#all to make way for motherfucking maxson

[nishaapologist]

like i get it. y'all're thinking 'murphy why do you care so much about a tumblr poll' but if you didn't play fo3 and experienced the agonising wait for fo4 to come out? i just. it is so hard to find the words for the disappointment i experienced. sarah is such an iconic part of fo3 don't even hate about it, and i love her to bits, and then the next game comes out with All New Returning Friends like maxson and maccready and shit like that and what do we get? a terminal entry where one line mentions she died off-screen. to Something.

i honestly wouldn't even wish that experience onto someone. it was DEVASTATING. im still enraged about it. so if i must do anything for my girl i must have her become The fridged character. the one the writers really, actually, genuinely couldn't figure shit out for.

[wizardlyghost]

- picking back up at the MINI-NUKE DEPOT, i didn’t even make it out the door before DANSE showed up. on the one hand, good to see you buddy! on the other, i guess this means i can’t just say “W.M.D.’s? what W.M.D.’s?” and persuade MAXSON that he doesn’t need to check that there’s nothing down here. dammit.

     - he and PRESTON bonded over hating SUPER MUTANTS - i was a bit worried they might not get along, differing ideologies on what “protecting the people” means and all, but apparently that’s not the case.

- went back to the PRYDWEN and spoke to MAXSON again. he gave me a bunch of SMOKE GRENADES that i can use to summon a BROTHERHOOD OF STEEL VERTIBIRD, i guess sort of like the MINUTEMEN FLARE GUN as well as an alternative to fast travel? given how much my xbox starts struggling when rendering planned, mission-centric flights, i probably won’t use these much for fear of crashing in multiple senses of the word.

- the way you phrased that just makes me feel worse about it, dude.

- to its knees??? from what i’ve seen, the INSTITUTE operates via infiltration, espionage, and guerrilla warfare (although technically i’m not sure how well it qualifies as guerrilla warfare, as the COMMONWEALTH doesn’t really seem organised enough to have a central government, let alone a traditional military. ironically enough, it might be the BROTHERHOOD sticking their noses in that brands the INSTITUTE’s tactics as such lol.), but he’s talking about it like it’s a conventional military force.

     - how tf does this guy think anything other than a single well-executed strike to the central nervous system is going to do any lasting damage? idk what kind of assembly line the INSTITUTE has, but i’d wager they can continually produce an army that doesn’t march on its stomach long after the PRYDWEN falls out of the sky.

          - in a war like this, the number/power of your weapons only matters if you’re planning on bombarding the enemy into oblivion, which is exactly the thing that the BROTHERHOOD claims to want to prevent. get your story straight my guy.

               - i’d just like to state for the record once more that i trust this motherfucker about as far as i can throw his entire airship, i don’t care how cool his eyeshadow is.

- ARMAGEDDON happened literally last year for me, bud. i can tell you right now that the old world lives on in you, and that’s not something to be proud of.

[theggning]

I'd you've discussed it before, I missed it. So no pressure if you don't want to rehash, but ... Can I get your general thoughts on Elder Maxson? Your opinion of him/headcanons you might have?

He's such a complex character imo, and lately he's been living rent free in my head.

Yeah, absolutely! I’ve previously given him a lot of shit and I make fun of him often (we all know What He Did) but he is actually a really complex and fascinating character. 

I actually feel really sorry for Arthur Maxson. The poor kid never had a chance to be well-adjusted or have a normal life. Arthur is the last living descendant of the man who founded the Brotherhood of Steel, and he comes along at a time when the Brotherhood is heavily struggling for relevance. In the west, they’re strictly and dogmatically isolationist, and you end up with groups like the Mojave chapter fading into obscurity in a bunker. In the east, you’ve got Owyn Lyons, who makes a stand for what he believes in (altruism), gets his entire chapter disowned, and loses half of his soldiers because they disagree (the Outcasts from FO3.) 

Meanwhile, Arthur carries the blood and the name of the one person EVERYONE in the Brotherhood believes in. When we meet him in FO3, Squire Arthur Maxson is a smart, shy, gentle 10-year-old boy who’s been sent eastward away from his parents both to protect him and to “make him stronger” (his parents die while he’s away.) He had no friends his own age and no friends at all, actually (except for Liberty Prime-- a journal entry mentions a scribe chasing Arthur out of the lab and scolding him for trying to befriend a machine.) He hero-worships Sentinel Sarah Lyons, but he’s too young and clumsy to follow her out into the field. Everybody treats him like a small soldier or a messiah, no matter how he tries to downplay his lineage and claim to be a normal boy. This literal child spends his entire life being told he’s special and mighty with a “soul forged from eternal steel.”

The pressure and the expectations eventually start to push him into embracing his “destiny.” By 12, he’s improved his combat skills enough to kill two raiders on patrol. By 13, he single-handedly kills a deathclaw (and earns his face scar.) By 15 he’s taking out important super mutant leaders. And by 16, he’s so hardcore that the West Coast BoS gets back in touch with the East and names Arthur Elder. At the age normal teenage boys are socializing with peers or having friends or letting their brains finish developing, Arthur Maxson is the goddamn supreme commander of a military force. And the East Coast BoS actually thrives under him, becoming more powerful and relevant than they’ve ever been. And this is how we go from the shy, quiet squire to the charismatic, highly-beloved (MOTHERFUCKING 20-YEARS-OLD) Elder Arthur Maxson in FO4. 

I wouldn’t say that FO4!Arthur buys into his own hype. Despite how he’s been treated his whole life, he doesn’t believe that he is a god or a messiah. But he does believe literally every single word of the BoS codex. He does believe that they are saving humanity and doing what’s best for the future. He has been living as the legend people expected of him for years now, and is determined to continue down that path. 

I think in his own twisted way, Arthur actually does care about the people of the Commonwealth, as he claims to. But it’s in the same way that a king cares about his subjects. He knows what’s best for them and doesn’t really care to seek their input before doing what he likes. Though he genuinely does believe the Institute is evil and he genuinely wants to protect the world from their menace, he also comes to the Commonwealth because he wants to lead his own glorious war of liberation, the way Owyn Lyons did in the Capital. 

Also, for all people claim the BoS were “ruined” by Arthur in FO4, keep in mind that  

A. Lyons’ BoS and their charity and altruism were actually outliers- most of the BoS are a bunch of isolationist asswipes (see: the entire West Coast branch) B. The BoS hating non-human races is the norm, not the exception C. Arthur has actually fairly smoothly integrated BoS traditions with Lyons’ more fair and altruistic beliefs (which he grew up with.) He clearly maintains a lot of respect for the Lyons family (even if the current BoS party line is to denigrate them in favor of praising Arthur.) 

Here are some things that Arthur has commanded of his BoS that make them the kinder, gentler version of the faction, and also just some general nice things he’s done as Elder: 

Civilians are ordered to be treated fairly. BoS soldiers are not permitted to harm them (except in self defense) and any and all tech they possess is to be traded for fairly with food and medicine. If they refuse to trade, they are left alone. 

BoS soldiers are to defend civilians and initiate proactive strikes on super mutants, feral ghouls, Institute synths, and other threats. BoS vertibird crews are to protect caravans from above. 

BoS soldiers are to be monitored for mental health concerns as well as physical. Arthur explicitly orders Cade to treat all mental conditions the same way he would treat an injury. 

He shows deep personal concern for his staff and crew. This is notable in the terminal entries re: Ingram, where Arthur is apologetic for denying her field duty-- and when she disobeys him and goes to Mass Fusion anyway, all he does for punishment is to write her a sternly worded letter. 

Arthur Maxson is a cold, brutal, unflinching military dictator with a god complex. He is a lonely, frightened child carrying the weight of the world and desperately trying to prove himself. He’s a compassionate, charismatic leader. He’s a terrifying enemy. He’s an idealistic liberator who wants to protect humanity. He’s a dogmatic bigot who thinks evolving his views is showing weakness. He’s all of these at the same time. He could only get the wide and varied fandom reception he does by having this many facets of his personality, and by being one of the most complicated characters in the game. 

And okay, I’ll say it: his beard and his jacket are pretty sexy. 

[fallout-snippets]

Fallout 4 companions (+Rhys, Haylen, Sturges, the faction leaders, and the nuka-gang leaders) react to Sole riding in on a horse, and ordering them not to go near it, and when/if the companions disregard this order (maybe they only met Sole just recently and haven’t learned that Sole only gives orders for the sake of other people’s safety), they end up getting kicked/bitten/crushed between the horse’s butt and a wall, and Sole informs them that this is exactly why they told them to stay back?

Cait reacts just as quickly as the horse and quickly jumps back before its hooves connect. She still falls backwards and yells. Gets huffy with Sole and thinks they should’ve told her it was an aggressive animal that attacks just by being approached.

