- Since the brotherhood found him in the crater that was once his home, Max has mostly known touch when it comes at him violently, something he needs to defend himself against. So when you let your fingers gently land against his skin, slowly and patiently letting him open up to you, it's almost enough to make him fall to pieces then and there. The way you give him time to prepare for every slight graze, testing the waters before you shuffle your body closer, it makes him feel safer than he could have imagined possible. 

- Touching Max has to go slowly; his holding his hand eventually moves to a gentle hug that he can feel himself struggling to accept for fear of repercussions for letting his guard down. Then you can let your hand cradle the back of his neck as he starts to melt against you, realising this feeling is worth anything that may follow it. And finally when your lips land against his, he almost collapses against you, so overwhelmed by the strength of his own feelings that he almost forgets that he ever wasn't kissing you. He thinks nothing of kissing you in the middle of the brotherhood base, so euphoric at the sensation that nothing else even registers for him, dopey smile spreading across his cheeks every time he pulls away from your lips. 

- He craves your touch from that first moment he starts to relax against it, searching you out for a quiet moment of contact any chance he gets, feeling more like the man he wants to be when he's in your arms. He hopes his strong hands firmly grasping at your waist give you the same feeling of support, pulling you tightly against his broad chest until he's certain you can feel the way his heart is only beating for you. 

Cooper Howard/The Ghoul:

- In his new decaying form, Cooper shies away from your touch for as long as his willpower will allow. He can see the way you look at him like he's still the man he was before the bombs hit, like nothing has changed in the centuries he's spent wandering alone, like he still deserves to be treated with kindness and love even though he's sure that isn't true. He wants to accept every hand you extend towards him as you two navigate this new, terrifying world together, but some part of him thinks the moment you feel his twisted flesh against yours that the spell will be broken and you'll suddenly see him for exactly the kind of creature he has become. 

- Until one day he comes a little too close to losing you and when slowly rise to your feet after what feels like a lifetime he can't help but throw his arms around you, pulling you in and letting his cheek rest against yours, the warmth of your soft skin making him feel like he can somehow still blush. All his fears melt away when you nuzzle your face more deeply against him, letting him cradle your injured form until you both reluctantly accept that you can't dwell in that spot any longer. 

- With that invisible barrier crossed and your gaze towards The Ghoul still warm and forgiving, Cooper finds himself initiating far more affections. When you two are exploring alone, the hand not resting on his rifle will inevitably find yours, grip firm as if daring the world to try and part you. And when it's time to make camp he finds himself laying beside you without asking, letting your fingertips trace shapes across his skin until your eyes flicker shut and he can hold you through the night. Cooper knows what it is to be in love, and he knows that this time he's never going to let you out of his sight, or his grasp. 

Norm Maclean: 

- Given the limited options for fraternising in the bunker, Norm grew up without experiencing the slow growth of affections that he noticed others were lucky enough to find. So when he finally has you in his life, he can't help but want to make up for lost time and feel your hands against his touch-starved skin. He doesn't know how to initiate any of this with you, but he's not afraid to try, being the first to place a hand on yours in a quiet night, even if he can't bring himself to look at you until he feels you squeeze your palm against his. 

- His smaller stature means Norm is often underestimated, so he doesn't want you to handle him like some delicate, fragile thing. He likes feeling you lay your weight on him, or pull him tightly into your arms, no matter where his head reaches on your form. When you sit near him, he wants to find the seat closest to yours and let his thigh press firmly against you, a physical reminder that whatever you two are doing, you're facing it together. 

- Norm doesn't want to leave anything unsaid in the way he feels towards your touch, so when he starts to think that you might feel the same, then he'll be the one to kiss you first, waiting until he can steal you away from prying eyes for a moment alone and pressing his lips firmly against yours until he starts to feel the undeniable curve of a smile form against them. He might not be the most outgoing when it comes to public displays of affection, but when it's just the two of you he'll make sure he's always touching you in some way, your company becoming the safe haven and home he always knew the vault couldn't provide. 

- When Maximus is jealous, insecurity starts to seep in. He never really understood how he got lucky enough to be the man that stood by your side, and no matter how many times you caressed his face with your fingertips and listed all the features you adored on him, he never could see himself in the light he shone in for you. So when he sees a highly-ranked brotherhood commander making you laugh, he feels like the inevitable has happened and you've finally realised what a loser he really is. You'll have to try and contain a laugh as you notice over the shoulder of the annoying man telling you a boring story, your sweetheart suddenly looking like a pre-tantrum toddler. His lips are pouty and he's kicking his boots along the ground as he glances up at you longingly. Please just excuse yourself from the conversation so his eyes can go from puppy-dog to shining bright, his smile practically radiating warmth as you sling your arms around him in plain view of the whole base, reminding him that you'll choose him time and time again. 

- When you're the jealous one, Max would likely be very flattered. Honestly, he's pretty oblivious to when someone flirts with him, the whole scenario completely insane because everyone knows how beyond smitten he is with you. So if you getting a little more affectionate and lean your head on his shoulder until the interloper slinks away embarrassed, Max can't help but just think about how happy he is to be the centre of your attention. 

