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amusicianwrites · 2 years

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Adverse Effects - Whumptober Day 1

My post for @whumptober Day 1!

Alasdair Reid was sick.

This was a fact that he knew.

He woke up with his body aching and a pounding in his head that left him dizzied when he sat up. He’d kicked off the sheets while he slept and his shirt was sweat through completely. The bandages he’d carefully placed on his calf had gone a dull red instead of pure white over the night. He tested how it felt when he put weight on it and while it hurt it wasn’t the worst pain in the world and he would still be able to walk for the trip his students had.

His alarm hadn’t gone off yet, still about twenty minutes until he was supposed to get up, but he got up anyway and started to clean his wound and dress it once more.

He took a shower, put on some makeup to conceal the eye bags, and started rummaging through his drawers for any medication.

The bottle he found didn’t have the wrapper, but he would always bring medication for students home once he rebought his supplies. He took the half-empty bottle and downed it, nose scrunching at the artificial cherry flavor. Alasdair started to turn but stopped.

This was kids' medicine; half a bottle wouldn’t do anything.

He fumbled with the drawer and pulled out another, mostly full, bottle and downed that as well.

Alasdair gagged after a second. It was grape flavored.

He wasted no time, pulling the cardigan with constellations adorning the fabric over on. He glanced at the mirror and frowned. Even with the makeup, his dark blue eyes were tired and his brown curls looked lifeless.

The drive over was uneventful aside from someone flipping him off for going the speed limit.

He walked into his classroom, glad that he’d set up before leaving the school the day before, six minutes before they started taking students. The vigilante dropped his head on his desk and groaned.

Everything hurt.

“Reid,” Fuck. He knew that voice well enough by now; had heard it call his alter ego’s name plenty of times in the night. “You’re usually at your door.” Alasdair plastered a smile on his face and sat up, only for it to drop when he saw only the CEO walking into his room.

“Where’s Ben? He was so excited for today.” Leon blinked, pale pink eyes softening at the mention of his little brother, and gave a small forced smile.

“Poor kid woke up with a fever. I had him go back to sleep after I promised that Mr.Reid would take him to the planetarium when he was better. Back to the question at hand though,” He walked around Alasdair’s desk, glancing at the door before tapping underneath his chin. “Rose, why aren’t you standing at the door with that cute little smile you always have for the kids,” Leon brushed back the brown curls on Alasdair’s head.

The touch was so comforting, so gentle, Alasdair leaned into it. It was something he knew he craved. He needed it like oxygen and yet he never let himself indulge.

“Rose?” Leon pressed the back of his hand to Alasdair’s forehead. “Oh, treasure, you’re not feeling well are you?” He couldn't help the noise that came from the back of his throat, keening and desperate and feeble. “There’s that pretty blush. Why didn’t you stay home today if you’re so out of it?”

“The trip,” When had he shut his eyes? Leon has shifted to hold Alasdair’s jaw with his free hand. “The kids were excited. “

“There are other chaperones.”

“Cruz is a bitch.” He wheezed, breaths coming in short rasps. He lost himself in the touch, enjoying the warmth.

Then he was on his back, looking up at the ceiling. He could see Leon, hovering above him. He looked frantic but when he looked down and noticed Alasdair looking at him he gave him a soft smile, those pale pink eyes softening as they stared him down.

“You’re gonna be fine. Can you tell me what you took? The paramedics are going to be here soon.” He felt a hand on his chest, flat against it. His fingertips drummed comfortingly against his collarbone.

Alasdair blinked, trying to process what had just been said.

“No,” He wheezed, trying and failing to pull himself ups. “No ambulance. No hospital,” Leon shifted and pushed Alasdair back down. He’d taken off his suit jacket and from how soft the floor behind Alasdair’s head felt, he figured it was his pillow for the time being.

“Nope, stay down, love,” He pressed a hand on Alasdair’s head. “He’s burning up,” Leon spoke to someone in a hushed voice.

“M’fine.”

“You are very fine, but you’re also incredibly sick, dear,” His hand stayed pressed where they were, on his head and chest respectfully. “Reid,” He said firmly. “Paramedics will be here soon.”

Alasdair’s eyes went wide, a soft shade of purple starting to line the rims. He bit his tongue and tried fighting back against the desperation.

Despite what his instincts were screaming at him to do, he would not command Leon.

“Reid?” Leon was over him again, worriedly looking down at him. He gave him a look that in his delirious state he couldn’t quite place. “Look, I’ll take care of you,” Alasdair shook his head. “Shhh, It’s fine. No hospitals,” That reassurance in his smooth, baritone, voice was enough to have Alasdair relaxing on the floor. “You have to stay awake though,” Leon looked away, telling someone something that was unintelligible to Alasdair.

He felt himself being shifted, lifted in strong warm arms.

“Alasdair, stay awake,” Was the stern command but Alasdair’s body was fighting against it.

His eyes slipped shut, and he felt himself go limp.

He woke up feeling the thin, cotton sheet over him. He usually hated the texture of these types of blankets but he still wasn’t feeling things properly. He felt the light tubes of the nasal cannula in his nose, making him groan quietly and jolt.

The bed shifted next to him, on his right side, and then on his left to a lesser extent.

“Hey, Rose? Are you finally back with us?”

Leon.

Alasdair sighed, taking a deep breath, before prying open his eyes. The room wasn’t bright, the way he expected a hospital to be. There was dim lightning coming from the ceiling and a small amount of natural light pouring in from the windows. He blinked to clear his blurry vision and saw Leon leaning over him, the same way he had been leaning over him in his classroom.

“There you are,” He seemed relieved, at first glance. The furrowed brow was gone, where it had seemed permanently etched onto his face when he walked into the room in the morning, but there was something about his eyes that set off alarms in Alasdair’s head.

They were sharp, slightly narrowed. The gentleness that he’d seen before he passed out was gone, replaced with something.

“Your boss is worried as hell, he’s been calling like crazy. Only stopped when I got the doctor to speak with him.”

