Gunpowder and Sand

“You can’t. But it doesn’t matter.” Milkweed smiled at her. “I don’t need it.” It was just an indulgence, something she shouldn’t have had in the first place. Perhaps the girl had saved her more trouble down the line anyway.

Milkweed thought for a moment. What could a junker in Gastown have to offer her, anyway? And then she came to a conclusion. “Car parts. Any. I don’t care how junk they are.” They would be salvageable, most likely, or at the least tradeable.

Survival

Milkweed mirrors her sadness. “My baby already has a father. He couldn’t come with me, though. Too important here.” She manages to smile then. “It would be safer if he did. He knows how to fight, how to find food, he grew up in the Waste. Came to the Bullet Farm when he was older. But yeah. You’re right. I’ll go to your man.” 

Survival

For the first time in the conversation, Milkweed looked genuinely frightened. “I’m going to die, aren’t I?” She put a hand to her belly. “We both are. I’m not... not good enough to protect him. Is this even worth it?”

Survival

“It gets cold, doesn’t it?” She had been out in the desert at night before, but never for long. “Won’t a fire attract attention?” And attention would mean death, raiders or Buzzards or even War Boys. That thought sent a sharp pang through her. Thinking of the War Boys as enemies was so very painfully alien.

People should reblog this if they are okay with receiving ask memes from people they’ve never rped with before. Mutual or not.

Calm down? She wasn’t sure she could. She could hardly even move, she was having such a hard time. Still, she looked away and down at the ground, taking deep breaths and counting some rocks. “I… It was-… a t-test… didn’t see it, I sw-swear! I can– I can rr-replace it! M–maybe?“

“You can’t. But it doesn’t matter.” Milkweed smiled at her. “I don’t need it.” It was just an indulgence, something she shouldn’t have had in the first place. Perhaps the girl had saved her more trouble down the line anyway.

“No,” Eden mutters, holding Milkweed’s hand as her other brushes her hair back from her flushed face as they sit on the floor. “He will ruin the Citadel if he’s given any power. He ruined my home,” she tells her, looking away, saying words she never would if she’d been sober. “It is very hard to live with sometimes, but your Daddy’s brown drink helps me not feel so bad and guilty, I’ve come to find. I’m not pregnant, so it’s okay.” She pats Milkweed’s hand. “It hurts my throat though. When my husband comes back please tell him to come up here and take advantage of me,” she adds with a sloppy smirk, giggling some. “I know that will be terribly awkward for you to say to him, my dear, but I would appreciate it.”

“He would slap me.” Milkweed told her, but laughed along nonetheless. “You’ll be pregnant soon, I know it. Best to be taking care of yourself. I’ll help you.” It was not an empty promise. Her own pregnancy had been deliberate, a political move to secure a position in her father’s eyes. But Eden would protect her too, Eden, the closest thing she had to a mother figure, should be queen of the Citadel.

Eden stares at Milkweed for a moment, bringing her face close as if she can’t see properly. But she can’t, everything is swaying, going blurry before clearing up. “My sunflower,” Eden slurs then, putting a hand on her shoulder to steady herself. “What are you doing here?” she asks as she glances around peculiarly. “Where did your dead step-grandfather go?” Eden then starts to laugh, a breathy laugh as she stumbles, almost taking Milkweed with her to the ground. “What a ridiculous title! Tell him to leave me alone if you spot him, darling, step-mommy does not wish to speak with him.”

“Came to check on you.” Milkweed told her, pulling Eden down to sit by her on the ground, and taking her hand. “Joe’s gone out. I thought you might be lonely up here. Don’t worry. If I see your father hanging around, I’ll make sure he goes away. He’s got no right to be here. It isn’t his Citadel.”

“I could bring you some.” She offered. “I’ve snuck food down here before.”

“Well I guess yer belly is big enough.”Ox chuckled,”Bet you dont have any trouble sneakin’ shit outta that tower.”

“Just gotta wait until Joe’s back is turned, then it’s easy. Imperators don’t care.”

“It’s a plant. Yeah, we get food. That’s something good, I suppose.”

“Sure as hell is.Whatever you got up there is better than shriveled up snakes and crickets I guarantee”he scoffed,leaning against the wall.

“I could bring you some.” She offered. “I’ve snuck food down here before.”

“Milkweed?”he repeated,”Odd name,”he chuckled,brushing through his hair with wrapped fingers.”Yeah,real charmin’ place.But I guess ya’ll get fed more here than in the fields.”

“It’s a plant. Yeah, we get food. That’s something good, I suppose.”

“Nah.” She shook her head, the tiny braids in the front of her hair dancing. “My Mama was, though. Shara. Somebody around ought to be old enough to remember her.” 

“Maybe,”he said,thoughts muddling his brain.”Doubt I’d know her.Never left Gas Town till I became a Polecat.”Rolling back and forth on his heels,he finally plopped down next to the woman.”Whats yer name again missy?”

“Milkweed.” She repeated. “And yeah, I spose you wouldn’t.”