#fritsch

How Did They Meet?

Oh! After Mike went to Nuka World, betrayed the poor trader and got accepted into the park, he needed a place to sleep. After a long walk through the park, he found the Arcade and decided that this looks like a nice place, so he will stay there. BUT: The Arcade wasn’t uninhabited. Fritsch lived there already and wasn’t very happy about it, that some stranger decided to become is roommate. But said Stranger was a giant with a Minigun (even when Mike never tried to scare him with it, Fritsch still considered it as not very cool) sooooooooo... there wasn’t a big discussion and he was just glad that Mike didn’t kicked him out.

What's their one story no one can know about?

They know both about their pasts. It’s a big thing, especially for Mike. But since they share a room, there isn’t much you can hide from each other.

Who bails the other out of stupid decisions/Who makes the stupid decisions?

I mean this answer is very easy. Mike loves to drag Fritsch into stupid situations and they can be happy that Fritsch is smart enough for two. Or maybe he isn’t because otherwise Mike wouldn’t  be so successful to get him in such moments..?

What was their establishing ride or die moment?

Fritsch always considered Mike as really annoying. He is loud, eats all your food, you can be happy if this idiot puts some pants on, touchy and his rats shits everywhere. BUT - one day, some Disciples tried to rob the Arcade. Fritsch might live in Nuka World, but he isn’t an Raider. Pretty soon it was clear, that the Raiders were not only interessed in the Arcade and Fritsch argument, that he is the only one who knows how to work with the Machines, didn’t interessed them at all. And if this wasn’t enough, he saw, how Mike tried to sneak out of the window. Fritsch was sure that his head would end up on an spike. The Raiders blocked his way and he was ready to give up..... But suddenly he heard how someone screamed"Down!", and then the bullets of a minigun were already flying through the air. Frtisch managed to take cover behind a machine, while the Disciples were completly caught off guard and before one of them could react, their bodys were filled with lead. It was Mike. He came back. This selfish asshole came back, just save his life. And when he looked at Mike, he could see that he was surprised of himself. Mike dropped the weapon and started to laugh, calling himself hero names like “Super-Mike” or “Mega-Gun”.  And Fritsch was just so happy, it took all his selfcontrol to not start to cry. So yeah, Mike can be still annoying. But damn, he trusts this idiot and makes sure that he knows that he can trust him too.

Where do they hang out? Why?

In the Arcade. because they live there. And because it’s a big playground for adults. Which one makes the stupid jokes, and does the other entertain it or eye roll?

Mike loves stupid jokes. But it takes a lot until Fritsch rolls his eyes. Fritsch has a good sense for humor, but Mike has a great sense in stepping over the line. ://

What do they do when they hang out? What's their favorite thing to do?

Sometimes Mikes tries to cheat on the Machines and Fritsch watches him, convinced that there  is no way to trick his babies. But never underestimate Mikes creativity. :i Also they play a lot of cards. Fritsch really tries his best to teach Mike poker, probably, because he is afraid that one day Mike will lose the Arcade in the game. But at some point Fritsch is already the convinced that Mikes rat will learn it before him. :/

What’s their go-to thing to cheer the other up?

Mike steals fancy stuff for him or tries it with stupid jokes to distract Fritsch. He isn’t really the best in cherring others up, but tbh ... Fritsch isn’t either. They give each other time. Or get drunk together.

Do their respective families know of the other? Do they think they’re a good or bad influence?

Mikes family wants him dead, Fritsch family is probably dead. uuuuuuuuuh... :(

Do they try and steal dates from each other or do they act as a wingman? How successful are their efforts usually?

Before he was taken, Mike often tried to play the wingman for Fritsch and in the end he was in the private corner with who over he picked for Fritsch. But Fritsch never cared about it because Mike had a real bad taste for picking his future partners. Mike still tries his best, because wants that Fritsch feels also this ‘sick feel, that feels like someone punched you in the guts but in a nice way’. Fritsch isn’t really sure if he really wants to feel that. D: Meanwhile Fritsch tries to support Mike with his relationship with Ilya. He still waits for his present basket from her, because he saved her already from a lot of bullshit. :I

Fritsch nodded at whatever she said before glancing back over his shoulder, his gaze landing on the door. Cori finally looked up too. Took her long enough.

