. Let me enjoy the view.” Just because Cait wished she was more refined didn’t mean she’d start acting that way now.

Codsworth: “I… I can’t believe it’s really you, sir/mum!” When Sole came in to Sanctuary, the Mr. Handy was floored. He had dreamed of reuniting with his master, but didn’t remember them looking so dashing. His tedious work of scrubbing floors and maintaining the lawn post-nuclear fallout was all worth it now that he knew Sole had kept themselves in wonderful shape. “Why, you look even more handsome/beautiful than the day you activated me, if you don’t mind my saying so. I hope your cleanliness rubs off on my old gears. I’ve managed to accumulate quite a bit of rust since we last saw each other.”

Curie: No one (or thing) was more enamored with Sole in Vault 81 than Curie. She had heard stories of people in the Commonwealth, and they were all the same. Survivors had scratchy skin that peeled from radiation exposure. Their voices were gruff, and their hands calloused. But Sole was the absolute opposite of all those tales. When they peered through the glass at Curie, she would have blushed if she were human. “My, I suppose the stories of the settlers up above were all lies. You are not scratchy or gruff.” Sole didn’t know what that meant, but they took the compliment anyways.

Danse: At first, Danse was just thankful for the assistance against the ferals that plagued the police station. He watched Sole snipe a few from afar, then close in at knife-point the remaining dozen. Both their agility and bravery impressed him. When he went to thank Sole, they took off their helmet and goggles. Danse was unable to speak; his cheeks flushing red when only stammering came out. “We appreciate the support, civilian,” he finally managed to say. He had never seen anyone in such perfect shape. Their broad shoulders, petite frame… they exemplified the entire Brotherhood appearance.  Danse found it hard to make eye contact the rest of their conversation.

Deacon: Today was the day Deacon’s baby would be born. Well, by baby he meant the vault dweller and by born he meant leave the actual vault. They had been a hard little science experiment to track, but he was excited to see the person frozen in time finally thaw out. He figured that they would need some guidance in the Commonwealth, so what better opportunity to shape a new agent?

What Deacon didn’t expect was for Sole to leave the vault early. He hid behind a tree as they rose to the surface; eyes squinting, legs trembling. Part of him wanted to burst from the shadows and help them, but he stopped when he saw how… perfect they were. Bright, hopeful eyes. A smile like on those old magazine covers. To Deacon’s horror, he was willing to follow them anywhere.

Dogmeat: Sole was not the first person to approach Dogmeat at Red Rocket. The dog had been hunkering down under the workbenches ever since his previous owner had run him off the property. Dogmeat’s first reaction was to cower. If a stranger didn’t leave him alone after that, he usually snapped. But when Sole approached him with a cheery “hey there, boy” he was instantly theirs. Sole wasn’t scary at all! Their skin was soft when they scratched him behind his ear, and their smile consisted of all their teeth. Someone as friendly-looking as Sole couldn’t possibly consider him a bad dog.

Gage: Gage had seen plenty of Overbosses come and go. They all looked the exact same. To give off a tough exterior, the raiders usually had deep scars, shaved hair, and chunks of their ears and fingers missing. It always scared off the settlers they wanted to raid, but never impressed Gage. He knew he was missing an eye, but the whole “tough guy act” needed to come from the heart, not the clothes. When he saw Sole come through the doors of Nuka World, his mouth hung open. They were the opposite of every raider and slaver he ever ran with. Their smooth pre-war skin glistened against the neon signs above them, and their healthy hair bounced as they walked towards Fizztop Grille. Gage was more than willing to introduce himself to Sole, but refrained from any flirtatious comments. He didn’t want himself actually catching feelings, and it was easy to get lost in Sole’s eyes.

Hancock: Hancock was always watching over Goodneighbor, and that night he was hanging back in the shadows when Sole walked through the gates. He noticed Finn lock on to the stranger, and figured he would have to intervene eventually. Finn was probably going to sell the poor schmuck some phony insurance, which Hancock warned him to stop whenever he came to his town.

Lucky for him, Hancock’s future damsel in distress was absolutely stunning. They had Magnolia and all the pre-war pin-up girls in the old magazines beat. Sole was staring at Finn with furrowed brows and their fingers brushed against their holster, which only made them more endearing. Beautiful and a badass, Hancock thought as he stepped forward with his knife. The first things out of his mouth after a warm welcome would definitely be a pick-up line.

MacCready: MacCready was having a freaking terrible day. After Winlock and Barnes stopped nagging him about taking their work, there was a stranger hanging around the door. He assumed it was another scorned settler looking for a merc to off their ex lover, so MacCready already had an attitude. He said something sarcastic before he even looked at them, then immediately wished he hadn’t. Sole was all dressed up from their night at The Third Rail, and he could smell their cologne/perfume from across the lounge. Sole tilted their head and asked him who the two men were who had been bothering him. Even though MacCready’s words were low and uninterested, his heart nearly beat out of his chest. They were a total knock-out, and he would be more than thrilled to be their hired gun.

Preston: Preston thought his band of travelers were as good as dead until he heard the raiders outside go down with four loud gunshots. He rushed to the balcony to see a stranger take them down, then begin to scavenge them for supplies. “Hey, up here! On the balcony!” His voice was strained, but it caught Sole’s attention. When they looked up, the sunlight hit their face just right so that Preston could see every feature. He didn’t even notice they were wearing a vault suit. When Sole asked what was the matter, Preston almost didn’t want to involve them in his fight. It wasn’t every day he met an angel.

