The Reacting Companions

He was right about the man being a trader, but he didn’t know what sort. He wasn’t really surprised when he discovered that the man sold narcotics as he phrased it. Nate was never really one for drugs being a soldier he was always against it but here and now he could understand why people would fall into that rabbit hole, the world isn’t a nice place right now. So, when the man offered him something he politely declined, he continued to put a little pressure on him being the hustler he was, but he continued to refuse, and the salesmen seemed to know what battles to pick so he dropped it. But the thought kept coming back to him days after, maybe he could try it just a little, just enough to take the edge off god knows he’s been through too much to get through the day sober, he couldn’t go to Hancock or anyone in Goodneighbour as it would get back to his companions in Sanctuary and he didn’t want to be seen that way, he was still a decent man. He would later regret this decision immensely but that’s for later.

He bought something small not harmful or over the top he still wanted to be safe just a little high, he should have known that there is nothing like that left in the Commonwealth, everything is laced with something. The whole day was a blur as the world continued to spin around him and he loved every minute of it! He wouldn’t if he could understand what it was he was doing but for the time being, he was having the time of his life up on cloud 9.

 It was early in the morning when he awoke or maybe late at night, he could really tell. He was in a haze and it was kind of difficult to makes sense of anything, but he didn’t think he was in any danger, so he continued to lie there as he tried to gather his bearings which was much harder then he liked. He racked his brain trying to come to any sort of conclusions as to what the hell happened or is currently happening, but it was pointless it was like his mind was blank. As he took a quick look around the room he could start to piece together little bits, but it just confused him even more as nothing seemed to look familiar, then it hit him like a train this isn’t my room! He looked under the blankets to check for clothes but there was nothing and panic began to set in.

“Ah, finally awake I see” he said with a not so subtle smirk. He recognized his voice and as he removed his hands from his head to could see Nick Valentine looking ever so smug. The panic deepened as he realised what he has done “y..you…and me?” He was shaking as he pointed between them both back and forth in utter shock. It's not that he didn’t like Nick he was a good friend he just didn’t think things would come to this!

“No you idiot! as if I would have a one-night stand with a drugged up pal” he shook his head as he took a long smoke of his cigarette “Now tell me, Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?” He stopped for a moment to think about it but once again came up empty handed “I’m sure there is but I don’t know it” It was the best he could come up with is this extremely awkward and embarrassing situation and it was true. Nick just sighed, he knew he meant well, and it was confusing for both of them, but he would really like to find out the answer to that question soon.

The next hour or so was spent with Nick trying to help him figure out what in Earth happened and they managed to narrow it down to a drug trip but that didn’t really help clear things up. Nick also lent him some of his old clothes so now he looked like Nicks partner in crime or more accurately Nicks partner in trying to stop crime. He looked kind of dumb, but he loved it anyway, but it was slightly worrying that his clothes were nowhere to be found in or outside of the detective agency. The synth also helped try to fill in as many holes as possible but all he knew was that somehow he snuck into the agency whilst Nick was out and fell asleep on top of his bed and put it all on display. He blushed and looked away as he realized that Nick had seemed him in such a state he honestly just wanted to crawl into a pit and die right at that moment.

Silence. They all slowly turned to me with the weirdest looks I have ever seen, if I wasn’t super uncomfortable, I probably would have laughed. “Arthur Maxson” It came out a bit quieter and shakier than I would’ve liked, but they all still heard it. The silence continued, but the atmosphere had changed. I could feel their confused stares burning into my soul and I wished that they would say something anything just to stop this awkward stillness. “So you’re fucking Elder Maxson, damn girl!” Never mind I take it back the silence was better. Then chaos erupted, there was shouting, screaming, laughing, and way too many questions to process. I could understand their confusion Maxson and I had never really been on the best of terms, while I was still a member of the Brotherhood, I was a little too rouge for his liking, but I was the best at what I did and got shit done so he decided to put up with it.

I could tell that they wanted answers or maybe blood, sometimes they were hard to read. But nevertheless, I wanted to respond to all their questions, but I just couldn’t over all their noise. “SHUT UP!” and thankfully they did and once again they all turned to me expectedly. “Thank you” it was then that I decided the best way to calm everyone down was to just tell them the full story since even I didn’t know the answers to all their questions and some I just didn’t want to think about, especially the ones from Cait and Hancock.

Where to begin. It started after I just got back onboard the Prydwen from a mission saving some Scribes from a hoard of gunners they ran into. A generous dead if I do say so myself as I wasn’t ordered to go, and I put my life in danger to save them but for some reason Elder Maxson didn’t seem to see it this way. “What the hell do you think you’re doing! I specifically ordered you not to go!” I was pretty sure everybody in the Commonwealth could hear his booming voice as he scolded me for my ‘reckless’ actions, I could see people around me cower and look at me with pity as they feared the Elder as much as they admired him at times like this. But this is me we’re talking about and I’m not exactly like the others.