“I’ll call him soon,” The teacher croaked out, wincing at the sharp pain in his throat.

“Hurts, huh? I’ll have someone bring in some ice chips. Consequences of getting your stomach pumped,” He pulled his hand away from Alasdair’s left side and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He was still wearing the black suit, though the suit jacket was nowhere to be seen and the white shirt was wrinkled. His shirt was wrinkled. Alasdair frowned, looking at that wrinkle. He heard that signature tone of a message being sent and then pink eyes were back on him, losing their edge for a second before they hardened once more.

“Two fucking bottles. Two bottles of cough syrup. What the hell were you thinking? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Alasdair pouted as Leon’s voice got louder and louder.

“It was kids’ medicine though.”

“Are you - what? What?” Leon’s eyebrows shot up, eyes wide as he stared at Alasdair. “You didn’t just justify overdosing because it was kids’ medicine. Right? You didn’t just try to do that.”

“Half a bottle wasn’t gonna do anything,” His voice was wavering, raspy and weak, but he kept a steady calm look on his face.

“How the fuck did you survive this long?” Leon seemed to think for a moment, eyes glancing back and forth between Alasdair’s face and the door. “How the fuck did you survive this long, Siren?”

Alasdair didn’t process it for a second.

“Hey, I’m twen-” Then he froze, eyes wide in fear. He stopped breathing, for just a moment. The vigilante turned his head to look at Leon mechanically, his heart monitor sounding quietly in the background. He couldn’t help it when his eyes glassed over. He wanted to deny it. Laugh in his face and shrug it off. He wanted to play dumb and ask who that was. There were so many things he wanted to do at that moment. Run and hide. Scream. Disappear. Leon was sitting there though, that goddamned wrinkle in his white shirt. His eyes looking at Alasdair with so much pain in them. Betrayal.

“Ho-how di-” He cut himself off, looking at the ceiling instead. His eyes burned. “I’m sorry,” His voice cracked, his face burned in humiliation. “I wanted to-,” He was cut off by the sound of a soft knock at the door. He didn’t look back at Leon, too afraid of what he would see. It was quiet, Leon’s breathing was the only thing he heard besides the frantic heartbeat sounding off on the monitor.

“Come in,” He stood and walked away from the bed. Alasdair caught a glimpse of him as he walked out. His brow was furrowed once more.

The doctor gave him the rundown of what happened as he’d handed Alasdair a cup of ice chips. He had overdosed and they had to pump his stomach as soon as he arrive. He was currently in Leon’s penthouse which had its own medical wing with a fully stocked medicine cabinet and an entire staff on call. Rich people. Leon had made sure that Alasdair wouldn’t have to pay anything, apparently, he’d told the staff that his insurance wouldn’t cost much. While he wasn’t wrong about that, Alasdair still held out hope that this was Leon’s way of protecting him. Going to a general hospital would lead to god only knows how many tests and he isn’t even sure what would come up on them.

They left him with some medication that left him groggy. His heart was still racing too much for him to sleep though. They had done him the favor of turning it off at his insistence and helping him sit up but when he looked outside and saw the skyline of his beloved city, his heart started pounding harder.

He took a shaky breath and put a hand on his chest, only now noticing he was wearing a comfortable pair of blue pajamas. They must've changed him into this when he was out of it. Alasdair crossed his legs, surprised to feel the bandages going around his leg in a much more compressed and professional dressing of the wound.

They saw his leg too, huh?

Alasdair took another shaky breath in and put his elbows on his knees, face in his hands.

How on earth could he have fucked up so badly?

He didn’t hear the door open over his shuddering breaths.

“Alasdair?” His head shot up. Standing in front of him, his hair unkempt, in black sweatpants and a sage green t-shirt, was Leon. “Alasdair, why are you crying?” His hands went back up to his face, wiping away the tears that had been falling.

“I’m not. I’m not, I’m fine,” He repeated, more to himself than to Leon.

Leon walked over to his left side and sat next to him, cutting off his sight of the door.

“Hey,” He placed a warm hand on Alasdair’s cold one. “Look at me,” He looked up and saw a small smile on Leon’s face. “We’re gonna be fine, okay? We’re just gonna talk. I think we should talk.”

Alasdair took a deep breath and shifted so he was holding, clinging, onto Leon’s hand.

“Okay,” He nodded, tapering away into a small flicker of hope. “Let’s talk.”

#whumptober2022 #no.1 #adverse effects #original content #original writing #accidental overdosing #od #sickness #Alasdair #Leon #my ocs #my writing #this was fun to write

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leiflitter · 11 months

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As I am now 30 and apparently an Actual Adult and Twitter is exploding even more, I figured that before I get back to the last bit of ArtFight I'd do some Dolly Introductions because most of my characters exist in the form of very expensive, very large dolls rather than the far cheaper "just draw them" option.

This is because I have impulse control issues and just love these idiots so... Hey! LORE is below the page break, as well as their sculpts!

These are just the ones who are important in some way in the big ol' thing I have going on, there are MORE DOLLS. So many more dolls.

1. Callum Shelley - Dollshe David Kuncci - the man who made Frankie and his siblings. Married to Science and Science only; he's also very gay and very awkward, and so decided that his desire to be a father could only really be achieved through sewing a ton of bodies together and reanimating it using science and Arcane Shit. He's technically on the run, as Frankie was kinda made in a lab that was meant to be looking into ways to improve transplants and other slightly theoretical ideas rather than Maybe Magic Could Help Me Have A Child, but he's managed to embed himself into Harlan's weird little underworld and so they don't have to jump ship at a moment's notice anymore. He now lives in London, in one of the many buildings owned by the Twins- Harlan wrangled that, as it would be useful to have an actual doctor on standby, right?

