vault built.

          ❝  you  look   exhausted.  ❞      he  points  out  as  he  hands  them  a  cold   ,   purified  water.  crouching  down  in  front  of  them  as  he  does  so.    ❝   when's  the  last  time  you  managed  to  get  some   sleep   ?   ❞

    he  shakes  his  head  as  she  speaks   ,   dismissively  waving  his  hand  at  the  mention  of  chems.    ❝  i'll  pass   ,   i  appreciate  the  offer  though.  ❞      with  a  soft  sigh   ,   he  looks  off  into  the  distance.  perhaps  attempting  to  decide  on  another  direction  to  go  in  to  look  for  answers.       ❝   diamond  city    ,    huh  ?   ❞      he  questions  as  tired  eyes  look  back  to  the  female  in  front  of  him.     ❝  that  place  have  any  food   ?   ❞     he's  got  no  idea  when  the  next  time  he's  going  to  find  a  place  to  get  food  would  be    ,   so  he  needs  to  take  the  opportunity  as  it  comes. and  maybe   ,   he  can  find  the  answers  he’s  looking  for  there.

          his  shoulders  roll  as  he  shrugs.  at  the  same  time   ,   he  nods  his  head   &&.   even  mutters a  soft    ❝   yeah.  ❞   at  first.  because  she's  right   ,    wastelanders   :     they   are    supposed   to  be  dangerous.  that's  what  he'd  been  raised  to   believe   in  the  vault.   &&.  to  the  credit  of  those  who  said  so   ,   some  of  them  actually  are  dangerous  ,  especially  the   raiders   ,   but  him  personally   ?   he  would  never  endanger  anyone  who  hadn't  endangered  him  first.   any  time  there's  a  chance  for  him  to  back  himself  out  of  trouble  using   words   instead  of  weapons   &&.   violence   ,   he  takes  it.  he  always  will.     ❝    but  ,  there's  no  reason  for  me  to  be  unkind  to  you.  you  haven't  done  anything  to  me  to  deserve  it.  besides  ,    by  the  looks  of  that  number  you're  sporting   ,   you   &&.   i  have  something  in  common.  ❞     he  motions  to  the     ‘  112  ‘     written  in  yellow  on  the  back  of  her  blue  jumpsuit.    ❝    i  didn't  live  in  112   ,   i  lived  in  vault  101   ,   but   ,   we  had  the  same  jumpsuits.  for  your  sake   ,   i  hope  yours  are  more  comfortable.  ❞ 

         he  takes  the  strap  of  his  gun  over  his  head   ,   setting  his  weapon  on  the  ground  in  front  of  him  to  get  it  out  of  the  way  so  he  can  take  off  his  backpack.  kneeling  down   ,   he  digs  into  his  bag  among   many   various  items   &&.  pulls  out  a  small  insulated  cooler-like  compartment  he'd  built   exactly   for  this  purpose.  he  takes  one  out  before  putting  the  cooler  back  into  his  backpack   ,   putting  all  of  his  gear  back  on  his  shoulders  as  he  stands  to  his  feet.     ❝   here   ,   this  wont  make  you  sick.   ❞     he  assures  her  ,  walking  closer  to  hand  it  out  to  her.     ❝   &&.  i've  got  some  food  also  —  if  you're  hungry.  ❞

                salem  doesn't  even   attempt   to  hide  the  smile  that  tugs  at  his  lips  upon  hearing  her  tell  him  how  he  could  help  her.  he  nodded  his  head  at  her  words  before  lifting  himself  from  the  dirt   ,   brushing  off  his  hands  before  making  his  way  over  to  her  dog   ,   giving  him  gentle  scratches  behind  his  ears  before  reaching  into  the  bag  that's  strapped  to  his  side.  pulling  out  two  water  bottles   ,   he  gives  him   one   last   pat  on  the  head  before  making  his  way  back  over  to  jo.  kneeling  down  besides  her   yet   again    ,    his  smile  never  falters  as  he  hands  her  the  water  bottles.    "   here  you  go.    "     he  tells  her  before  lifting  his  wrist  and  opening  the  map  section  on  his  pip  boy.  he  scrolls  through  hoping  to  find   some   sort  of  settlement   ,   and  luckily  for  them  his  search  was  a  success.    "  it  looks  like  somerville  place  is  just  a  few  miles  south.  do  you  want  to  start  heading  there    ?    that  way  you  can  rest   ?   "