Codsworth raises one of his arms and shouts “Why, you!” at the horse, quickly hurrying off to find a mirror of some kind so he can see if his chassi got dented. Apologizes to Sole for not listening to them but hates the horse.

Curie is completely dazed and in shock, staying on the ground for a moment to collect herself. Thinks the horse is magnificent and patiently asks Sole for instructions on how to properly conduct herself around it.

Danse is 100% embarrassed and hopes no one but Sole saw it and that Sole has the good heart never to mention it again. He very cordially apologizes and never approaches the horse again, even when Sole says it’s okay.

Deacon knows about horses and how scared they are for its size and it’s only really by pure accident and aligning of stars that the horse backs into him ass first. Jokes it off, asks if Sole trained it to do that. Makes sure never to end up behind it again.

Dogmeat tries to greet the new, large and funny-looking dog but quickly ducks away from its stomping hooves and hides. Only when Sole introduces them to each other slowly and properly do they begin to get along.

Hancock is humble and knows it’s his own fault for not listening. No hard feelings. Lets Sole know he’s sorry for ignoring their command and that he’ll be more careful from now on. Also makes sure the horse knows it wont happen again or there’ll be a big potluck where everyone’s invited.

MacCready pretends it didn’t happen. He gets up, dusts himself off and makes sure Sole knows he’ll listen to them from now on but if this never gets mentioned it again it’ll be too soon. Keeps a good distance from the horse.

Nick can only blame himself, he remembers horses from before and how easily spooked they are. Has some experience with them and ends up making friends with the animal, despite their rocky start. Doesn’t apologize for not listening but takes responsibility for his own actions.

Piper, like Danse, is extremely embarrassed. Like Cait, she also confronts Sole saying how they could’ve warned her the horse was dangerous. Eventually calms down and enjoys riding along with Sole across the wasteland, takes some care of it herself.

Preston praises Sole for having such control over an animal that large and aggressive. Apologizes for not listening and takes time to learn how to approach and care for the horse himself so it’s not a burden Sole has to carry alone.

Strong is about to kick the horse right back when Sole screams at him to stand down. Gets scolded for not listening but thinks it’s bullshit. Bides his time for his revenge on the four legged motherfucker who got away with attacking him.

X6-88 would never disregard a direct order but somehow he ends up behind it and the hind legs connect with his chest and force him flying backwards. Acts like it was just a tumble and not a straight kick in his rib cage. Has him out of breath and sore for days but his composure never falters. Sole did tell him not to approach and he is the only one to blame.

Ada, like Strong, wants revenge but stands down when Sole tells her to calm down. She still spends a lot of time fantasizing about ways to hurt the horse right back.

Longfellow loves animals and feels kinda self-conscious that the horse didn’t immediately take to him, even if horses are almost mythical and unknown in his time. Doesn’t know not to scare horses and he ends up getting thrown around a bit before he gets the hang of it. Knows Sole means business when they say something but eh, you gotta try yourself forward sometimes.

Gage already didn’t trust the thing and this only makes it worse. Tries from time to time to convince Sole to just dump the thing somewhere or for them to cook and eat it. Thinks that even if Sole warned him not to get close that the horse is an unnecessary addition to the party.

Rhys gets mad at the horse, probably out of embarrassment. Agitates it enough that someone has to calm down the horse and someone else has to calm down Rhys. Calls it “yet another wasteland abomination”.

Haylen is also furiously embarrassed (brotherhood peeps got a lot of pride to hurt) but is more apologetic. Asks for information on how to approach it to save face but plans on never going near it again.

Sturges tries to be as gentle as possible but if the horse reacts by biting him after he approaches slowly and with his hands outstretched towards it in good faith then it’s not a friend he plans to make. Doesn’t dislike the horse, it’s just an animal that reacted like an animal, but keeps a deliberate distance. Will still make sure it’s taken proper care of if he has to, no animal has to suffer just because it has instincts.

Father somehow manages to turn it into a lesson about how mankind and the surface world has dwindled into disrepair. Doesn’t take accountability for his own actions, thinks the horse is a lesser animal and shouldn’t be allowed to react that way.

Maxson knows how to be diplomatic and manages to smooth over the fact that he ignored Soles order. Studies the horse to see if it can be utilized for the Brotherhoods benefit but eventually scraps the idea. Definitely romanticizes the old war image of war generals riding into battle on a horse with a bayonet raised high but the cost and the cons outweigh the pros. Like X6-88 he never lets it show that his ribs are severely bruised. 

Desdemona just sighs and throws her hands in the air. Yeah, okay. That’s a horse. It doesn’t have to be her problem, she has enough as it is.

Mason definitely tries to mount the horse in some kind of alpha display but immediately gets tossed off a good few metres. Would try more times before getting violent to show the horse who’s boss but Sole probably sets him in his place, either by scolding him or threatening him. Considers the horse a personal challenge.

Nisha plans a slow death for the animal that reeks of shit and dust. Will absolutely kill the horse if it’s left unattended and pretend it was either not her or an accident. Doesn’t care that she was warned, things like that just don’t go by unretaliated.

Mags doesn’t want to go near it all since it’s such a filthy animal but when Sole tells her not to she gets curious. Considers it a lesson learned and to not take Soles word lightly.

[concussed-to-pieces]

The Mettle Of A Man; Part Sixteen

Fandom: Fallout (4)

Pairing: Eventual Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: A very special shoutout to @anonymouscosmos for all of their encouragement and support! You are a god among insects. I’d also like to thank the discord chat for enduring my nonsense, as ever. Enjoy!

Part One: ArcJet

Part Two: The Prydwen

Part Three: Orders

Part Four: Finding Brandis

Part Five: Weston Water And Oberland

Part Six: Meeting Preston And Matthew

Part Seven: Radstag And Radstorm

Part Eight: The Return To Sanctuary Hills

Part Nine: Domestic Ruminations

Part Ten: Institutionalized

Part Eleven: Two Weeks, Three Days

Part Twelve: Haylen’s Warning And The Glowing Sea

Part Thirteen: Under Fire

Part Fourteen: Dichotomy

Part Fifteen: The Litany Trial

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains graphic depictions of gore and detailed descriptions of previous abuse. Stay safe!]

Her head had been blown open, or at least it felt that way. The explosion was so close to her face that her helmet had just peeled off like it was made out of shrapnel-laden papier-mâché.

  Sergeant Shaun 'Lucky' Cathan was flat on his back hardly a foot away from her, pinned under the weight of the debris that was slowly crushing his armor. 

  She couldn't move. Her arms and legs wouldn't respond. That blow to the head had been nearly fatal. She was trapped on her stomach, inches from him.

  "Backhand-" Cathan choked, his voice wet. His gauntlet fumbled for her own, large metal fingers gripping her hand. "End of the line for me, eh Handy?"

  She gurgled something, trying to talk. One eye still worked. Barely. It felt like it was full of glass every time she forced herself to blink. It was too dark to see much anyway, even if she squinted. Her head throbbed with the beat of her heart. 

  "Save--your strength, Vega." Cathan instructed. 

  She wasn't sure what strength he was even talking about. Her armor felt like it had collapsed down on her spine. "Sir-" Vega managed to say. "S'been an honor-"

  "Don't give me that-- shit , Vega." Cathan chuckled. "I was just another dog of war. You'll get out of this. Go back to that man of yours, have a few kids, live your life." He coughed, wheezing, "my time is up, Handy."

  "No, no I'm-" Backhand tried to pull him closer, tried to get upright. Pain jolted down her back and legs and she halted, trembling. "I c-can't leave you here, Sarge." She groaned, knowing deep down that it was futile but refusing to give up .

  Cathan's grip tightened briefly. "It's alright, Handy." Her CO murmured. "It's alright. Make sure Tabitha has me buried on American soil. Or chuck my ashes in the harbor, yeah? Piss off all those Cambridge fucks." He chuckled.

  Backhand nodded as best as she could, the tears stinging painfully against the flayed skin of her face. "I will. Promise."

  The rubble overhead creaked and groaned, dust falling down on top of them. "Won't be long now." Cathan mused faintly, "Not long at all…"

  …

  Danse struggled to sit up and roll Vega onto her back. His own injuries faded to the background of his mind as she laid unresponsive, blood slowly pooling in the dirt beneath her left side. Her mouth opened and closed in a spasm; her eyes had rolled back in her skull and her fingers twitched erratically. 

  Have to hold pressure. Stop the bleeding. Danse numbly pressed his shaking hands down on her side just below her ribs, his body suddenly awash in a cold sweat as he realized just how much blood she was losing. He could almost hear Haylen rambling about the arteries, internal bleeding, penetrating damage, Worwick and Brach and Dawes and Keane and Danse felt like he was going to be sick. 