Piper: Danny Sullivan was getting on Piper’s last nerve. She knew the kid was just following orders, but what he was doing was still wrong. He was leaving her out in the open, and Nat without supervision. She needed a diversion… and the drifter rolling up at the gates would be perfect. Piper had it all planned out. She would tell Danny they were a trader from Quincy, and the town would have his head if he made them miss out on the supplies…

That thought was quickly derailed when she got a good look at Sole. There was no way they were from around the Commonwealth. Sole’s hair was clean, their eyes were still full of innocent hope. It made Piper’s stomach do flips. She hadn’t seen the kind of warm smile Sole flashed her since she got her hands on a pre-war movie. In fact, Piper clammed up so bad Danny actually went back on the intercom to ask if she died.

Nick: Two weeks of being kidnapped in a vault never seemed so worth it until Sole showed up to save him. Nick figured someone would have to set him free eventually, and he was hoping Ellie wouldn’t put herself in harm’s way. When Sole hacked the door to set Nick free, it took every ounce of him not to compliment Sole’s look. All the embarrassment about being a damsel melted away when Sole told him about their missing son. Now he had a chance to return the favor, and get to see a little more of that pre-war miracle.

Strong: Strong was actually unimpressed by Sole’s looks. They didn’t look as menacing as the beaten humans. He suggested Sole slash their face to get a scar.

X6-88: Maybe coursers weren’t designed to perfection after all. When Sole walked through the Institute doors, the synths had never seen anyone as flawless. X6 was certain Sole could be the only heir to Father’s legacy. They matched the intricacy of the spiral elevators; the unblemished gleam of the polished floors. Sole embodied everything the Institute wanted for the Commonwealth, and it made X6 even more honored to become their companion later that evening.

#fallout 4 character reactions #fallout 4 hc #fallout 4 #fallout 4 deacon #fallout 4 danse #cait #fo4cait #codsworth #fo4codsworth #curie #fo4curie #danse #fo4danse #deacon #fo4deacon #dogmeat #fo4dogmeat #gage #fo4gage #hancock #fo4hancock #maccready #fo4maccready #preston #fo4preston #piper #fo4piper #nick valentine #fo4nick #strong

[alacaxam]

What is the deal with your Fallout OCs?

oh, there are several deals (thanks for asking and feeding my obsession) also I’m sorry if this doesn’t make any sense for non-fallout folks, so I’m putting it under a cut

so i have two main fallout ocs that I’ve fleshed out fully, ana (from fallout new vegas) and edward (from fallout 4)

ana (who’ve I’ve posted an (older) drawing of on my artblog is a sharpshooter native to new vegas, who picked up the courier job to get some cash in her pockets. she only made one delivery before the fateful one where she got shot in the head. her quest for revenge against the bastard who shot her lead her to the good graces of the New California Republic, where she quickly rose up in the ranks after completing some jobs for the ambassador.

for a long while, she was 100% on the side of the NCR, but then she went on a caravan journey to Zion canyon, where upon meeting ex-legion Joshua Graham her faith in the immortal NCR became somewhat eroded upon learning that Legion can be redeemed. It was after her journey to Zion that she met Veronica Santangelo and the Brotherhood of Steel, and learned about the NCR’s defeat and slaughter of the Brotherhood.

Inspired by the Brotherhood and Veronica, Ana went to an abandoned Brotherhood bunker, where she was kidnapped and taken to the Sierra Madre. It was after this adventure that she learned the importance of letting go- especially her past as a Courier and non-NCR citizen- and of the mysterious other Courier, Ulysses. After recovering from the Sierra Madre, Ana walked the Lonesome Road, and her faith in the NCR fell away even more. In light of this, Ana refused to launch the Hopeville nukes at the Legion or the NCR. Leaving the Divide behind, Ana met the former NCR sniper Boone, and in her travels with him, learned of the massacre at Bitter Springs.

This was the last straw. Ana left the Mojave and the NCR behind, eventually making her way to the Big MT, where she learned the past of Christine, Ulysses, and Elijah, and where she became more machine than man, her brain, heart, and spine replaced by robotic replacements. Returning to the Mojave one last time, Ana took her old friend Veronica and her robot ED-E and travelled to the DC Wasteland by train. It is now, in Washington DC, that she hopes to escape the corruption she once supported.

Personality wise, Ana is a neutral good type of person, convinced she can find the best in people and aways willing to talk rather than fight. For a time, she would do everything to defend the NCR, but after the events described above, not so much any more. She still ultimately supports the NCR, but they’re no longer on the same pedestal.

Now, edward is my fallout 4 character. I used an alternate start mod for fo4, so he ins’t the Sole Survivor. He originally hails from New Canaan, but when he was a young teen, he left new canaan and travelled to the Commonwealth. the definition of Chaotic Neutral, edward only does things for caps. well, did. a child wandered onto his settlement one day, and that started the rapid descent into becoming an unwilling dad.

Edward by creed is anarchist and against the hoarding of technology, so he naturally opposed the institute and east coast brotherhood. he never even went to help the minutemen beyond concord, as they could never benefit him. he joined the railroad into endgame, because they could further his goals re: destroying institute and brotherhood, but they never intend to govern. it was a plus that they’re pro-synth, like him.

as time passed, there amassed a total of five kids, one adult, and three robots at edward’s settlement. the second child to join, Delilah, was revealed to have been kidnapped by the Institute and replaced by a synth, after some time. Edward had to make the choice and save his settlement, and killed Delilah silently and painfully as she watched a sunset. The real Delilah was already dead, he tells himself. Ever since that moment, Edward is more synth neutral.

so, yeah- Ana, neutral good, and Edward, chaotic neutral! thanks again for asking, and for reading if you bothered!

#asks #fallout #ocs