2. Franklin "Frankie" Shelley - Ringdoll Frankenstein 2013 - Frankenstein's Monster if he was a mid-20s Horrorpunk Dirtbag with a heart of gold. Very family-oriented- it was him and his dad for a few years just after he was made and they're very close. Had a few wobbly times as he came to terms with Being A Bunch Of Corpse Parts and therefore not really being able to do stuff, but now they have a little niche he's having a good time. Would literally die for-

3. Poppi - Aimerai Scraps - a ragdoll that was brought to life via some fairly arcane shit. A literal cinnamonbun angel. Frankie's other half, and generally makes sure that Callum doesn't accidentally forget to eat while he's working on stuff. As she can't have children (she literally has no internal organs), she's also involved herself heavily in looking after Frankie's siblings.

4. Evelyn Shelley - Sugarble Night Miriam - Frankie's "little sister". She's about six and she's always going to be about six- she's a very sweet little kid, loves dolls and dressing up. She has that "Family Princess" confidence, and can often be found "making Frankie Pretty".

5. Valentine Shelley- 5StarDoll Aiden - Frankie's "little brother". Although he's technically younger than Evelyn, he's probably more akin to a 7/8 year old. He was made as a playmate for Evelyn as she was getting pretty lonely. Callum had honed his technique a little, hence Val not literally being blue like his siblings. He's always ready for some sort of adventure, but lets Evelyn take the lead.

6. Magdalen - Doll Chateau Oort -very old vampire. She's the tactician; although she's very powerful, she tends to direct her brother rather than get her hands dirty. She talks the most of the twins, but even that's not much. The twins function almost as one person, and are rarely far from each other.

7. Alasdair - Doll Chateau Cyril - also a very old vampire. He's Magdalen's muscle- if something threatened them, he'd be the one actually dealing with it. He barely speaks, but when he does it's generally something very important. The twins live in Highgate and do not appreciate any link between them and that Highgate Vampire business. Their home is a massive Victorian thing that has some minor glamours so it's not considered "the clearly haunted house".

8. Harlan Silver - Ringdoll K -puts the Whore in Victorian, he's here representing the Pansexual Slut Vampires. He's considered the "oldest son" to Magdalen and Alasdair, but his function is less as a child and more as their connection to the outside world. He brokers deals and access to the twins, sources... food for them if they don't feel like hunting and has shown them how to connect to the wifi about 5 billion times. He lives in a basement flat in London that would make any antiques dealer jealous. He also kinda has a... thing... with Callum, but it's less emotion and more mutual benefit.

9. Seraphine - Doll In Mind Marcellina - the precious baby daughter in the vampire family. She was brought to them by Harlan as a toddler in the late 1800s, and they have raised her the way they were raised. She is doted upon absolutely- however she's not as odd as the twins, mostly because Harlan has done his best to expose her to humanity and help her be as well-adjusted as an immortal creature can be. She's currently going through Vampire Puberty so she's spending a lot of time with Harlan because there's nothing more frustrating than having a teenage mood swing in front of the twins.

10. Siddiq "Sid" Shah and Noa Kim - Universedoll Tsukimi and iDoll Arnoah - long-term schoolfriends who grew up in the London Borough of Camden. They were both on the 'social misfit' side of things, and spent a lot of their time trading Stephen King paperbacks and watching crappy horror films, until they found a book at a car boot sale that was apparently an actual Grimoire of spells- and then their interest in witchcraft took off, and all that time speaking one language at home and another at school really helps when finding rituals that work. They describe their magic as "kinda like one of those buffet restaurants that serves, uh, everything? Like you can get pizza, curry and fish and chips if you want, but instead of getting food poisoning, you get results."

The two fell onto Harlan's radar fairly quickly because he's a nosy pest that lives pretty much opposite the little park where they do business. He's now got them "in" with the twins, and they're also the ones who managed to create Poppi. They're now pretty good friends with Frankie and Poppi, and are working on some Glamour spells because Frankie would really love to go to a gig at some point. Or even just to Nando's.

They often find themselves helping Callum, but mostly because he's a scientist at heart and although he's used magic before, he doesn't really... get it. They're also both on the twins' payroll, because witches are also very useful, and not as common as they used to be.

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windermeresimblr · 4 months

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💌 Post 4 pictures from Pinterest that describe your OC. Send this to 3 other simmers to keep the chain going!

This OC of mine doesn't even have a name in my game--@ninjaofthepurplethings has her running around in the background of her legacy save, rather modernized (and looking incredibly cute) because I couldn't figure out what to do with her. At the moment, she's mainly vibing and collecting dust in my Simbin.

Anyways. On with the meme.

I had a plot for her, kind of, but I was stymied by the lack of hair and clothing meshes. (Alasdair was involved for a minute until he protested that he couldn't possibly be at Versailles.)

Mainly the hair, because the hair fashions of Iberia, at least for the ladies, were so deliciously strange. Like, look at this. It's such a perfect triangle. I do love the hurlupee, because it's also so wacky, but it's such a shape.

#does this even count as an OC #like this was a horrendous period in human history of course #but the fashion was at least interesting until you went to England and Holland and the Puritans got involved

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nicnevans · 4 months

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got tagged by @artofmisi (via my main, but i hardly textpost there so) thank you <3 tagging forward - @coldshrugs, @myreia, @greyyourwarden, @thuviel, @thevikingwoman

fave ships: right now it's absolutely hal/fi (and all my other bg3 ships, but mostly those guys) although I'll admit I've also been feeling very soft about Rose and The Doctor of late. (obligatory g'rahye mention also. so much oc/canon in this house dfkfjgnf)

favourite color: T^T I can't just pick one I'm like. I love green, I've loved greens of all varieties since I was a kid. But blues as well. and maroon. and burgundy. and purple. and brown. and mustardy yellows? augh. I love so many colours and it really just depends on my mood and the context?

favourite food: many. I'm a fiend for anything noodly though, whether it be some variety of linguine-based pasta dish or pad thai or literally just good old instant noodles. I love a noodle.

last tv show/ movie: Mozart in the Jungle. Which was a delight and I honestly think it deserved more seasons. It's like The Devil Wears Prada, but set in the classical music industry rather than the fashion industry. They had cameos by legit musicians and composers. The pieces they chose for the soundtrack were brilliant. The jokes were great. It was a joy tbh.