  "H... Haylen! " He yelled desperately. It was the only thing he could think to do.

  Then, against all odds, startling the everliving daylights out of him, Vega sat up . " Oh , you fuckin' asshole! " She hollered at Maxson around Danse's body while the paladin scrambled to attempt to stem the flow of fresh blood that her motion sent spurting out. "You really fuckin' shot me?! You're the worst kind of dick! " 

  Danse was flabbergasted. Her state was clearly compromised, how was she even conscious-

  "Fuck!" Vega growled in pain, dropping her forehead to rest on Danse's chest. "Oh fuck, fuck fuck you, you told me Danse was fuckin' dead, you liar! You expect me to just stand by and let you kill him in front of me?!" She continued to rant at Maxson, her voice muffled somewhat by Danse's shirt. "You dumb fuckin' prick, you stupid fuckin' dipshit motherfuck son of a cockass! This ain't exactly my first time gettin' fuckin' shot, you fuckin' fuck!"

  Danse realized that Arthur hadn't said a damn thing, possibly just as bewildered and awestruck by Elizabeth's impressive grasp of blue-streaked vernacular as he himself was.

  "Paladin Brandis, if I may…?" Haylen's voice was almost inaudible over Backhand's continued snarling. Danse jerked his attention away from Elizabeth, trying to blink the sweat out of his eyes in order to determine the field scribe's location.

  "Scribe, get the hell back behind the line!" Maxson barked. 

  Heavy footfalls heralded the arrival of Rhys and Haylen, the knight using his power armor like a shield to protect the scribe as if they were out in the field. Haylen was suddenly there , on her knees in the gravel next to Danse and Elizabeth. The paladin's eyes were now blinded with tears of gratitude and he huffed out a breath. "Danse, I'll get to you in a second." Haylen said softly, patting his hand. "Let me have her, okay?"

  "Haylen, I…" the large man didn't know what to say, his words failing him. He clutched pitifully at the scribe's hands, sure that he was gripping too tight.

  "I've got her, Danse. It's okay." Scribe Haylen soothed.

  "Yeah Danse, s'okay." Backhand said blearily, "s'Haylen, she's great. We love Haylen." Her head lolled back like it was too heavy for her to hold up. "Haylen made sure I got to eat and stuff."

  " What? " Danse rasped. 

  "The tactics Elder Maxson used during her incarceration…" Haylen trailed off, grimacing and then continuing in an undertone, "I made sure Rhys smuggled in something for her when he brought Brandis' meals."

  "Vega, Jesus Christ, I'm so sorry." Danse apologized needlessly, resting his forehead against Elizabeth's as he supported her neck. "I didn't think anything would happen to you. I...I didn't think in general, I guess." He admitted.

  Vega smiled . "Hey, I'd say whatever shit I went through was a pretty decent tradeoff for finding out that you didn't bite it after all." She slurred. "Missed you."

  " Christ , Vega." Danse muttered in dismay, fighting to untie her hands. Haylen took over after a moment, the scribe's fingers infinitely more steady than his own.

  "I need a Stim and a bloodpack!" Haylen announced after examining Vega's abdomen, looking up worriedly. 

  Not a soul moved. The only sound was the noise of Maxson wriggling in the grip of the armored knight who finally had him secured. "Listen to the scribe!" Brandis shouted to the mute crowd. "You have a sister bleeding in front of you and you would be still and silent? Where are the brave, compassionate soldiers I once knew? Knights! Scribes! Are you not Brotherhood?"

  Two aspirants finally elbowed their way through the throng, making a wide berth around Maxson. One of them bore a large canvas bag. "Good, good work. Drop it here." Haylen instructed, unrolling her field kit. "Can I get a scribe with steady hands and another knight for the opposite side?" She called. 

  A knight thundered past Maxson, the man throwing Danse of all people a haphazard salute before he took up his post at the other end of the group. Maxson practically seethed with rage. "Knight, how dare you salute that--that thing! "

  "That thing is still Paladin Danse of the Brotherhood of Steel, Maxson." Brandis growled. "He won the trial fair and square."

  "I will not allow it to live!" Maxson shrieked hysterically, struggling against the iron hold of the knight bear-hugging him. "I don't care how many of you I have to take down, Danse dies today! "

  "Maxson!" Brandis chided. "Do you even hear yourself? You sound insane! Think about what you're saying before you do something you'll regret!"

  "Not before he dies! "

  "Which would you rather be known as, Maxson? The abuser or the synth fucker?" Maxson froze at the sound of Danse's voice. The burly paladin shot the elder a bloodied sneer, his head tilted to the side at an almost arrogant angle. "After all, you got fucked by a synth." What the hell was he saying? Danse felt unhinged , words flippant, his tired limbs barely cooperating as he forced himself up on his knees and then to his feet. "You let a synth fuck you, Arthur." 

  " Abomination -"

  "You ordered a synth to fuck you." Danse reminded him, voice grating as his words came faster. "Demanded it to fuck you. Abused it. Threatened it with a certain death mission if it didn't. Then gave it that mission anyway." Danse rubbed at some crusted blood beneath his blackened right eye, grimacing. "Does it make it better if you didn't know I was a synth? Because then , you have to justify the reality that you molested a soldier in a compromised emotional state utilizing your privileged position of authority. Can you accept that , Maxson?"

  "You...Maxson, is this true?" Brandis asked incredulously.

  "That thing is clearly lying!" Maxson scoffed, looking around at the spellbound crowd like he expected everyone to agree with him. "Dammit, I am the elder -"

  "Did you hope that I would die out here, Arthur? Or did you assume that I would come crawling back to the Capital Wasteland after my inevitable failure in the Commonwealth?" Danse cut him off bitterly. "Did you think I would be easier to break once I had lost everything , Maxson?"

  "He always fights with Danse!" A tiny squire chimed in. Danse hadn't realised that Maxson had Ingram summon the damn children to watch their trial. "We heard them fight!"

  "Silence, brat! " Maxson screamed, his face purpling with fury. "I am the elder of this chapter, last of the Maxson line, and I will be given the respect I deserve! "

  "Cade's records can verify my story!" Danse shouted hoarsely for everyone to hear, his shoulders heaving with emotion. "Every time we engaged, I did not escape unscathed. Nearly every injury was documented. The dates will align with high-stress situations, and I'll stake my life on there being a long stretch of shit mood during the absence of your preferred punching bag, Elder! "

  " Liar! "

  "Abuser!" Danse yelled in reply, "murderer! You killed Cutler, through your biased orders! You killed Knight Astlin, Scribe Farris, Knight Varham! You killed my brothers and sisters!" Danse's fists clenched tight enough to ache. "And for what, Arthur? For a synth? Or for a man that had no interest in you? Either way, I refuse to accept their blood on my hands, Maxson!"

  " You killed them and you know it!" Maxson shrieked, kicking his legs desperately. "All you had to do was obey me, Danse! Was your pride worth their lives?"

  "There was once a time in my life where I would have done damn near anything you asked of me." His anger petering out, all Danse felt now was weary and bruised. "I loved the Brotherhood, Maxson. I still do. But the path we have taken under your leadership is heinous."

  "Don't you dare to lecture me about devotion, you mechanical mockery! " Maxson retorted.

  "This body may be synthetic, but my heart and mind…" Danse paused, saluting once more. " Those belong to the Brotherhood, Maxson. To my brothers and sisters in arms. Nothing can change that. Not even the knowledge of my true identity."

  "That's what you think!" Arthur flailed in the knight's grip, trying in vain to escape. No doubt so he could pitch himself at the paladin one final time.

  "Elder Maxson, through your words and through your deeds, I deem you unfit to lead our chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel at this point in time." Brandis announced abruptly. "As the senior ranking officer, I, Paladin Brandis, will function as the interim elder until we receive proper instructions from our superiors." He removed his helmet, staring down at Arthur sternly. 

  The young man was quite the pitiful sight, bedraggled from trying to beat Danse within an inch of his life as well as from his struggling afterwards. He still looked mad enough to kill, those blue eyes almost crackling with pent-up fury. "You planned this, didn't you?!" His paranoia on full display, Maxson made no attempt to maintain any sort of composure. "Just how many synths have infiltrated our chapter? Well Brandis?! "

  "Arthur, that's enough ." The senior paladin said in reply, his tone measured. "Don't make an even bigger fool of yourself. Bow out while you still have some dignity." He sighed. "Perhaps the stress of this campaign has been too heavy of a burden to bear for you. I sympathize, but I cannot permit you to carry on in this manner, Maxson." Brandis raised his eyes, scanning the crowd. "Cade! Knight-Captain Cade, please see to Maxson. He is obviously unwell."