He raised an eyebrow. She nodded at him and then turned right back to Fritsch. Right back into the conversation as if she hadn’t gone awol and scared the living daylights out of him.

He crossed to stand closer to the middle of the lobby. From there, he could see into the rooms on either side. Some Disciples milling around the shooting game. He could hear folks out back, most likely Pack, given how loud they were. No one by the hoop-shoot game. No telling if there was someone out in the back closet, but there were enough people just from what he could tell that there was potential for this to go south.

“So, Boss,” Fritsch said. “You gonna kill it?”

Cori thought for a second. Sighed. Drummed her fingers on her thigh. She was nervous about something.

“I don’t think so. Better plan:  let’s put out a general bulletin with RedEye to open season on the thing. I’m sure there’s plenty of raiders around here who’d love to take a crack at a Super Mutant.”

“You might be right about that, OverBoss, but I’ll tell you something because I like ya.” Fritsch smoothed the ends of his moustache. He leaned in and spoke quiet enough where Gage had to strain to hear him over the constant noise from the old soundtrack in the background. Quietly, he added “Eventually, you’re gonna want to hop back in that ring. We all got things around here that keep us useful. This arcade is my pride and joy, but it’s also the only reason I get to stay here without a collar. Folks need some way to blow off steam, you know?”

Corinne nodded.

“You’re doing good work here, so far as I can see. But the gangs need reminding of how tough you are. Keeps them from getting too curious about who could take you in a fight. Pass this one up, but maybe take on the next asshole who gets caught in the trap, right?”

“Maybe.”

“I knew you were made of smarter stuff. Old Gage over there doesn’t trust just anyone, do you Gage?”

He grunted. The Disciples in the other room were still watching.

“That’s some glowing praise from Gage,” Fritsch grinned as he nudged Cori with his elbow. She smiled.

“I’ll remember the advice. And thanks for the tokens,” she replied.

Fritsch nodded and waved them off. The Disciples watched Cori cross the lobby but didn’t move. After a moment, Gage cracked his neck, nodded to the Disciples and Fritsch, and followed Corinne out into the midday sun.

She walked like there ain’t no place she oughtta be, and sure, not like she needed to be outpacing a deathclaw, but the unaffected ease of her stride was pissing him off. Looked back over his shoulder again. Some runt Fritsch had probably hired from the travelers scrambled out the door in the direction of RedEye’s radio tower, at the other end of Nuka Town. Disciples weren’t following, but he could tell at least a couple of them had thought about it just by how they’d been standing. Ears probably pricked up under their masks.

He waited until they made it all the way up to Fizztop before saying a word.

“And what the fuck was that, huh Boss?”

“Excuse me?” She flopped onto the couch across from the bar, feet up on the table. Half a smirk played across her lips like she thought this was the funniest damn thing.

“You ran off.” He folded his arms over his chest. Her eyes swept from his hairline down to his boots and back up again. The smirk faded.

“I went to handle some OverBoss business,” she said.

“By running off.”

“Yeah, to talk to Fritsch. Not to go fight Nisha or anything like that. Didn’t you want me to be more hands-on?”

Fuckin’—

Gage looked down at the shitty star pattern on the faded blue carpet.

Of course. Of course he wanted her acting like she owned the place, because that was the only damn attitude that raiders payed attention to. But she had to know that running off without a word to talk to an unaffiliated repairman wasn’t what he had in mind.

“You know this ain’t what I meant.”

“Do I know that?” She took her boots off the table and sat up a little straighter. “Because listening to my constituents seems like doing my job.”

“Listening to your what?”

“Fritsch. He wanted me to fight in the arena.”

“And you said no?”

“Absolutely!” She shot up from the couch, throwing her arms up. “He wanted me to fight a super mutant. There is no way in hell I am fighting a super mutant alone.”

At least she’d thought something through.

