@ofvoidx sent a raven: ❛ we can just sit here, you don’t have to talk. ❜ / from nora to hancock

       Some  days  were  just  louder  than  others,  pushing  up  his  hat  to  peak  at  her  before  tugging  it  back  down.  She  wasn't  the  problem,  it  was  this  ongoing  issue  with  synths,  and  that  paper  Piper  was  running  stirring  folk  up.  He'd  also  seen  neither  tip  nor  tin  of  a  Mentat  in  weeks  and  his  entire  body  was  begging  for  a  taste.  But  if  he  was  very  still,  and  very  quiet,  sometimes  he  could  pretend  that  didn't  matter.

       A  subtle  shift,  just  enough,  shoulder  resting  against  hers,  before  leaning  closer  to  give  her  some  of  the  weight.  It  wasn't  the  right  weigh,  the  need  felt  like  sixteen  tons  and  hit  like  a  Spray  n'  Pray.  No  dodging  it  just  had  to  knuckle  down  and  take  it.  And  if  he  heard  one  more  person  at  the  gate  getting  fleeced  by  some  jack  ass  that  was  already  on  thin  ice. 

“I  don't  know,  you're  no  Magnolia  but  you  sound  real  pretty.'  While  he  sounded  like  the  grinder  behind  the  garden  that  mostly  used  refuse,  and  occasionally  things  that  might  have  been  breathing  a  little  while  before.  ”You  got  any  good  stories?  I'd  kill  seven  people  for  a  good  story  right  about  now.'

i Hip thrusting to the side to dip out of the way of a falling piece of… a brief turn of his head showed sparks dancing, wires writhing slower and slower before going still. Well at least it wasn’t the building falling apart, left hand falling down recognizing the fact that he’d been reaching out to move her too. Funny little thing, humming three blind mice under his breath, he scrounged around in his pocket and coming up empty.

Mentats first, maybe he could talk Amari into giving him a few if he promised to get that drifter who’d rolled through out of town. You know who had mentats? His little mousey did, but she was out chasing down some lead for Piper.

ii For a man with no eyelids, one would assume he could watch where the hell he was going. Incorrect. Absolutely wrong, rubbing his jaw that had just caught a rock that had been thrown by some brawlers. Letting out a groan, he changed direction, grabbing a pipe and started swinging the moment the end was in range.

“This’ thunk “isn’t’ thunk “good’ thu- squish “neighborly’ CRACK “behaviour!’

An undignified yelp escaped him as someone tackled him from behind, swinging over his head in a two handed grip even as he was plowed face first into the ground. Naiomi wouldn’t have let someone sneak up on him, where the hell was she anyway? And her dog, a lot of teeth would be really useful right now…

iii Hand over where his eyebrows used to be, Hancock glared upwards, letting the crowd jostle him. Someone really needed to put in a dimmer switch or something.

“You think I could hit it with that rifle you got?’

“What rifle?’

Lowering his head, he eyed the face for a long moment, jaw shifting side to side as he realized they were a little too… not the right person. Damn, his brain was turning to muck, he needed… A sharp shake of his head, Hancock forced a broad smile onto his face and gave a friendly shove.

“Was talkin’ to someone else, don’t worry about it!’

iv He could see his breath in front of his face, shifting closer to the heater that rattled like someone’s last breath. When it went still he grumbled and gave it a swift kick to get it going again. If a certain armful hadn’t decided to run off and pester the raiders that had wandered too close. Which had been about a week ago?

Two weeks ago, actually, ignoring the look Fahrenheit sent his way. Which he belatedly understood was due to the fact she’d corrected him because he was bitching out loud again. Yeah well, sometimes he got in a bad mood, a ghoul should be allowed to be a little bitchy once in a while! It was healthy.

v It was immediately clear he’d fucked up, watching MacCready’s face darken. Well shit. He hadn’t meant to say it that way, thoughts flickering in and out as he tried to think of how to correct. Hands flying, he clasped RJ’s face a bit harder than he’d intended. Dammit! Too late to turn back now, pleased to see a familiar look of confusion smother the outrage.

‘Like I said, a man of your caliber is always welcome, but the caliber on your back needs to take a staycation in the mayor’s office.’ Still wrong, congenial tone be damned. Well it worked for Naiomi! Maybe if he shook him a little bit?

‘Get off me!’

‘Yeah alright, worth a shot.’

xxx Water gently trickled in and out of his sinuses, watching it tremble as he let out a low contented hum. This was nice, it had taken far too long to get done, but it was very nice. Skin tingly, brain not screaming kind of nice. Like those nights following Naiomi around, when they were bone tired but the next settlement was so close. Mind numb but comfortable, lips twitching underwater as he let his gaze unfocus for a moment.

Climbing out of the tub, Hancock shrugged on his coat, hat slapped onto his head before grabbing a clean enough pair of pants to hop into as he kicked the empty jet containers out of his way. She’d gone to talk to Nick who’d come by hunting some ne’er do well, so at least this time she was close.

Still it took a while to find her, right side of his mouth twitching upward.

“Sorry, Nicky, gonna have to cut this short.’ Hooking an arm behind her knees, he hoisted her up grinning as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders in surprised. “She can help you later. Naiomi’s on vacation time and the jet bath won’t stay hot forever.’

@rcliicta sent a raven: ☁  five times my muse has thought about yours, and the one time they do something about it. /x\