  …

  Vega flickered in and out of consciousness. The weeks of abuse culminating in this final (though inadvertent) attempt to end her seemed to have nearly been successful. She only barely remembered Haylen treating her wound, mumbling out an apology to the younger woman for leaning so much weight on her. She caught snippets of Danse and Maxson shouting at each other, bits of the trauma that Danse had endured coming tumbling out and making Vega wish that she wasn't half-dead so she could at least flip Maxson off.

  " Rest , Vega ." Haylen had ordered. " You need rest ."

  And really, who was Backhand to refuse? 

  When next she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a canvas ceiling overhead. Vega squinted a little at the brightness of it. How long have I been out for?

  "Welcome back, General." That familiar voice snapped her out of her staring contest with the tent above her and she rolled her head to the side, unable to help her smile at the sight of Danse. Still a little bruised and banged-up, but alive . 

  Tears streaked down her cheeks and Backhand wished that she could have stopped them, sniffling loudly and covering her face.

  "General Vega, there's no need for that." The paladin chided her softly. Something bumped against her knuckles and she realized after a second that Danse was attempting to give her glasses back. 

  Vega accepted the glasses mutely, grabbed Danse's hand and used his arm as leverage to pull herself up off the cot. 

  "Wait, Elizabeth you-" The paladin began to protest, rising to his feet to stop her. Her legs nearly gave out but Danse managed to steady her, one large hand splayed on the small of her back. "You shouldn't be upright yet, Vega." He scolded.

  I missed you. I thought you were dead. The words tangled up in her mouth and instead Backhand mumbled, "I thought I missed you." Danse's brows furrowed in confusion and she hurried to correct herself, "I mean--I...I thought you were dead!"

  "I needed some time to regroup. Straighten my head out. Heal." The paladin explained quietly. "The O'Brians nursed me back to health."

  "What happened , though?"

  "What happened to you , Vega?" Danse asked instead, gripping her elbows carefully to keep her upright. 

  Backhand shrugged weakly. "Maxson thought I knew you were a synth."

  " I didn't even know I was a synth." Danse huffed, thick eyebrows raising once again. "How on earth would you have known?"

  "Maybe he was going on a witch hunt, trying to get me to confess even though I wasn't guilty of anything." She closed her eyes as she mumbled, "I missed you."

  "I thought of you every day." Danse replied bluntly. Her head shot up and she stared at him, watching as a flush crept up his neck. "I er, I...I am not good at these sorts of things," he admitted. "But it's true. I thought of you and...and of your son. Of the life you should have had. When Preston tracked me down, we realized that something must have gone wrong. So I...came back." 

  Oh . She hated the disappointed pit that yawned open in her stomach. She should have known that he wasn't thinking of her in the same way that she had thought of him. 

  Backhand rested her forehead on his chest, willing her tears to abate. "We need to get them out of the Institute." She said thickly. "All of them. Anyone that will come, Danse."

  "I think you and I should speak to Pal-- Elder Brandis. He has expressed interest in working with the Minutemen." Danse sighed heavily, then continued, "I cannot recommend that we work exclusively with the Brotherhood. There are years of prejudice that have been beaten into these men and women. The allowance of my presence is a show of good faith, but I don't know if I trust the rank and file to storm the Institute without turning it into a massacre." He gave her a wry smile. "I cannot blame them. Even knowing what I am now, it's going to take me some time to remove my knee-jerk reaction."

  "There's always something else to do." She wasn't trying to complain , but God she was tired .

  His facial hair brushed against her forehead, scraping the skin lightly. "I know. What was it you said in the Glowing Sea? 'A run ashore'?" He queried while giving her forearms a gentle squeeze, as if to comfort her.

  "I thought you were dead." She hadn't meant to say it again, watching his eyes go dark and kicking herself for bringing it back up.

  "I suppose I was, for a time." Danse murmured, his expression troubled.

  "I... please don't do that to me again." Vega begged. Her hands fisted in his fatigues, wrinkling the worn fabric. "This is going to sound really dumb and really selfish, but please . Don't."

  "When you thought I was dead, did you..." Danse hesitated. "I mean, did you really miss me? I'm not even...well, I'm not a..." He cast his eyes around, narrowing them like he was physically searching for the word he wanted to use. "Human." He finally managed to say, the admission obviously paining him. "I'm a freak of nature, Vega. A perversion of science and an example of where mankind has gone wrong--"

  "Danse." Backhand cupped his jaw, her palms smoothing over the bristle of his stubble as she coaxed him to look at her. "No offense, but you cannot be this stupid."

  "What do you mean?" The paladin asked, his confusion endearingly evident. "I'm not...how am I being…?"

  Backhand blinked. Maybe he could be that stupid. "You're probably the most human person I've ever met, Danse. The way you care about your squadron, the way you've helped me...look, I wasn't upset about you being a synth, I was upset about you being dead ."

  "Oh." Danse breathed. "Really? You... really? Me being a synth wasn't…?" His words kept faltering, uncertainty shining through with every hitch. 

  " You , Danse. I cried about you being gone ."

  "Elizabeth…" 

  "So don't you dare scare me like that ever again, got it?" Backhand leaned forward, boldly pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

  "I--yes. Understood, Knight. Uh, General." Danse stammered, his fingers absently touching the spot she had kissed. "W-We should...go speak to Elder Brandis. If you believe you can walk a short distance? I know better than to ask you to stay put and be patient."

  "Permit me the usage of your arm to keep me upright and yes, we can absolutely go."

  ...

  Please don't do that to me again .

  She had missed him, she said. She had mourned him, even. Cried over him. Danse's head was spinning.

  How could that even be possible? How could she...he was a machine . 

  No time left to consider such weighty problems, unfortunately, as he found that far too soon the two of them were approaching what had formerly been Maxson's quarters and now served as Brandis' war room.

  "Ad Victoriam, Paladin Danse and General Vega!" Elder Brandis greeted them warmly with a loose salute, gesturing around the war table afterwards. "Kells, Cade, Ingram, Quinlan, Doctor Li, I trust you all need no introductions?"

  The briefing was, as they usually were, tedious. Nothing brief about it, if he was being brutally honest. Vega held her ground though, which was all he really needed.

  "You boys aren't tyrants or fuckin' warlords. Not while I have any sort of say in the matter." She said sharply. "If you want Minutemen support, we are working as a team and the Minutemen have uninhibited access to all information as it is gathered. That means we'll need Quinlan's full cooperation." She held up a hand, staving off Quinlan's outburst. " Only in regards to the Institute. We don't want your super-secret Spec Ops sealed Brotherhood case files, so don't get those boxers in a bunch." Cade snorted and Proctor Quinlan looked absolutely scandalized, even as he grudgingly nodded. 

  "Now, General, this is all well and good but what does the Brotherhood get out of this bargain?" Kells asked pointedly. "As far as I can see, we're the integral piece in this plan."

  "' As far as you can see ' is an apt phrase, Lancer-Captain Kells." Backhand's tone was cool. This was General Vega for certain, the woman who had whipped the Minutemen back into shape. "Because what you can't see are the rest of my operations. The Minutemen aren't the only force I have at my disposal, just the most obvious." She leaned in a little, her eyes cold as ice behind the lenses of her glasses. "Do you really want to test me on my home turf, Kells? After everything that's happened?"

  "Not testing you, General Vega." The lancer-captain clarified, "simply identifying what seems to be an imbalance in the negotiations."

  "I got you Doctor Li." Vega retorted. "Without her, your Liberty Prime would still be a pile of junk. I've gotten your scribes tons of information to sift through, I've done everything the former elder asked of me."

  "Lancer-Captain Kells, if I might also interject?" Danse asked hesitantly, cringing on the inside as everyone turned to look at him like they had forgotten he was even there. Kells inclined his head after a moment. "Sir, we cannot be so quick to discredit our position. Due to our aerial location, we will be within the perfect striking distance to any sort of localized, above-ground assault."

  "I am more than aware of our position, Paladin . But that does not negate the fact that we have a much larger stake in this than anyone else-"

  "Larger than the locals who have been getting body-snatched for years?" Vega cut him off. "Let's not forget that myself and your new elder were starved and tortured for weeks , while the rest of you sat around and twiddled your thumbs out of fear and respect." She spat. "Don't fuckin' come to me with your scale-tipping bullshit . It took a synth to make you all sack up, and I don't intend to let you forget that." The woman straightened up, looking grim. "I'm not giving you anything else. You can either work with us, or you can keep pitching yourself against the Institute until they've all slipped away and you're left with nothing but an empty facility and unanswered questions."

  "She's right." Doctor Li affirmed tersely. "They won't just wait around to be pummeled. This isn't the Enclave. The board of directors will do everything in their power to avoid you and waste your resources at the same time."