I simply gave him a deadpan look as I knew that I was right “I did what I thought was right and I saved their lives, so I believe what you’re trying to say is thank you.” If looks could kill. I honestly thought for a second either two things would happen he would have a heart attack from as he would put it the ‘utter disrespect and disobedience’ or he would pick me up and throw me off the Prydwen. Thankfully for me, neither of these things happened but maybe something worse did. “In my office now” his voice was low but laced with malice trying not to attract too much attention, but it was already too late for that.

Since he didn’t really have an office as such we were in his quarters. He started to pace back and forth, sweat from anger dripping down him, his face was scrunched and hands in fists, but I knew he wouldn’t do anything. “You disobeyed a direct order and put your own life and others at risk!” He was clearly very irritated, and I should’ve just apologised but I knew I couldn’t do that because I made the right call “I only ignored your order because I knew what should’ve been done” surprisingly this didn’t make the situation any better, but I wouldn’t back down. “You suddenly showing up could’ve scared them into pulling the tricker on our scribes, the only reason they’re alive is because of luck, you listen to what you’re are told!” this went on for some time but neither of us was going to budge on our beliefs rank be damned.

We must have been at it for at least half an hour and nothing has changed, until one point he got really close to me, trying to be intimidating I imagine “I should banish you from the Brotherhood all together” his stare never wavering “Do it then.” The kiss was so unexpected that I nearly fell backward but his armed wrapped around me would’ve stopped that. We were both furious with each other and full of rage and it just drove us even more and fuelled our passion. We spent the night together and as Cait put it whilst I was telling my story ‘Hate sex’ but we didn’t really hate each other it was quite the opposite.

However, we knew we had to keep it professional as he was the Elder and I a Paladin. We also couldn’t let our emotions get the better of us as we constantly have to put our life’s at risk and getting caught up in a romantic relationship would be too messy, so we decided to keep it as a one-night stand and that’s all I thought it was. It was for the best, or attest that’s what we kept telling ourselves, but we couldn’t deny the quick glances at each other across the room at lunch or during a briefing, or the electrifying little touches whenever we were near. It was too much to bear and my face was almost permanently red with blushes as everything he seemed to do was somehow much more attractive than before. The way he fought or commanded a room full of soldiers, it all made me weak.

This went on for what felt like eternity but was more likely only a couple of weeks, it was then that it all went downhill, I was on a mission with a large group of Brotherhood soldiers to launch an all-out attack on an infestation of Super Mutants, being as difficult as it was meant that there were already a dozen of risks, but we were able to hold them back enough and start to gain some ground when all hell broke loose! A giant legendary Deathclaw just appeared out of nowhere in the center of our attack and as luck would have it charged right for us. The troops were stunned, and we were unable to react quickly as it crashed through our defenses. My blood ran cold when the beast locked eyes with me I knew running was pointless so I just aimed and fired trying to do as much as I could, but the adrenaline was making it hard and the world around me became a blur, and that was the last thing I could remember. I swear that day I met a demon.

When I finally awoke all, I could see was white, and bright lights. Well, this is it I thought, I have finally made it to the Pearly gates, it could be worse I guess, I could be down there and not up here. “Should be fine, there will be a scar, but everything should heal with a bit of time and rest” Why the hell is Cade here with me, goddamit that doctor always gets on my nerves.

When my vision finally came back I could see that I was in the infirmary and not heaven. I tried to sit up but I all I could feel was sharp shooting pains across my arm. “Hey, lay back down you’re going to hurt yourself” Maxson? What was he doing here? As much as I wanted to I couldn’t find my words as my throat was so dry and everything was still a tad dizzy but having him hear was more comforting than I was willing to admit. It took a while for me to regain my strength as Maxson explained what happened, how I was attacked and only just saved. I laughed it off, I have a weird sense of humour, but the Elder looked gravely serious. “You could have died” I didn’t understand why he was acting so strange, he was looking away from me and it was like he was talking to himself.

“I know but I didn’t so that’s good right?” he didn’t respond he was trapped in his own little bubble and I could see his mind working a mile a minute and he even started to mutter to himself. He wasn’t acting normal. “You could have died…and I would never see you again” he looked in despair and it pained me to see, I thought the same thing too, but I never would have thought he would’ve felt the same. I was going to interrupt his continues mumbling to try and sort him out, but he beat me to it.

“Marry me”

He was looking me in the eye now, and I tried to figure out if he was joking but he wasn’t. So I did.

Deacon: A Dalamation - “Friendly, Active, and Outgoing”

Hancock: A Rough Collie - “Protective, Friendly, and  Loyal”

MacCready: A Jack Russel - “Stubborn, Vocal, and  Fearless”

Nick: A Beagle - “Even-tempered, Determined, and Amiable”

X6-88: A K-9 - “Robot, Intelligent, Also has letters and numbers in its name” 

Strong: A Russian Bear Dog - “Assertive, Strong, and F*cking massive” 

Gage: A Bull Terrier - “Protective, independent, and stubborn”

Old Longfellow: A Border Collie - “Tenacious, Alert, and Responsive”