A super mutant in the gauntlet. If he weren’t so mad, he woulda said she’d made a good call in having the other raiders torture it to death. It should at least keep them happy and preoccupied for a bit, which was always good. But that didn’t erase the fact that she’d done all that alone. That’d he’d woken up and she’d been gone.

“Do you know what might have happened to you if someone had heard you say “no” to a fight?”

Corinne sputtered for a second. Mouth open. Mouth closed. Jaw clenched. Hands on her hips. Couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but she sure as hell wasn’t just agreeing with him, which meant that whatever she was about to say was dead wrong.

Finally, finger in his face, she hissed “so what? You’d have me fight a super mutant voluntarily?”

That wasn’t even the point. This wasn’t even the point of the whole thing, but somehow they’d spiraled off track and he couldn’t even begin to think about how to explain to her that she was fuckin’ mortal and that some of those raiders wouldn’t hesitate to gut her if they thought they had the chance.

“I ain’t sayin’ that,” he growled.

“No. You aren’t.” Her tone spiked, arms stretched out. “You aren’t saying anything helpful, really. You’re just yelling at me for doing my job, and last I checked around here, I was the one in charge. Not. You.”

Not him.

Oh, for sure he knew she was in charge and not him. Cuz if he was in charge? He wouldn’t make stupid calls. He wouldn’t put himself in danger just because. He wouldn’t argue with good advice. He wouldn’t go prancing off to a place where he was likely to get stabbed in the throat just to talk to a mechanic about some bloodsport, cuz he wouldn’t go fuckin’ anywhere without someone watching his back. Because he knew better.

Fritsch was smart and kept to himself for the most part, but he didn’t ever claim to know how to run this place, and there was no way in hell that he’d stick his neck out to keep her safe, push comes to shove. Can’t alienate the folks who pay for his meals; Frisch ain’t the type to shit where he eats. And she may not have had the time to ask him for help in the first place, because she probably hadn’t seen noticed the gaggle of mask-wearing jackasses sitting just around the corner, fiddling with their knives. If those Disciples had realized she was alone. If they’d followed her out of that place. If they’d gotten her by herself—

She’d be gone. If he hadn’t shown up, there was a fair chance she’d be gone and he’d be finding chunks of her all around the park.

Didn’t want to think about that.

“Do that again,” he said through grit teeth, “and you’ll regret it.”

“Mmhm.”

“I’m fuckin’ serious.” He stepped in close to catch her eye. “That was risky. You know how many people would be pissed off that you didn’t take the fight? If I hadn’t turned up, those Disciples in the back room might have gutted you for turning Fritsch down. You ever seen what the Disciples do to folks they don’t like? For once in your goddamned life, just think shit through.”

She blinked. Jaw locked up and lips pressed together in a hard line. He realized he was towering over her, right in her damned space, and he straightened out. Took a step back.

“I’m serious,” he said again. Just for something to say.

“I heard you.”

He wanted to retort. Tell her off. Remind her that he was on her fuckin’ side. But his mouth felt dry and his head ached and for a minute there, he couldn’t think of a damn word to add to the conversation.

“Is that all you had to say, Gage?” Her tone was crisp and sharp, like falling through the ice on a barely frozen-over lake.

Outside, the sun burned bright through the windows behind her. Vibrant blue, cloudless sky extended out like someone had spilled paint. In the distance, one of those mangled birds he saw sometimes landed and perched on the wall around Nuka Town, its dark wings a black splotch on the horizon. The flat, dusty earth stretched out as far as he could see and he had the strange thought that they were on an island but somehow, he was still alone out here. Stranded in this strange place that ain’t quite land and ain’t quite sky.

He looked at her again. Angry—her chest heaving, eyes hard, shoulders squared. And she coulda been gone. That’s what this was all about. Not that she made a bad call, cuz she’d made bad calls before. That she coulda been gone, and he wouldn’t have had a single say in that. Might not even have known till it was way too late. For all the times he felt like they were a team, this was the reminder that she was gonna do what she wanted, and that there wasn’t anything he could do to stop her.

And he was tired. Plain and simple.