  "We cannot afford to entrench ourselves in a drawn-out assault, Kells." Brandis reasoned. "When we strike, we have to do it decisively. Give it everything we've got and cut off the head."

  Kells nodded, seeming satisfied. "Understood, Elder Brandis. I meant no disrespect, General Vega."

  "None taken. I'm still recovering from getting the shit kicked out of me, so my manners aren't up to par quite yet." Vega rested her elbows on the table, steepled fingers tapping her chin. "I won't take anything from you that you're unable to give, Lancer-Captain Kells. If I can avoid using the BoS altogether, I will." She murmured, tilting her head. "I need to get in touch with some people before I can offer anything concrete, but once Lieutenant Garvey knows I'm alive I'm sure the rest will learn fast. We'll rally and plan accordingly." 

  "Well then, what are we waiting for?" Ingram asked eagerly. "C'mon Vega, let's head to the comm deck and get things squared away!"

  "Excellent plan. You two are dismissed." Brandis agreed, making a shooing gesture at the two women. Once they had departed, he turned his attention to Cade. "Do you have faith in our medical capabilities, Knight-Captain?" 

  Cade nodded. "We had been planning to attack them head on anyways, Brandis. If we're truly going in a little less 'shock and awe', we may actually tip more towards over-prepared."

  "I'm not certain how useful their teleporter will be to us once we get inside. I'm sure they'll lock it down with great expedience. However there is another possible egress." Quinlan spread the old blueprint out on the war table, fingers indicating a small service tunnel. "Now, if their measurements are accurate, power armored troops will not fit in this tunnel. But unarmored individuals most certainly will. This includes any…" he hesitated, like he was preparing himself to say it, "... refugees , or non-hostile denizens." 

  Quinlan referring to synths as anything but had Danse's head spinning. Vega was an absolute marvel .

  "It will be heavily guarded." Doctor Li warned. "They like to pretend that there's only one way in or out. Their precious molecular relay ."

  "Danse, I think you ought to take point when it comes to securing this tunnel." Kells remarked, making the paladin straighten up. "We won't be able to gauge our level of involvement until we have a full muster from Vega, but I'd like a senior-ranked soldier in the mix. And I know how much you enjoy being boots on the ground." The older man offered Danse a thin smile.

  Danse was so moved he needed to take a moment, finally choking out a ' yes sir ' with his hand over his heart. That Kells, even after all the years of growing to despise synths, would trust him with such a task-!

  Perhaps they did stand a chance, after all.

Part Seventeen

[thenorthernrecords]

Family Matters

[ The following  is a log of a scene between Jacob and Carolina, shortly after the Sargenis family meeting. ]

@seawitchtales​

Well that was exciting! Carolina’s heart hurt for Lani, she could completely understand the pain she felt from her Brother’s actions. Sea-colored irises watched Jacob as he told everyone goodbye, and closed the large doors of the long house. “...I don’t really know what to say about all of this. What a mess..” Using her arms she pulled herself up to stand using the help of the table. With a little wobble she’d reach into the pocket of her dress to pull out a flowered crown. With a weak smile she’d extend it out to Jacob. “... I was able to make you this..” And she was proud! (D)

So, dinner had been served, and he got to do some chitchat with the two elder 'cousins', which was nice, and for the most part, as messy as the situation was, dinner wasn't so bad! Riley had chosen to stay in a spare room in their home, and she went in for the night (probably to cry more) while the Areli family went to stay in the inn. Jac practically looked drained by the end of it. He rubbed the back of his neck, as he approached the table. "The man was a fucking prick. I'm glad you didn't get to meet him. The way he insulted his own sister?" He still got pissed off over it. Now, Michael Blackwood was horrible, but Eamonn Sargenis had an edge to his cruelty that made his blood boil. "Lani's holding up better than her two older sisters. It's a fucking mess, but his departure means we never have to worry about that idiot ever again." Good riddance! Jacob sat down with a huff, but the sight of a flower crown did make him feel better. He took it and just placed it on his head. "Look at you! You've recovered enough to start making me these again." Plus she was standing! He looked so proud of her progress. [d](edited)

When Jacob sat down Carolina took the opportunity to sit back within his lap, but this time she faced him. Gently both of her hands held his face with thumbs toying with his beard. For a long moment she looked into his eyes. She had thought she was damned to be trapped forever within the horrors of her mind. “...I’m so happy that you are real, Jac..” Her voice squeaked just a little bit as tears were held back. Her arms would wrap themselves around his neck so that a tight embrace could be given. “...I’m also glad that I never met him. He sounds like a real peach..” A rotten one. (D)

Jacob frowned, and reached up to stroke her cheek with his thumb gently. "Of course I'm real, sweetheart, and I'm not going anywhere." He smiled a tired, yet sincere smile, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly for a moment, reflecting just how damn happy he was that she was wake and with them again. Then, he scoffed. "Oh he was. The man was miserable -- I still can't believe I'm blood related to that man." Plus, they looked a little similar too, which annoyed him further. "I actually felt bad for him for a moment, but after today? Fuck that, and fuck him." He turned his head and spit on the ground because he was super serious! "That's another destructive relative I don't have to worry about anymore." [d]

Slowly Carolina leaned back so that she could lean against the edge of the table to watch Jacob as he spoke. “...what is it about Brothers? I mean everyone we know has the same issues including myself. We’ve got to make sure Erik is a good Brother, or I swear to Odin that I will hang him from his toes..” Because fuck this shit, their children would NOT be like this. Headache city. “..you look exhausted, my darling Jarl. We could go get close under the furs and sleep..” Before their darling children woke them up at the ungodly hour of the morning. (D)

Jacob let out a short sigh, leaning his head back so he can look up at the ceiling. "I don't know. Each case I know about has this odd sense of unearned entitlement, and maybe, their sisters have made them feel insecure, so they had to lash out." Jacob let out a snort, "But it proves just how weak and ball-less they were. This one --" Meaning Eamonn, "--respected me more than his own sister, but that's not saying much. Did you read the letter? ‘Jacob may carry our name if he wishes.’ As if I need his permission when I have Slania's already." Jacob simply chose not to carry it. "No, our children will be better because I'm making sure Erik never harms his sister, or lets harm come to her. I'm not going to coddle him and shit if he does." He raised his head to look at her. "We could, but we haven't had any time to just be together. It's been so long since you and I just spoke like this, without a care in the world. I missed it." Did he pout? Yes. Yes he did. [d]

A brow perked as she watched her Husband, pout? Carolina couldn’t even hold back a giggle. “...what’s this, Jacob Adair?” A content sigh was given as she leaned forward so that her face was directly in front of his. Her finger reached out and poked his nose. “...I missed it too, Jac, and I missed you. Don’t get me wrong..I missed our children. But the love I have for you is just different if that even makes any sense at all. I thought that I was going to die that night in the fire, and I was...well..never mind about all of that. Tell me everything that I missed, even if you think I wouldn’t be interested..” She had missed a whole lot, she was sure! (D)

The pout vanished almost instantly, and Jacob shrugged. "What's what? I don't know what you're talking about." He said casually, as if the pout never had occurred in the first place. But, he still smiled and gave her a wink. "Are you saying I'm more lovable than a child? Carolina Adair, I never!" He teased her, grinning ear to ear like the dork he really was inside. "Well, as you heard, Lani got hurt, but that big big guy, what's his name ... Keiran, saved her. You should have seen it, He came in with her in his arms, bleedin' all over him, and the man was worried." Which surprised him because it looked like Keiran had a sour grape in his mouth at all times. "But she recovered, thankfully. Benjamin Areli got hurt too, but he was nursed to health by Harper Maxson I believe." He raised his brows at that one. He had a feeling Katy wasn't feelin' too happy about that. "Oh, we rebuilt the orphanage, or rather, made it bigger and better.  Most of the city is rebuilt, with newer defenses too.  Leviticus has a brand new forge now -- the apprentice has become the master." And they totally did not want to give each other the biggest hug ever when Jacob told him he was to have a new forge because that would be crazy. Jacob then looked pensive, as if trying to decide something. He then let out an annoyed groan, and decided it was best to let Carolina know what had come in for her. He fished a letter from his pant's pockets and held it up to her. "So... this was for you. I normally would not open your letters but ...It's from your brother, Michael." He looked so disgusted just saying his name. [d]

“...you are the only man I will e v e r love the way that I love you, Mr. Adair...” Forever and always this fire would burn. Carolina watched Jacob as he explained the happenings over the past few months. “...Keiran is a good man, so I’m glad that he has decided to stick around.” Destiny would of never summoned him if there had been any doubt. Now a brow rose when Jacob mentioned Leviticus, followed by another giggle. “...you guys are disgusting, you’re going to have to control yourself with your mistress. She’s still a newlywed.” Oh ho! Quick with the jabs, lulz. And then her stomach fell. For a long moment she peered at the letter that Jacob held out to her. Slowly a hand would reach out before her gaze fluttered across the words that her Brother had written. By the time she was done reading, her whole body was shaking.