spicy/sweet/savoury? I'd rather have spicy or sweet over savoury given the option, but savoury can be nice too. Generally I like some combination of these though, like my fav pizza toppings is chillis/pineapple/sweetcorn/peppers/olives, because it creates this really nice salty-spicy-sweet combo that just hits.

currently reading: I'm still on The House of Hades in the Percy Jackson series, I bingeread like this first... nine? books and then stalled halfway through this one, I need to pick it back up but I've just not found the drive for it yet.

last thing i googled: Argos opening times lmao

song stuck in my head: Alien Ceilidh - Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas

#tag games #sorry for shunting this over to my ''side'' blog i like to hide all my personal/fandom posting over here lmao

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carnivalshipping · 2 months

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Wanted to draw all my current vaguely developed self insert OCs, but I might as well make this a promo post !! Hi, I'm Jester or Alasdair! And for the sake of my mental health, I wanna try being more active in the self insert community again, it's nice to meet all of you !! I'm gonna be 23 in nine days, and though I don't wanna say this blog will be 18+ only I can't promise I'll always be PG, and might be less likely to interact with people under like,, 16 in this fandom for my own comfort, but I prommy I don't bite

#oh gosh art #oh golly art!#self insert #self shipping #self ship promo #you prob saw a couple of these designs on @carnivart-core--#--but I wanna be more active here so any self inserts after this point will be posted here

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atombonniebaby · 8 months

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I suppose this is as good a day as any to share my OCs prologue chapter! I have already done a 'War Never Changes' piece for @falloutober but it's literally the title of the chapter 👀

War Never Changes

Sanctuary Hills October 23, 2077.

Deep red leaves rustled in the crisp autumn air as the sun began to creep up over the hillside, casting a murky haze over the serene show of contemporary suburban living, America's "Homes of the Future." The residents of Sanctuary Hills lived in blissful ignorance as the world held its breath to the ever-present threat of Nuclear Devastation. Amidst the suburban sprawl, the morning sun warmed the cheeks of Nathanial Alasdair Watt, Nate to his nearest and dearest.

Nate leaned over a dusty blue cot, his eyes not quite believing that the soft and squishy bundle snoring away was his son. Months old already, how long would it be before he would be chasing after him around the cul-de-sac? With a lingering glance over Shaun, Nate slipped out of his room and stepped into the hallway, closing the door softly behind him. The house was quiet, and Nate's footsteps echoed in the empty hall, leading him to the kitchen.

"Ah, Master Nate! Good morning, sir!” Codsworth chirped, his eye stalks flitting in greeting. "Your coffee. 173.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Brewed to perfection!"

"Ah'll take yer word for it," Nate yawned, a fond smile spreading across his face as he reached for the steaming mug of coffee.

"Ah, of course, my apologies, Sir. 78.61 degrees Celcius!"

Nate snorted. "I flunked maths, son. Just say it's hot."

Codsworth let out a chuckle. "Ah, I forgot, the young miss is the brains of the operation."

"Aye, that she is. But she'll no be without a proper feedin'. Could you go rouse her for me?" Nate asked.

"Of course, Sir! Right away!" Codsworth trilled, floating away towards El's room.

"Good luck wi' that," Nate muttered, shaking his head. El liked her sleep, that one.

Nate chuckled, running a hand over his head, and frowned at the resistance. Big speech tonight. He could hardly rock up looking a scruffy mess, could he? With a sigh, he set his mug down and stretched out his back on the way to the bathroom.

"Lemme Sleep, Codsworth..."El's voice drifted through her door.

Ah, to be 19 again. Nate shook his head, smirking to himself as he turned to the closed-over bathroom door, a wide smile pulling in his cheeks when Nora's sweet voice filtered through, Shaun's favorite lullaby on her tongue. Nate would never tire of it or how her voice sent shivers down his spine.

"You're up early. How's my little man?" she asked as he stepped through the door. "I'm assuming you've been in there five times already?"

Nora, even under those horrid fluorescent bulbs, looked stunning. He caught her eye in the mirror she was brushing her hair in and gave her a wink. Nate took a few steps toward her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his lips brushing her neck. She hummed and leaned back into his embrace.

"What can I say, doll? Just like his mother, I cannae believe he's mine," Nate murmured, burying his face in her soft, icy-brown hair. "I keep thinkin' somebody's gonna pinch me, and I'll wake up from this dream."

Nora twisted in his arms, her green eyes sparkling. "You're a wonderful father, Nate. You shouldn't doubt yourself!"

"I hope so," Nate said, his ears growing hot. Nora knew him too well, and his bashful side never could stand up to her praise.

"I think Beth would agree with me. I mean, you practically raised that girl!"

Nate ducked his head and pressed a kiss to her nose. "She dotes on you, ye ken? She won't admit it, but she does."

"I like her too. I'm glad she's here. Now, care to explain why you interrupted my morning ritual?" Nora teased.

"I need some pamperin'," he raised his eyebrows. "Cannae hae this 'decorated war hero' looking like common street riff-raff, now can we?"

"Hmm," Nora smirked. "I dunno, that rugged Viking look is growing on me, Nathanial."

"Ooh, using my full name, eh?" he teased. "Am I in trouble, then, Mrs Watt?"

"You're always trouble, Nathanial Watt," Nora giggled.

"Tell the truth, doll. That's the real reason you married me, wasn't it?" Nate smirked. "That and the accent, aye?"

She rolled her eyes and gave him a playful shove away, returning to the mirror. Nate's grin lingered, his hands sliding to her waist. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head and rested his chin upon it, gazing at her reflection. She met his eyes, a warmth and tenderness reflected at him.

"I love you, lass," he murmured against her hair, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. "More than I can say."

Nora didn't speak, only leaned back, melting against him, a familiar gesture that spoke volumes. Nate's arms tightened, and he closed his eyes, wishing they could stay like that forever.

"Go get your trimmer; I'll at least neaten you up a little," Nora said, her voice thick. "Then, I'll see about breakfast."