            he  doesn't  believe  her   ,   not  in   the   slightest.  regardless   ,   he  still  respects  her  wishes.  priorly  kneeling  before  the  female   ,   he  simply   sits   back   on  his  feet  and  rests  his  hands  in  his  lap.     "    okay.  we  can  sit    as   long   as  you  need.  "     he  assures  her   ,   getting  into  a  more  comfortable   ,   cross-legged  position  himself.     "   is  there  anything  that  i  can  do  for  you   ?   "    he  questions   ,    h o p i n g    that  she'll  look  at  him  and   see   the  look  in  his  eyes  that  he's    s o    famous  for.  the   pleading   look  he  always  gives  to  pursued  people  into  allowing  him  to  help.     "   anything  at  all   ?   "

          he   couldn't   help   but   smile,   even   just   a   little,   as   she   took   the   bowl   from   his   hands   and   began   eating.   he   folded   his   hands   in   his   lap   momentarily,   waiting   for   her   to   finish   speaking.   as   she   states   that   she   can't   walk   he   looks   own   to   her   legs.   though   he   can’t   see   anything   yet,   he   nods   his   head,   letting   her   know   that   he   understands   and   he's   listening.      "   it's   okay.   i'm   sure   you're   fine.   "      he   knows   he   shouldn't   say   that   because   in   all   honesty   he   ISN'T   sure,   but   he   has   hope.   and   that's   done   a   lot   for   him.   luckily   for   her,   not   only   were   both   of   his   parents   scientists,   his   father   was   one   of   the   only   doctors   in   the   vault   and   growing   up   under   the   care   of   his   father,   he   learned   a   lot   of   medical   stuff.   now   realizing   just   how   much   his   fathers   consistent   daily   quizzing   of   medical   preparation   and   questions   of   how   to   care   for   a   various   number   of   wounds   payed   off.   before   he   could   come   up   with   a   treatment   plan   for   her,   he'd   have   to   see   her   leg   first.   he   sure   as   hell   couldn't   leave   the   young   woman   out   here   now.   being   alone   in   the   wasteland   is   one   thing,   but   being   alone   AND   injured   is   basically   asking   for   death   to   sneak   up   on   you.      "   i'm   going   to   pick   you   up   and   take   you   inside.   is   that   alright   ?   "      he   didn't   want   to   just   carry   her   without   her   consent,   even   if   there   wasn't   much   of   another   option.

               he   had   a   tendency   to   notice   the   little   things,   which   is   why   he   noticed   the   way   that   she   flinched   as   he   raised   his   voice   and   that   was   enough   to   send   a   tidal   wave   of   GUILT   to   course   through   him.   bringing   him   an   unsettling,   nauseous   feeling   deep   in   the   pit   of   his   stomach.   wiping   his   mouth   with   the   back   of   his   hand   before   biting   down   on   his   lesser   lip,   he   didn't   think   it   was   possible,   but   he   began   to   feel   even   guiltier   as   he   saw   the   tears   start   streaming   down   her   cheeks.   though,   he   was   relieved   as   she   spoke.   with   a   small   sigh,   he   shakes   his   head   at   her   apology.      "   you   don't   have   to   apologize   to   me.   not   now,   not   ever.   "      he   assured   her   as   he   placed   a   large   hand   on   her   shoulder   and   pulled   her   small   frame   into   his   embrace.   wrapping   both   of   his   arms   around   her   momentarily,   he   planted   a   soft,   gentle   kiss   to   her   head.   that   was,   before   he   pulled   away   once   he   realized   what   he'd   just   done.      "   uh   so.   my   house   ?   you'll   be   staying   with   me,   won't   you   ?   "  

       as   she   also   lowered   her   weapon,   he   sighed   silently   in   relief.   looking   down   to   his   backpack   which   he   held   in   his   calloused,   dirty   hands,   the   young   adult   looked   over   all   of   the   supplies   he'd   gathered   and   tossed   in   throughout   his   search.   prior   to   her   interrupting,   of   course.      "   oh   .  .  .   do   you   own   this   shack   ?   "      he   questioned.   because   surely,   if   she   did,   he'd   return   everything   that   he   gathered   along   his   searching.      "   i   apologize.   you   can   have   it   all   back.   i   just         didn't   think   anyone   came   around   here,   let   alone   owned   anything   here.   "