Rage.

The letter fell against the floor as she quickly stood from Jacob’s lap. That might of been a terrible idea because she was still way too weak to support herself. Both of her knees were shaking. “...why..why did HE kill Andrew. That was supposed to be..this motherfucker!” Carolina hissed, tears rolling down her cheeks. The one thing that had been promised to her was stolen. Andrew had only tortured her for almost her entire life. She always had to stay one step ahead, sleep with one eye open, and he still managed to catch her. Not once, but twice he almost succeeded in killing her. Because of him her whole family had been murdered. “...and I couldn’t even see the look on his face as he took his last breath..” Her knees gave way as she collapsed to sit on the floor, pulling her legs up under herself a bit. “...I’m going to have to go home, Jacob..” There was an emptiness to her voice, she couldn’t even look at her Husband. (D)

Jacob had frowned at the whole mistress bit. "Pfft. I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. That man is an asshole." Said another man who was also an asshole. Now, when Carolina stood up, on instinct, Jacob reached out and put a hand on her waist, trying to keep her steady, but also, it would give him a chance to catch her if she stumbled. Jacob had a deep frown on his face. "If there's anything I know about your brother, it's that he acts before he fucking thinks. He also thinks he knows whats best." Which is a quality he shared with the shit brother he had just finished talking about. He began to rub her back, to comfort her, but then, he stopped. "Carolina, first of all, this is your home now. I thought we had talked about this," Jacob began, already beginning to feel that anger begin to boil, "You don't have to go home, and you don't have to fix his fuckin' mess. Didn't you just see what happens when you run and fix a shit brother's mess?! We just had a dinner with a set of sisters who did just that, and look how well that turned out!" Jacob was shaking his head. He didn't like this one bit. [d](

Carolina winced hearing Jacob’s tone, but she still never rose her gaze to look at him. Again her eyes scanned the letter as if somehow it would change. “...I cannot allow my Brother to be punished for killing a man that should have been hung in the Palace Square for his crimes. My parents are dead because of him, he’s tried to kill me multiple times. This is bullshit..” And in a small struggle she stood on bare feet, standing as strong as she could for the moment. “...family is always the most important thing, Jacob, even if they don’t deserve it.” Finally she looked at him, her long chestnut tresses spilling over just one shoulder. “If Caspian made these arrangements then there’s a serious problem brewing, and even if I wanted to ignore this..I cannot, nor will I.” Even if he was furious with her, she didn’t care. (D)

Jacob just stared, his face blank for a moment, but soon, he was breathing a little more heavily than usual -- an indicator of his growing exasperation. "He chose to kill the man, and even the right choices have consequences." He first state firmly. Oh, but the family bit? That made Jacob stand up and step away, his back towards Carolina for a moment. He tapped his foot, trying to not let his growing anger get the best of him. "What about our family?" He said slowly, strain in his voice as he turned around to glance at her, "Let's say something happens to you while you're out saving your idiot brother. What of our children? Shall they go motherless because you wanted to help the one family member who failed you time and time again? You just fuckin' came back to us, Carolina." He turned his face away, balled his hand into a fist and began to tap his fist into his other hand. "Just when I thought I was rid of all these cocksuckers." Yep, he was mad. His entire body was tensed up, but he was trying his hardest to keep it all from just lashing out. [d]

Irises narrowed slightly as she listened to her Husband. Oi, YES, my Brother is a fuckin’ douche...and then she sighed. Slowly the distance between herself and Jacob was closed as she stood in front of him. Both hands rose so that she could gently take his face and pull him closer to her level. “...Jacob, I will n e v e r leave you, nor our children. I love you more than I have ever loved anything else, and that is the o n l y reason I am standing before you today...” For a long moment she searched his face, her eyes starting to well up with tears. “...maybe I can bring a group with me. Harper needs to get her ass home instead of playing house with Ben..” Heh, trying to lighten the mood. “...we have peace for a moment, and I swear that this will be the one and only time that I return to Snow. If you allow it, I will never go back after this..” And she meant it. (D)

He crossed his arms tightly, and when she put her hands on his face, she would feel that his jaw was clenched. He studied her face silently, and when he saw the tears? He began frown, and looked away for a moment. He was trying to remain mad, but it was difficult to do so when his wife was being vulnerable. It made him feel like a dick. "... Tears won't work on me, Carolina." He said, but by the way he slightly pursed his lips? Yeah, it worked, much to his dismay. He let out a groan and aggressively rubbed the nape of his neck. The prospect of never having to worry about her going off to Snow Mystic was incredibly tempting. "Fine! Fine." He grumbled, extending his arms and letting them fall to his sides in defeat. "Yes, I want you to go with a group -- with at least one person I Trust." He crossed his arms again because he meant business! Clearly. [d]

“Really?!” Whoa! Mark this shit down in history, MARK IT DOWN. This was the same man that used to fight hard to push her away from him, y e a r s of being a dick. Carolina couldn’t help but to smile wide, wrapping her arms around his neck, basically climbing him so that she could wrap her bare legs around his waist. The Jarl’s wife may have attended a family meeting with nothing but Jac’s tunic on, heh. She was recovering! “...you can pick whom ever you want to, Mr. Jarl...Sir Jarl? Jarl Studmuffin..” Oooo, Daddy! Slowly she used her nose to turn his face back towards her so that the softest most sweetest kiss was offered to his lips. “....thank you, Jac..” Heh. Carolina’s cheeks may have been a little pink, but she was so...content. (D)

Naturally she started to climb him, he unfolded his arms and held her against him, with his hands in place beneath her. "Hah, now you're just patronizing me." He started with narrowing eyes, "If anything happens to you, I'm killing your brother. That's a promise." More like, the entire of Snow Mystic would burn to the ground if anything happened to his wifey, dammit. He'd have the army there in seconds, somehow. And like the softy that he begrudgingly was, he smiled slightly and gave her a peck back. And then another.  And then a third for good measure. What a sap. "...I love you too. I only get angry because I'm tired of bad shit happening to you and the rest of our family. But, if you doing this means I don't have to hear Caspian Fucking Maxson's name ever again, then I suppose it's a reasonable risk." Imagine?! He smiled at the thought.  "I'll pick, but you'd have to agree. I wouldn't want you to be in company you don't like either." [d]

Carolina giggled after the third kiss, but made sure to return every damn one. Honestly if she could ride around like this on Jacob, everyday, she would do it! If she had to move Heaven or Hell for him, well, y’all get it. “...I know you were scared, Jacob, I felt it..that’s how I stayed connected to you. And you’ll still be connected to me when I leave. Plus I know you’ll have a pair of beady little eyes watching for you. If anything happens I know you’ll come for me..” This War had done a number on the both of them, and she knew this wasn’t the best time to be going to a whole other country on some fuckshit, but it had to be done. “...and I will be okay with anyone from here. I know and love all o u r people..” Daw, she was so proud of Jacob, and now he’d know. She hadn’t really had the chance to tell him anything, ya know, comas and stuff. (D)

The war had basically almost wiped out the family he gained, through marriage and discovery. So, he was terrified deep down for sure! One bad brother had caused a shitstorm, and now another was causing another. it never ended! He didn't have to say it, it was all over his face how much it had all affected him. "A certain crow would be wise to watch over my wife lest he wants to be a stuffed animal!" He said in a raised voice, knowing the black feathered friend had heard it somehow. "I have someone in mind, but I gotta convince 'em first." He was worried about that part. But! That was a worry he'd deal with in the morning. "We should get some rest. If you want to go on this journey, I want your fully recovered, and ready. I want you to be ready to give them all hell."

[returnn-of-the-mac]

Companions (+ Maxson, Haylen and Sturges? 👀) react to a female sole who has long hair that gets caught on things / is always in the way but refuses to cut it.