Nate pressed one last kiss to her head and drew a sharp breath. "Yes, ma'am."

"—war never changes,” Nate sighed, the steamy air heavy with the weight of his speech.

“You're gonna knock 'em dead at the Veteran's Hall tonight, hon,” Nora purred, her fingers massaging the knots from his shoulders.

"Ye think?" Nate relaxed against her touch, letting his eyes flutter shut.

"Absolutely. Now get ready and stop hogging the mirror..."

"Right," Nate snorted. He stepped away and let Nora take his place. "You might want to fix the buttons on your blouse, love."

He couldn't help a small smirk tugging on his lips as she re-buttoned her blouse, not quite meeting his gaze.

"Wipe that smug look off your face, Mr. Watt! You're the reason I never get anything done around here!" Nora teased.

Nate couldn't help bursting out laughing. "Why dae ye think I bought Codsworth?"

"Out!" Nora laughed, pushing him towards the door.

"Love ye too, darlin'." Nate gave her a mock salute and stumbled out of the bathroom.

"Miss Elspeth, breakfast was served thirty minutes ago!" Codsworth's muffled voice met him through the opposing door.

"Codsy! Bugger off!...and 'ave told ye… it's Beth!" came El's equally muffled reply.

"My, my. For such a brilliant young mind, Miss Beth, your language leaves much to be desired."

"Get tae fuck, or I'll turn ye into a toaster!" El spat back, a bit louder this time.

"By God! I don't believe General Atomics programmed me with enough patience for this!" Codsworth sighed.

"I'll handle this." Nate interrupted, opening the door.

"Good luck, that child's got the mouth of a drunkard."

"I'm weeks away from twenty ye daft bucket o' bolts!" El retorted.

Codsworth sighed, bobbing past him a little less chipper than before. Poor bugger.

Nate chuckled and shook his head. Wearing that damn onesie, she was akin to an overgrown toddler in a babygro. El glared at him, her hazel eyes flashing with a fire that reflected his own, her cheeks flushed, auburn hair still a tangled mess, reminding him exactly why he opted for a smooth dome.

"Arse. Up. Now. Or I promise you I'll cancel that comic subscription I already reluctantly pay for."

El's eyes narrowed, a defiant glint remaining, a slight smirk curving her lips. "Ye wouldnae dare."

"Try me," Nate raised a brow and folded his arms. "And to rub it in, I'll replace it with one about all the latest fashion trends, braw big frilly skirts and whatnot..."

"Fine. Ye win." El rolled her eyes, sauntering past him.

"Smart move," Nate smirked.

"Bite me!" El snapped, stomping into the now vacant bathroom.

Nate chuckled, shaking his head, and approached the kitchen, his stomach growling in anticipation.

"Breakfast is served sir," Codsworth set down a plate of eggs and toast.

"Thanks. And if ye need the afternoon off to recharge after the morning ye've had, you take it!" Nate smirked.

"A good show of humor, sir, but with a steady supply of Mr. Handy fuel, I am proud to serve!" Codsworth chirped.

"Attaboy."

"Your thoughts?" Nora's voice drifted over him, snapping his attention back to the present.

Nate blinked, glancing at his wife. She was studying him, her brows knitted. Damn. "I'm worried about her, doll. She won't admit it, but she's been having trouble sleeping again. I cannae remember the last time I saw her without dark circles under her eyes."

"She's just stressed. It's been a big year for her. Why don't you take her away for a few days? It's been a while since you two had time together," Nora suggested. "You could take a little road trip or something?"

"Aye, I'd been considering it, but I can hardly leave you with the wee one, can I?"

"I've got Codsworth to help. And besides, Shaun's not exactly a handful." Nora grinned, nudging him. "Take her. Trust me, she needs it."

Nate chewed his lip, his brows furrowed. Maybe she had a point. El had always loved his impromptu adventures.

"Okay, I'll talk to her about it—"

"Talk to me about what?" El asked, walking into the living room, her frown deepening as she looked between them. "I'm sorry! I know I've been—"

"No, stop right there! " Nate shushed her. "Ye don't go apologizing...I know you've been overloaded lately with all your projects."

El shrugged, dropping onto the couch beside him, her eyes fixed on the TV. "Yeah, I guess. It's just a lot, and I—"

"Deserve a break? Me and Nora reckon you've earned one," Nate grinned, nudging her. "So, how about we take off in a day or two? It's been a while since we've done a drive together, just you and me?"

"Wait, you're serious?" El stared at him, a smile breaking across her face, but her frown returned as she turned to Nora. "You're okay with that?"

"Are you kidding? Some peace and quiet, hell yeah, I'm okay with that," Nora barked a laugh. "And Codsworth's here to help, so I'll be fine."

"I like her, Nate. Can we keep her?" El smirked.

Nate's laughter bubbled, shaking his head. "Aye, she's a keeper, alright."

Nora gave them a fond smile, rising from the couch."Alright, you two, I'm going to help Codsworth tidy up, give you time to plan."

"Thanks, love," Nate's fingers curled hers as she pulled away, before turning his attention back to El.

"So, short-stop, any votes on where ye want tae go?"

"Laurey, Virginia—"

"The Caverns, again, lass?" Nate's eyebrow quirked.

"Come on, it's been months since we went to D.C. We could do a day trip to Laurey and then spend the rest of our time exploring the Capital!"

"Fine, but that damn mole costume is stayin' put!" Nate chuckled.

"She looked adorable in that thing. Never know, maybe she'll catch someone's eye!" Nora's laughter floated over them from the kitchen, and Nate grinned.

El blushed, her hand rubbing against the back of her head sheepishly. "I'll stick to studying, ta—"

"Quite right. I don't think there'd be many nerdy, bookworm Spelunkers out there that could put up with your pish!" He couldn't resist.

El's nose wrinkled, and her eyes narrowed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence—jackass."

Nate snorted and leaned back, his arms draped over the back of the couch, tuning into the TV.

The same usual shite.

A knocking came to the door, and Nora sighed. "It's probably that salesman. He's been trying all morning, insisting he talks to you."