Cooper Howard/The Ghoul 

- In his past life, Cooper Howard was very used to being the object of a lot of people's desires. On red carpets and at photoshoots, people were always singing his praise, letting their touches linger a little too long, and trying their luck despite his glistening wedding ring. So even as a Ghoul, he is extremely nonchalant when it comes to jealousy. He knows that no matter how many opportunities he might have to catch another's eye, he would never choose to be with anyone but you, and he completely trusts you to do the same. What you have is special, and sacred, and it's clear to both of you that it's something no one else can tamper with. So if anyone gets a bit too close to you, he's laughing in their face, tearing down their confidence before they ever get the chance to make their move.  

Norm 

- Norm waited a long time to meet someone that lightens his heavy heart the way you do, and he's going to be damned if he lets anyone get in the way of that. When Norm gets jealous it brings out his chaotic man of action side, his brilliant mind already running through half a dozen ways he can distract or disarm the guy chatting you up in this rundown establishment. He considers setting off an alarm, or telling the meanest looking thug he can find that your new admirer was talking shit about him, but he settles for subtly unpicking a loose thread in the guy's satchel that sends his bottle-caps spilling to the floor. The send his eyes are on the ground, collecting his lost currency, Norm's arm is around your waist leading you to a quieter corner where he can keep your gaze fixed directly on him, with a knowing look he can't help but be proud of. 

- Norm gets caught off guard when it's your turn to be jealous, so surprised that you not only want him enough to fight for him, but that you think someone else would want him too. Luckily the grin that spreads across his cheeks when you give some stranger a pointed reminder that Norm is 'taken' completely puts to bed any fears you have about him wanting anyone but you. 

Chet 

- Chet might let himself be pushed around more than he'd like, but when it comes to you he can always find the nerve to stand up for himself. If some other vault dweller starts paying a little too much attention to you, Chet's going to confront them, publicly. You can practically here his challenge echoing across the silent vault as he starts questioning the intentions of this mystery man, telling him to think again before he comes asking about things that aren't any of his business. Chet can't help but feel quite relieved when you put a hand on his chest and lead him back towards his quarters, always so pleased to be the man you choose over and over again. 

- Max only has limited memories of the time he spent with his loving parents in a caring home, so everytime you go out of your way to take care of him he can feel himself falling hopelessly deeper in love with you. Any act of service feels like the ultimate loving gesture to Max, who has always been told to serve others and ignore his own needs for the sake of the brotherhood. So when you take notice of the things he needs, like saving him a plate at dinner when he gets back late from a mission, or helping to clean up his wounds when he's been forced into another fight. Well, it just makes him want to give his whole self to you, to do anything he can to brighten your life, to suggest you two just get out of here because he's sure he could survive in the wilderness as long as you are together.

Cooper Howard/The Ghoul

- You'll find Max subconsciously leaning into your touch at every opportunity he gets too. He spends half his time in power armour, completely cut off from the world, so getting to leave his metal shell behind and feel your fingers trail along his skin helps him feel more like a man than a weapon. He sleeps better when his head is resting on your thighs, your fingers cascading over his cheek and jaw, keeping him safe and grounded and overwhelming his heart with sheer adoration. He'll cling to you in the long nights and the tiring days, until eventually he can barely remember how to exist without your hand cocooned in his, so deeply in love that he can't bear to consider letting go. 

- Cooper Howard has had more time than he could have imagined wandering the wasteland alone, so to have someone to fill that time with would be a blessing of unimaginable significance. Spending quality time with The Ghoul often just looks like surviving; you build fires, set up camps, explore the wreckage of a past life only he got to see. But as you pass the days in each other's company, stories are shared, and jokes are attempted, and a familiarity forms that means that each of these monotonous tasks begins to feel like a worthwhile pursuit, because it's something you're doing together. 

Norm Maclean

- When the days of exploring darken into nights of rest, Cooper can't help but be moved by the way you don't think twice about laying a hand on him. Every gentle touch on his arm, or back, or face shows him that you don't see him as the monster his exterior is slowly shifting into. He wants to pretend it doesn't mean that much to him, but every sweet touch reminds him just how human he still is. He craves that physical reminder of your affections. That he is still worthy of love, your love. That's all he needs to keep him going. 

- Norm has spent much of his life being told he asks too many questions. He says the wrong things when he should be more agreeable. That he is unremarkable and unenthusiastic and over time those words start to seep below surface level and become a part of the way Norm views himself. So when you start to tell him how brilliant he is, how thoughtful, how brave - these words of affirmation feel like holy redemption to the downtrodden man. Every time a compliment slips from your lips he'll search your face for any sign of dishonesty, or ulterior motives to your kindness, but be met with nothing but the warmth and understanding he's been denied his whole life. 

- Despite growing up in the closest thing the post-nuclear world has to a family and a community, Norm is no stranger to loneliness. His work details always rota'd him to work alone and save anyone the discomfort of his silent company. But when you offer to walk the wastelands by his side, the quiet moments falling between you never filling him with the awkward sense of dread his life in the vault seemed to stir, well he starts to realise he deserves to spend quality time with someone too. He still feels nervous every time he asks you if you want to join him while he works on some computer problem, or scouts out some new street along his map, but every time you smile and lace your fingers through his as you walk side-by-side, he starts to learn that you're here for him, almost as much as he is there for you. And now he's not sure he'd like to face much of anything without you.