Ahh this one was so much fun to write! I kinda went a bit crazy; the reacts are looong. But the more the merrier, right? I kinda have to cite the US Navy handbook for *spoiler* Maxon’s React; I copied and pasted some parts directly from there *end spoiler*. Please enjoy!😸

FO4 Companions React: Female Sole’s Long Hair Being An Inconvenience

Preston: Preston and Sole were hiding in a steam trunk, preparing a sneak attack on a gang of raiders that had taken over a newly established Minutemen checkpoint. When the raiders had gotten close, Preston turned to his partner. “On the count of three, we’re going to leap out of this truck and attack, okay?” Sole nodded. “One...two...three!” The pair leaped out of the trunk, safety’s off and ready to attack. Sole suddenly shrieked. The trunk had slammed shut behind her, right onto her long hair. She was stuck in place. “General! Stand your ground! Try to do as much damage as you can in that position and I’ll hold them back!” Guns blazed as the gang of raiders swarmed the little shack, trying to get past Preston who was standing in the doorway and fending them off. From behind, Sole aimed at the raiders, able to pick them clean with expert precision. When all the raiders had been cleared, Preston approached his companion and opened the trunk. Sole stood up, gently massaging her sore scalp and apologizing profusely. Preston chuckled. “It’s okay, I know how much your hair means to you.”

Sturges: Sturges and Sole were enjoying a relaxing afternoon in Sanctuary, listening to country music and crafting armor. “Hey, I made a prototype heated metal press,” Sturges mentioned. “It might make it easier to make thinner parts for your armor. Why dontcha try it out? You can be first to test it.” Sole beamed at the offer and followed Sturges over to the complex contraption he designed. Sturges picked up a metal bucket and set it down on the platform. “Whenever you’re ready, just pull the lever and boom! Gotcha self a sleek new piece of metal to work with.” Sole set a cluster of aluminum cans on the platform. Just as they were about to pull the lever, a gust of wind blew her long hair forward. The hot press clamped down on her hair. Sole shrieked as Sturges quickly yanked the lever up. “[Name], are you okay?” Sole stared in horror at the long locks of burnt hair still attached to the metal press. She then ran their fingers through her hair. Half of it was gone. Her eyes began to water. “I’m so sorry, [name]. Come here,” Sturges said, opening his arms to a devastated Sole. She accepted the gesture and mourned the loss of her majestic locks.

Cait: Cait and Sole were crawling in an air vent, prepared to ambush a group of gunners below. “We best be careful,” Cait warned, “these gunners have eyes like a Deathclaw and ears like...a Deathclaw. They are human deathclaws. With guns.” A gunner walked right under where they were standing. “Ye jump down behind me, yeah?” Cait gave Sole a thumbs up and then kicked the vent out. “COME ON YE STUPID BASTARDS!” Cait landed on the gunner’s shoulders and bashed his head with her gun. She then got up and started shooting frenetically, “How does it feel gettin yer arses kicked by girls?” It was when the gunners began to gang up on her that the redhead noticed the absence of her partner. “[Name]? Where the fuck are ye at ye whore?” She turned around and saw Sole hanging from the ceiling by her long hair. “Motherfucker.” Cait muttered in annoyance, “Well, I guess it’s gonna be a one-woman’s show then. INCOMIN’!” Cait chucked a grenade, and, using a fallen bookshelf as leverage, launched herself back into the air vent, dragging Sole with her. Using her knife, she chopped Sole’s hair to free her and they quickly retreated, just before the bomb went off. Cait woefully looked at her partner. “I’m sorry about yer hair. You probably ain’t pleased. But I didn’t want you to get blown to smithereens.”

X6-88: X6 and Sole were exiting the Institute, on their way to start their next mission. On the way out, the pair discussed their strategy to destroy The Railroad when Sole suddenly shrieked. X6 turned around to see his partner flailing. He then noticed that her long hair had gotten caught in the automatic door...again. Ma’am? May I suggest getting a haircut?” X6 asked flatly, “This is the second time this week and fifth time this month that this has happened.” Sole huffed and X6 rolled his eyes under his glasses. She could be stubborn; especially when the subject involved cutting her beloved locks. X6 made another attempt to change his partner’s mind. “What if this happens during our mission? The repercussions could prove fatal. Please, reconsider.” After seeing that Sole was not going to be persuaded, X6 held out an elastic. “Put it up. For this mission, at least. Now’s not the time to be irrational.” Sole finally gave in and put their hair into a bun.

Gage: Sole and Gage were sounding the evening constructing a base for a raider gang. Sole had just finished nailing a wooden wall into place when she walked away to take a sip of purified water. She took a few steps toward before she was yanked backward. She turned around to confirm her worst fear: she had nailed the board right over the tips of her hair. She called for Gage, who was busy spray painting the exterior of the shack. “Sup boss?” Gage asked. Sole pointed and Gage rolled his eyes. “You gotta be kiddin me. And I thought you were a smart one.” Gage examined the board and nail. “What’ve we got here? ...Hey, you ain’t half bad at carpentry. But as for common sense. That’s another story.” Gage skillfully removed the embedded nail using just a pocket knife and a bottle opener. He removed the board, freeing Sole’s hair. “Impressed, boss? Ya gotta learn how to improvise sometimes.” Gage chuckled dryly. “But uh. Ya ain’t gonna try that again without pullin your hair back next time, right? Don’t be stupid. You're on your own next time.”

Piper: Piper and Sole were standing outside Mayor McDonough’s door, trying to break in and free Geneva. “Okay so obviously kicking and screaming didn’t work,” Piper scratched her head nervously, “Any ideas, Blue?” Sole approached the door and began to pick the lock. “Oh that’s right, you’re the queen of lockpicking! Don’t mind me, I’m just gonna sit back and take notes.” When the lock clicked, Sole and Piper looked at each other, nodded, and flung the doors open. “I knew it! I knew you were a synth, McDonough! Now let that hostage go!” Just then a breeze came through the window and slammed the doors behind them. Sole flew backward; as her hair had gotten caught in the door. “Dimwits.” McDonough muttered, watching Piper panic as Sole frantically tried to free her own hair. “Blue, woulda quit fidgeting for a minute? I’ll open the door for you. Just stay still.” Piper turned the knob on the wooden doors and pushed out, freeing her partner. A disoriented Sole scrambled to her feet. Piper shook her head and focused her attention back on the deranged mayor. “I hope you enjoyed that little show, because now we mean business,” She turned to her blushing partner and smirked, “Right Blue?”

Hancock: Sole and Hancock we’re enjoying a relaxing afternoon on Spectacle Island . They had just taken down the Institute and decided to take a well-deserved vacation. “This is niiiice,” Hancock beamed, taking a long hit of jet. “I could really get used to this.” Sole smiled as she laid down in the sand, absorbing the warmth from the sun. She closed their eyes and imagined she was at the beach in Cape Cod with Nate and Shaun— a vacation spot the family frequented. She was just about to drift into a deep sleep when suddenly she felt a powerful force grab hold of her hair and toss her across the sand like a rag doll. Dazed, Sole looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. “[Name]! Are you okay, doll?” Hancock yelled, trying to fend off a mirelurk. “Bad move, buddy.” Hancock stayed as he repeatedly shot the underbelly of the ferocious crab. The mirelurk eventually gave in to its injuries and fell to the ground, dead. “Looks like I’m your king now.” Hancock teased. He then ran over to his partner and knelt beside her. “Seriously, though? Are you okay?” Sole nodded. “How’s the hair?”Hancock laughed, grabbing a thick lock of hair and examining it. “Is that a bald spot I see..!? Nah, I’m just messin with ya. It’s all still there.”

Deacon: Deacon and Sole were leaving the Railroad for their next quest when the secret door closed behind them, right onto Sole’s hair. Sole cried for help and Deacon sprinted over to her. “Looks like you’re in a bit of a hairy situation.” Sole shot daggers at Deacon as he chuckled at his own joke. “Alright let’s see here...shit. What’s the password?” A livid Sole screamed ‘Railroad.’ Deacon looked at them. “What? No way, that’s too easy. Knowing Des she probably made the password something complex like...schadenfreude.” Sole was now cursing in frustration. Deacon had a goofy smile plastered on his face “Okay, fine, if you insist, I will try ‘railroad.’” Deacon spun the wheel to spell out the password and the door opened. Sole freed herself and glared at Deacon. He chuckled, “You’re fine, you were never really in real danger anyway.” Deacon explained, putting a playful arm around Sole’s shoulder. “Maybe you should cut hair a little so it doesn’t get caught on everything. You could even donate extra inches to Lockes4Deacon. I’m am bald, after all.”

Strong: Strong and Sole were wandering around Back Bay When Sole suddenly felt a massive tug on her hair. She was practically flung into the hard ground. A confused Sole yowled in pain; everything hurt from her head all the way down to her legs. Her vision was blurry— definitely a concussion— and she couldn’t get back up. “Strong sorry, human!” Strong apologized, “Strong step on fur and human kept running! No mean to hurt!” Sole weakly begged their Supermutant friend to give them a stimpack. Strong obedient searched through Sole’s inventory and grabbed the medicine, promptly injecting Sole. Sole stood up and massaged her scalp. “Human should cut fur.” Strong advised, “Long fur is weakness. Easy target.”