"Oh, great." Nate rolled his eyes and lurched out of the sofa.

An all-smiles fella in a trenchcoat greeted him when he opened the door, stepping forward. "Good morning! Vault-Tec calling!"

"Sup, chief," he deadpanned, leaning against the doorframe.

"You can't begin to know how happy I am to finally speak with you. I've been trying for days. It's a matter of utmost urgency, I assure you," the rep explained.

Nate frowned—something about the guy's tone made him nervous.

"Alright, son, I'm here now."

"So you are, so you are,' the rep chuckled. "I'm here today to tell you that because of your family's service to our country, you have been pre-selected for entrance into the local Vault. Vault 111. I just need to verify some information. That's all! Don't want there to be any hold ups, in the unforeseen event of *ahem*...total atomic annihilation."

"But there's room for my entire family, right?"

"Of course. Of course! Minus your robot, naturally."

"Oi, Codsworth is family!" El retorted, appearing at his side, her eyes narrowed. "He's a wee gem! We can't just leave him!"

Nate's hand fell upon his sister's shoulder, squeezing it. "General Atomics promised Codsworth could survive anything, even a nuclear blast," he reminded her, her sentiment mirrored in his heart. "Go. I've got it from here."

El nodded, a defiant glint remaining in her eyes, but she stepped aside.

Nate glanced at the rep, his unease growing."All right, let's have it."

"Splendid, splendid. Let's get to it. Just need you to fill out this paperwork, and we're all done. Won't take but a moment."

The rep pulled a clipboard out of his briefcase and held it out towards him.

Nate frowned, his jaw tense, glancing down at the stack of papers. He took the clipboard and scanned the pages, his frown deepening.

"What makes me 'S.P.E.C.I.A.L?' That's a bit on the nose, is it no? And this whole damn thing seems a wee bit excessive, no offense, son."

"None taken! It's simply a matter of determining what roles you may be able to undertake in a new life underground!"

"Well, lucky for us, we have a certified vault technician in our fold. My sister just finished her Masters at C.I.T. Did a whole project around Vault safety and maintenance," Nate couldn't help the proud smile creeping into his cheeks.

"Masters? At C.I.T?" the rep's eyebrows shot up. "My, my, that's impressive."

"Aye, she got the brains of the family. I clearly got the looks," Nate joked, handing the clipboard back to the rep. "Think that's everything, chief."

"Wonderful! That's..." he skimmed over the documents, smiling. "Yes, indeed, that is everything... just gonna walk this over to the Vault! Congratulations on being prepared for the future!"

"Aye, thanks..." Nate forced a smile, his jaw still tense. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I have a wee one who needs a bit of a feed."

"Of course, have a great day, sir, ma'am!" The Vault-Tec rep tipped his hat and strolled off, the tension in the man's shoulders not lost on him.

He watched the rep go, his instincts prickling as he stepped back inside."Something aboot that didn't sit right, did it, El?"

"I didn't like it, Nattie. You don't think he's doing this because—"

"Elspeth, don't get him started," Nora interrupted, her voice strained. "It's just a precaution, that's all."

Nate swallowed his throat tight. "Maybe ye're right, doll, but just in case, we should double-check the go bags."

Shaun's wails rang through the house. Cutting through his words, Codsworth followed.

"Master Nate. Shaun has been changed, but he absolutely refuses to calm down. I think he needs some of that "paternal affection" you seem to be so good at."

"I've got 'im." Nate smiled and strode down the hall, his unease lingering. Nora's footfalls followed.

"Right, ye wee gremlin," Nate teased, sweeping a finger over Shaun's cheek. Shaun's cries grew fainter, his teary gaze fixed on Nate.

"Spin the mobile a bit. He loves that," Nora cooed, stepping up beside him.

Nate gave the mobile a gentle spin. Shaun's gaze drifted to the spinning rockets, green eyes wide, and his cries now soft whimpers. Nora brushed Nate's arm with her hand.

"Maybe we should go out later, a walk in the park?"

"And miss the World Series on TV? Not going to happen." Nate smirked. "But tomorrow, I'm all yours! I promise."

"I'll hold you to—"

"Sir? Mum? You should come and see this!" Codsworth's urgent voice drifted over them.

Nate frowned, exchanging a glance with Nora. "Codsworth?"

"I've got Shaun," Nora assured him, scooping the baby up.

Nate hurried out of the nursery, a knot forming in his gut, his blood rushing. "Codsworth? What is it, son?"

"Sir... the news..."

El was perched on the couch, her knuckles white around her backpack, its contents organized on the coffee table. "They actually did it."

"Did what, lass?" Nate frowned, sitting beside her.

“—followed by... yes, followed by flashes. Blinding flashes. Sounds of explosions..." the news anchor caught his attention. "We're... we're trying to get confirmation…But we seem to have lost contact with our affiliate stations."

"What? What is he saying?" Nora's voice drifted over them. "…Oh no.”

“...We do have... coming in... confirmed reports. I repeat, confirmed reports of nuclear detonations in New York and Pennsylvania…My God.”

The screen crackled, and the signal was lost. Nate's gaze fixed on the 'Please Stand By' screen. His mouth ran dry, a cold sweat prickling across his forehead.

"We have to get to the Vault. Now! Get all that back in the bag. I'll grab the rest." Nate blurted, his heart pounding against his ribs.

"Nattie...I'm scared."

"We're goin' tae be fine, El. We've prepared for this...You two wait for me outside!" Nate instructed, racing into their bedroom.

He yanked open the closet, his hands trembling, hauling out his and Nora's packs, followed by Shaun's. He slung them over his shoulder and hurried through the house for the front door—stopping on the threshold, glancing over his shoulder at Codsworth.

The Mr. Handy's eye stalks flitted over him, and he glided forward. "Goodbye, sir. May I say what an honor it has been to serve you and your family!"

"Ye've done us proud, son...maybe we could—"

"Now, don't you worry about me, sir! You have your family to think about. Go on."