Longfellow: Sole and Longfellow were fishing on the docks of Far Harbor when suddenly a gulper leaped from the water and chomped down on Sole’s hair, dragging her into the salty water below. “Shit! I’m commin!” Longfellow yelled as he dove in after her. He took out a spear and swiftly swam toward the enemy. With a powerful jab, he impaled the creature, killing it instantly. Sole and Longfellow then swam to coast. When they had both reached the sandy shore, Longfellow chuckled. “Well, that was a doozy! Good thing I didn’t start my drinking at 7am today!” He joked. He then studied Sole’s hair. “Well, would you look at that; not even a scratch on the hair. Impressive! Mind donating some of that so I can use it as fishing line?”

Ada: Ada and Sole were fighting off robots in the mechanist's lair when Sole screamed. Her hair had gotten caught in one of the hostile robot’s machinery. “Hold on, ma’am! I’ll be right over to assist you.” Ada finished off the robot she was currently fighting and scrambled over to her struggling companion. She scanned the area of the trapped hair. “My diagnostic revealed that your hair is stuck in between a coil and a gear. There is only a 3.776% chance of getting your hair out unscathed. Your viable options include: manually freeing hair and risking a large bald spot— or— cutting hair short to at least have a style that looks half-decent—or— doing nothing.”

Nick: Nick and Sole were sloshing around the flooded streets of Forest Grove Marsh when Nick turned to his partner. “Careful,” he whispered, “I hear this place is a popular vacation destination for ferals.” Almost immediately after he said that the pair spotted emaciated bodies of the ghouls patrolling the end of the road. It was then that Nick noticed a building that was still in-tact but had a few openings that could be used to discreetly shoot the ferals. “Now, would you look at that? This building would make a fantastic shooting post.” The detective mused, “If we sneak into the building and lock the door behind us, we might be able to wipe them out from a spot where they can’t reach us.” Sole nodded and the two crept into the building. Sole closed the door behind her— unaware her hair had yet to make it through— and Nick barred it. “I’ll shoot from the window first; you stay there. We’ll trick them into thinking it’s just me over here. Then, you jump in. Ferals are pretty...feeble-minded. So your surprise attack will probably disorient then.” He then walked over to the window. “Ready?” Sole gave a thumbs up. Nick aimed his laser rifle and shot at the hoard of ghouls. Nick was able to take down about 1/3 of the mob when he called to Sole. “NOW!” Sole leaped toward the window—or at least tried to. She hollered in pain as her hair tugged at her scalp. Nick immediately understood what had happened. “I’m coming, pal!” He ran over to his companion. After quickly assessing the situation and realizing that opening the door was out of the question, he took a machete out of his inventory. “I’m so sorry I have to do this [name], but it’s either this or becoming feral food.” Sole gave Nick the okay and with the swift swipe of the blade, Sole was freed from her long locks. The pair quickly moved to the window to continue their ambush.

MacCready: Sole and MacCready were making their way down a dirt path in the woods when a pack of five wild mongrels attacked. All but one of the dogs were easily killed. The fifth dog— an alpha— snuck up behind the pair and clamped onto Sole’s hair. Sole screeched in pain and MacCready pulled out his gun. He aimed and fired, immediately killing the canine. Sole thanked her companion and MacCready smirked. “Hey, don’t mention it. That’s what I’m here for, right?” He shifted uncomfortably. “Actually [name], there’s been, uh, something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, and I think this might’ve been the universe’s sign that now’s the time.” Sole perked up. “I...I don’t really think it’s a good idea to be wandering the Commonwealth with free-flowing hair that practically reaches your thighs. It could be dangerous. Like what just happened. What if that dog were a feral? I don’t even want to imagine-“ he realized he was rambling and stopped himself short. “But I digress. What I’m trying to say is maybe that was a sign that you should cut your hair.” Sole shot him a look. MacCready immediately understood that he had not gotten through to her. “It’s kinda a liability, yanno. For both of us.” Sole rolled her eyes and MacCready scoffed. “What? You gonna miss all those hairballs that clog the drain in the only working shower in Sanctuary? They’re gross.” Sole turned away and continued walking down the path, MacCready following close behind. The pair continued on their trek, an awkward silence between them. Eventually, MacCready sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. Your hair is beautiful. And I really don’t care about the darn hairballs in the shower. How many times do you think I actually use the shower? I just don’t want anything to happen to you.” Sole turned to face her partner and saw how genuinely distraught he was. She felt bad, and the two compromised that from here on out, Sole would wear her hair up in a bun.

Codsworth: Sole and Codsworth were walking around Sanctuary when Sole’s hair randomly got caught in a rotted doorframe. She called Codsworth for help, and the robot sighed. “Mum, remember back in the old days when your hair was...groomed? Well, wasn’t it easier to maintain? Didn’t it feel good not worrying about getting it stuck in everything?” Sole rolled her eyes at the robot’s question. Codsworth signed. “Fine. I suppose it’s none of my business. I just think you would be better off without your hair holding you back.”

Curie: Sole and Curie were approaching the Saugus Ironworks when they were attacked by a gang of Forged raiders. The pair fought valiantly and had taken out most of the group until a Forged managed to sneak behind Sole and set her hair on fire. “Madam! You’re hair! It’s been set ablaze!” Sole shrieked and threw herself onto the dirt ground in an attempt to smolder the flames. Curie defended Sole while they recovered. When she had defeated the Forged, she knelt down beside Sole. “Are you alright?” Curie asked, concerned. Sole sat up, revealing hair that was charred up to the shoulders as well as some minor neck burns. “Oh...” Curie mourned, “Let me treat your burns. As for your hair—“ Curie touched the burned hair and it crumbled in her hands. Sole began to cry. “Oh no, please don’t cry,” Curie pleaded, she wrapped her arms around her sobbing companion and gently held her. “I know you’re going to miss your long hair, but it will grow back. And hair can still look nice short.” Curie smiled, looked at Sole, and wiped away her tears “We can be like twins until your hair grows back.”

Danse: Sole and Danse were sneaking through the buildings of college square, fully prepared to ambush the synths that had taken over the area. “Remain vigilant.”’Danse warned, “These synths are stealthy sons-of-bitches.” Just then, a mob of synths busted down the door, revealing the duo. “Show no mercy!” Danse bellowed, loading his laser rifle and shooting at the robots. Just then, a gust of wind blew Sole’s long hair into Danse’s face. “View obstructed!” Danse yelled as he missed the targets. The synths used this error to charge at the pair. “They’re closing in— melee!” Sole and Danse put away their guns and engaged in physical combat with the synths. When the synths were finally defeated, Danse looked at his partner. He was not pleased. “Soldier! Do something about your hair!” The Paladin berated, “It’s a hazard, and it’s a violation of policy. I’ve been letting it slide, but this could’ve ended in a fatality had we not been prepared for physical combat.” Danse took a minute to cool off before continuing, “I apologize for scolding you. But this is a written rule, and it’s enforced for a reason. I know you take great pride in your hair, but for your own wellbeing and for the safety of your brothers and sisters please just...manage it.”

Haylen: “You sure your hair isn’t gonna get stuck in the power armor?” Haylen asked, concerned. “It might get locked in the door or caught on a gear or something. Thankfully there are emergency release switches but—“ Sole stepped into the power armor. “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?” Haylen muttered to herself, “And that makes 3 of the 4 members of this squad hardheads.” She looked back over at Sole, holding up an elastic, “You sure you don’t even want a hair tie? I have plenty extra.” Sole shook her head and activated the suit. It powered up and sealed— right onto their hair. Sole shrieked in pain, and Haylen rushed over to activate the emergency release. When the suit opened back up, Sole was greeted by Haylen, arms crossed and smiling smugly. She silently held out the hair tie again and Sole snatched it. “1 for Haylen; 0 for [name].”

Maxon: Sole was nervously sitting in Maxon’s quarters, waiting for the Elder to arrive for the private meeting he’s called for. The Elder finally entered the room, closing the door behind him. He took a seat across from Sole. “I called you here today to discuss a policy violation. Specifically the uniform code.” Maxon pulled out the Brotherhood of Steel Employee Handbook. Page 124, Rule #22 states: Because it is impossible to provide examples of every appropriate or unacceptable hairstyle, the good judgment of leaders at all levels is key to enforcement of Brotherhood’s grooming policy.  Therefore, grooming appearance while in uniform shall present a neat, professional appearance. It should not impede one’s ability to enter/exit power armor and/or fight in combat. Hair length, when in uniform, may touch, but not fall below a horizontal line level with the lower edge of the back of the collar. Long hair should be pulled back.” Maxon sternly looked at Sole, who was obviously avoiding his gaze. “You are not an exception to the rules, so the choice is yours: you can either cut your hair or pull it back. You can no longer have it free-flowing.”