Nate nodded, a lump forming in his throat. "Thank you, Codsworth..."

"He'll be alright, won't he?" El's voice pulled his attention.

He stepped onto the sidewalk and grabbed his sister's hand. "He'll be fine. Now c'mon, we gotta move!"

They raced down the road, Nora ahead of him, Shaun cradled against her chest. Nate swallowed hard, his hand tightening around El's. His mind raced. Vault-Tec. The rep—he knew something was up. That bastard knew this was coming!

"Nattie?" El tugged his arm, slowing.

"We're almost there, lass. Keep moving! Come on, we're nearly there—"

"We're on the list!" Nora's frantic voice greeted them, and Nate frowned as that Vault-Tec rep darted by them.

A soldier blocked their way, checking over a clipboard."Infant... Adult male... Two adult females... OK, go ahead."

Nate's heart pounded. It was real. This was really happening. They climbed the hill and clambered onto the platform, his arms circling Nora and El.

"Almost there, we're gonna be alright. I love you, all of you." Nate murmured, his pulse throbbing in his ears.

"We love you too," Nora whispered, her gaze locked on his.

The sky lit up with blinding white light, and the ground shook beneath their feet. A deafening roar filled the air. Nate's eyes widened as a mushroom cloud grew colossal in the sky. The blast waves thunder towards them, and El buried her face against his chest. He closed his eyes, bracing for impact.

"Send it down now!" a desperate voice shouted.

An orchestra of "Oh gods" and terrorized screams flooded his ears. The platform shuddered beneath them. His arms held tighter.

The blast crossed over them. The screams echoed, his breaths shortening, the pressure around his ribcage suffocating.

He held Nora, his lips pressed to her head, praying she couldn't hear his racing heartbeat.

The light faded, and the shockwave died, his ears still ringing.

The platform shuddered to a halt.

His eyes met Nora's, tears streaming down her face.

They had made it.

"Everyone, please step off the elevator and proceed up the stairs in an orderly fashion," the Vault-Tec security guard that greeted them instructed.

El clung to him as Nate made a move to follow the others, her breaths ragged and short. He glanced at Nora, Shaun sleeping soundly in her arms.

"She'll be okay. We're right behind ye," Nate murmured. "We just need a minute."

Nora nodded, her hand resting on his shoulder. "We won't be far. I'll go find out what's what."

"Be right with ye," Nate murmured, kneeling to meet El's gaze. "Hey, hey, look at me, lass. Look at me. Deep breaths. In and out. Like we practiced."

El's eyes flicked up to his, wide and fearful. She bit her lip, nodding. Her next shaky intake of breath was longer.

"Good, lass. Again. In and out."

She followed his lead, and soon enough, El's breaths steadied as her panic subsided, her grip on his loosening.

"You're a natural," Nate grinned, easing himself up.

El didn't respond and instead stood closer. His arm circled her, guiding them toward the vast cog-shaped doorway that loomed above them. Nate's heart beat faster. This was home now, for better or worse.

"It's impressive, eh? No wonder ye wouldny pipe doon about these Vaults!" Nate quipped.

El glanced at him, a faint smirk pulling in her cheeks. Nate squeezed her shoulder, their footsteps ringing as they climbed the metal stairs.

His eyes found Nora as they crossed the metal walkway. An orderly queue had formed behind her as she was collecting something up ahead.

Nora handed him a sealed bag and another for El. He eyed it, noting the '111' matching the jumpsuits some staff were wearing.

"What, do they no' come in a braw purple or maybe fluorescent green?"

El snorted at that, a wry smile curling her lips, and Nate's heart lifted a little. She was okay.

"Just follow the doctor here. He'll show you where to go," one of the scientists instructed.

"Lead the way, doc."

As Nora chatted with the doctor, El pulled away, her steps a little firmer, her gaze still far away.

Nate was drawn to the sudden bite in the air, a shiver running through him as he followed. People chatted, residents to Vault staff. Everyone seemed as edgy as he felt. They were led to a larger room filled with 'decontamination pods,' he was told as he was led towards one.

His attention pulled back to El, her belongings dropping to her feet. She stepped in front of them as one of the staff members attempted to collect them.

"I'm sorry, miss, but you cannot take your—"

Without a word, El unveiled a lanyard from around her neck and fixed them with a stern eye.

"You're a Vault-Tec intern? Very well, but be assured, vault-tec will not be held accountable if anything were to be damaged or stolen."

El nodded, her jaw set, and Nate couldn't help a smirk. Stubborn wee devil. Nate stripped to his boxers and tugged on his Vault suit, his skin prickling.

"Could ye's no have turned on the heatin'? It's colder than a polar bear's arse in here!" Nate grumbled.

El was already suited in her's when he looked up again, leaning against her pod, shoulders slumped, a blank expression set over her feature—still not back to herself yet.

"Can you hold him?" Nora asked, pulling his thoughts. Shaun curled up against her chest.

"Of course, love," Nate scooped him up, letting Nora get herself situated. He walked over to El, her fingers brushing Shaun's cheek, a weak smile curling her lips.

"Ye gonna be alright in there? I know how you get in tight spaces."

She held up her backpack, patting it fondly. Of course, she was always packed for every occasion.

"Right then, guess we'll see ye soon," Nate tried, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Okay, I can take him," Nora's hand rested on his arm, and Nate reluctantly handed Shaun over and planted a kiss against her cheek.

Nate climbed into his pod, and with a hiss, the lid descended, his breath misting the glass. His eyes locked onto Nora's, her gaze locked on him as her own pod closed, and she bounced Shaun in her arms.

"Just try to relax," the doctor reassured.

Nate nodded, pressing his hand against the glass. "Time for a whole new life."

"Resident secure. Occupant vitals: Normal," a robotic voice filled his ears.

A rush of cold flooded his pod. Nate's pulse spiked, his next breath shuddering.

"Procedure complete. In 5... 4..."

With every beat of the countdown, his vision whitened. Frost intertwined his eyelashes with every blink—everything faded.

Nate blinks away the frost that clings to his eyelashes, stretching his jaw to loosen the remainder of his beard and whiskers. It was a cold that hung as heavy as iron chains. Every breath stung his chest like swallowing broken glass as violent coughs wreck through him.

"...Critical failure in Cryogenic Array. All vault residents must vacate immediately," The computerized voice echoed through the intercom, and a hiss filled his ears.

As the pod door lifts away, Nate's still-thawing limbs do nothing to prevent him from stumbling forward. His knees crack against the slick steel floor, a haze of mist following him. He didn't dare look up, unwilling to face the truth that the nightmare was real. But there was no escaping the memories that assaulted every fiber of his being: Nora's please, Shaun's cries as they tear him from his mother's embrace. Nate's own screams—lost in the deafening Gunshot that silenced Nora and continued to echo as Shaun's heartbreaking wails faded away—the face that mets him and the words that followed:

At least we still have the backup.

"That scar-faced bastard! Why did he have tae—"

"...Critical failure in Cryogenic Array. All vault residents must vacate immediately,"

"Oh, shut up!" Nate yelled as he snapped his head back. "Can ye no see I'm havin' a moment, ye pushy cow!"

Blissful silence filled the chamber once more, and Nate breathed a sigh of relief. As if another entity had taken control of his body, he stood to his full height and ambled forward. His steps were clumsy, and fog engulfed the room as he moved toward Nora's pod. The faint glint of gold caught his eye. Her wedding band shined through the condensation. His fingers trailed over the icy glass.

Nora, his best friend, the woman he pledged his entire life to. Her rosy cheeks were now dusted blue, fear still painted in her expression. Her arms were so painfully absent—Shaun. He's just a baby, and they tore him out of her arms. Nate's knees buckled some, jolting him forward, and he braced himself, breaths coming out in rasps, his lungs constricting, the very walls closing in. His eyes opened over his wedding ring, a matching piece—he'd be dammed if he was leaving her's behind.

"C'mon! C'mon! There has tae be a release!" Nate barked, desperation bleeding into his brogue as he stepped back to take in the pod, reaching for the lever at its side.

His breath held as Nora's pod opened to him. Slowly, reverently, he slipped the ring off her finger, ignoring the spiderwebbing of frosted blood that now decorated her jumpsuit. Together, he joins their bands onto the chain around his neck, keeping them safe with his dog tags, holding them tight in his grasp. The mere sentiment of having them together offers a measure of comfort.

"I'll find who did this, and I'll get Shaun back. I promise."

With a brush of his lips against the cool metal, Nate tucks the chain securely behind his vault suit, and the fog clouding his mind subsides some. All he had to do was get El and get the hell out of this godforsaken ice box.

Shaky hands grip the lever release to El's cryopod, and he is met with an immediate sharp, jolting buzz that has him staggering back.

"Malfunction in Cryo Pod manual release override." A robotic female voice announces over the intercom.

"No-no-no! C'mon! I need tae open this damn thing!" Nate pulls the handle harder. Again, the error noise frays his nerves, not releasing. "Come on!" He presses a palm to the frost-covered glass, feeling the cold sting on his hand. "El!" Tears stream down his cheeks, warm against the cold fog surrounding him. "No. This can't-" His forehead rests against the pod. He closes his eyes tightly and sobs. “Ye cannae do this! I just need tae get El!"

His mind falls back to the terminal those scientist-looking folks were working on when they were after Shaun, how they opened Nora's pod. Nate spins on his heels and sprints forward, almost pummeling into the console as he slides to a halt. Fingers still stiff from his suspended animation, rattle the keys. Nate squints at the screen with a shaky breath, jumping through the entries as quickly as his frozen digits allow.

******** Welcome to ROBCO Industries (TM) Termlink ********

Thank you for choosing Vault-Tec!

>Cryogenic Array: Offline. Premature termination resulting in system failure. Isolated manual and remote overrides detected. Controls disabled.

>Life Support: Offline. Premature termination resulting in system failure. Isolated manual and remote overrides detected. Controls disabled.

Pod Occupant Status

POD C1: Miss Watt

>Occupant status: Deceased. Cause of Death: Asphyxiation due to Life Support failure.

********************************************************************

It takes several moments for him to comprehend the words laid bare.

Every occupant record painted the same picture: Cause of Death: Asphyxiation.

Nate collapses, his knees slamming on the steel, fingers clawing at the frost-covered ground, and a scream rips through him, a blood-curdling wail that echoes out in the empty chamber. Every cell in his body is alight, a sickening, bitter cold fire. His shoulders shake violently, and he balls his fists, pounding them to the floor until his knuckles are raw. He barely feels the biting pain as the fight seeps away, leaving him drained, tears frozen on his cheeks.

Nate doesn't move for a long moment—left alone with his thoughts and the steady Drip. Drip. Drip. of frost melting. His little sister is dead. They're both gone. It would be easy to submit to his grief, crumple over, and lose himself in the pain—but they have his son. He has to find Shaun, even if all he has left is a warped image of a man who ruined his world. A scar-faced bastard whom Nate committed to memory. His fingers curl around the chain of his dog tags, fidgeting the wedding bands between bloodied knuckles, the cold metal grounding him, and as Nate grits his teeth, steeling his heart, and sets his jaw, he stands.

A silent vow plays on his lips: For Shaun. For Nora. And for El. He would rain fire upon whoever took them from him, even if it meant tearing whatever world awaited him apart, one bullet at a time.

He vows it as he looks upon El's face. Russet frost-bitten curls drape across her forehead. A picture so peaceful she may as well be sleeping.

He vows it as his lips graze Nora's cheek before resealing the pod, committing his love's image to memory.

He vows it as his fingers trace Shaun's name, etched in ink within the tan line of his wedding band.

As the Sole Survivor of Vault 111, he has nothing left to lose and everything to fight for.

War Never Changes, and Nate was ready to wage it.

#falloutober2023 #fallout day #fallout fanfic #fallout 4 #fallout #fo4 #A little tie-in to MacCready in this one 👀#fallout maccready

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