#also there's the issue of me always THINKING of him as a Van Dort

[victorluvsalice]

I haven’t read all of your fan fictions yet, so if I missed important info, I’m sorry, but - if Victor married Alice, do you think he’d go by “Victor Liddell” or “Victor Van Dort-Liddell?” I know women took their husband’s name in that era and that the Van Dort name has a prestigious ring to it because of his dad’s company, but Victor knows how important Alice’s family was to her. I think it would be very in-character for him to keep their memory alive by taking their name as his own.

Huh, I never thought of them hyphenating it before. . . Anyway, I’m in favor of Victor taking Alice’s last name -- his family name may be prestigious, but he doesn’t have a very close connection to it, or his parents. In fact, in a lot of my AUs, their relationship just gets even more strained over time. And, as you note, he’s sensitive to how important Alice’s family is to her, and how she’d like to keep them close. In any more modern AU where they got married, he’d happily become Victor Liddell officially (and damn the consequences from his parents).

In the Victorian ones, though. . .I guess the problem is, I’m not sure how they’d go about doing that officially. As far as I know, that sort of thing didn’t happen in that time period, and they might run into legal issues -- or people just saying “no, that’s wrong, the woman takes the man’s name” -- if they tried. I suppose there’s always bribery, but. . .as I’ve got it set up, Alice just takes Victor’s name in those verses, assuring him she’s really okay with it (because, Victor being Victor, he does feel kind of guilty). And he’s probably referred to as “Victor Liddell” more casually with friends (that certainly pops up enough in the RPing I do with him). Perhaps later on they find a way to change the family name. . .

[thebeautifulmoonlight]

Basic Questions

First name? Emily

Surname? Loreley

Middle names? Rose

Date of birth? February 28, 1891

Age? 130

Physical / Appearance

Other distinguishing features?

Multiple spots where she has sewn wounds back together and put body parts back on.

Physical handicaps?

Due to her being dead, she has a few issues physically. First, her skin is very fragile and does not mend itself. Her nerve endings and taste buds are also extremely dulled, requiring stronger touches and tastes to be recognized. She cannot get drunk and does not require food or air to survive. She also cannot have children.

Type of clothes? She     still prefers older style, vintage-inspired clothing that calls back to     the styles from when she was alive.

What are their feet     like? (type of shoes, state of shoes, socks, feet, pristine, dirty, worn,     etc) Pretty shoes but loose to not loosen her toes from her foot.

Are they in good health?     …. I don’t even know how to answer this

Personality

What words or phrases do     they overuse? Far too many old school sayings

Are they more optimistic     or pessimistic?

Emily is very optimistic. She believes that everything works out in the end – even facing the darkness of her past, she looks for the silver lining she is sure will come out of it.

Are they introverted or     extroverted? Extroverted

Do they ever put on     airs? Never ever – there is no room for that sort of thing in a civil     society.

What bad habits do they     have? She is far too trusting of people.

What makes them laugh     out loud? She’s pretty soft spoken, but she is humored easily. She might     not laugh out loud but a decent corny joke and you’ll get her chuckling.

How do they display     affection? Showering the person with her attention and smiles.

How do they want to be     seen by others?

She wants people to see her as kind, as loving, fun, a person that will always have your back.

Strongest character     trait?

Her strongest character trait is her ability to raise up people regardless of where she is in her life and in the moment.

Weakest character trait?

There are moments, topics, goals that she has, where she is willing to sacrifice the greater good to fill those holes in her own life.

How competitive are     they? Not even a little – but the games are fun to play still.

Do they make snap     judgements or take time to consider? Take the time to consider.

How do they react to     praise?

Emily does not handle praise well. It makes her blush, she can’t make eye contact after… but she does appreciate it. Please don’t stop saying nice things about her.

How do they react to     criticism?

The idea that she let someone down would be crushing.

What is their greatest     fear?

I think her biggest fear is also something she knows will be her reality – I think she would desperately love to have children, a husband, a family, that quaint little life, but it’s impossible, meaning she has to live with the truth to her fear every day.

What are their biggest     secrets? I mean… that she’s dead.

What is their philosophy     of life?

You really never know how much time you have left in this world. Don’t waste it. Laugh. Dance. Love. Enjoy the people beside you while they are still there.

When was the last time     they cried? Probably just earlier that day.

What haunts them?

The fact that she was murdered by the person she thought loved her and not letting that color the way she views the people in her life now.

What are their political     views?

Okay – let me write this now to be updated later! I think, just because she is new to this world, she would lean more conservative, but as she grows and learns and educates herself, she will swing to a liberal view of the world.

What will they stand up     for? Herself, the people she loves.

Who do they quote? Her     father.

Are they indoorsy or     outdoorsy? Outdoorsy.

What sense do they most     rely on?

Because most of her senses are very dulled, she can only really rely on sight and hearing.

What quality do they     most value in a friend?

People who are accepting and loyal.

What do they consider an     overrated virtue? Obeying rules.

If they could change one     thing about themselves, what would it be?

Emily has a lot of anger inside her that rears its head and shows the worst of her. She wishes she had more control over that.

What is their obsession?     Finding love.

What are their pet     peeves? People who don’t listen to her.

Friends and Family

Is their family big or     small? Who does it consist of?

Small, it was only herself and her parents.

What is their perception     of family?

Family was something very important to her and she misses them insanely. Family are people who love you, support you, and build up you and your dreams.

Ideal best friend?

This is a person that she has fun with and always has her back. They accept her for all her flaws and would probably not murder her once they have her trust.

Describe their other     friends.

Past and Future

What was your character     like as a baby? As a child?

Emily was a curious child, always enjoying learning new things and having adventures. It was not uncommon for her parents to have to go hunting the village to find where her day had taken her. She was not a troublemaker but her ability to wander gave them plenty of heartache.

Did they grow up rich or     poor?

Her father owned most of the town as she grew up and allowed her to have some of the best things in life. They were the first in the town to have their own car.

Did they grow up     nurtured or neglected? Nurtured.

What was their first     kiss like?

Their first kiss was with Barkis. It was very soft and lovely – and a total lie.

What is the worst thing     they did to someone they loved?

While her feelings on Victor as love is debatable, she tried to force him to be with her and also force his true love to stay away from him – the aftershocks of that event and the depths she was willing to take to make them do what she wanted is why she ran off and found herself here.

What are their     ambitions?

To find a husband… stay tuned for growth.

What advice would they     give their younger self?

Listen to your parents. They want what is best for you, and Barkis is not what is best.

What smells remind them     of their childhood?

Baked bread.

What was their childhood     ambition?

To run her own restaurant.

What is their best     childhood memory?

She loves to think back on the evenings with her family. They would gather around, talking with each other, playing the piano. Her parents talked to each other as equals and challenged each other in their love – she would sit and watch and adore them.

When was the last time     they were crushed with disappointment?

When Victor didn’t want her.

What past act are they     most ashamed of?

Her verbal and physical assault of Victor’s love.

Has anyone ever saved     their life? She wishes.

Love

Do they believe in love     at first sight? One billion percent.

How do they behave in a     relationship?

She is someone who will totally devoted and loyal in a relationship. When she is with you, her eyes are totally on you and no one else.

When did you character     last have sex? Never.

Has your character ever     been in love? No………………

Have they ever had their     heart broken?

People can take a number to break her heart.

Conflict

How do they respond to a     threat?

She does not back away from a threat and is not afraid to face it head on. She will put you in your place if she must.

Are they most likely to     fight with their fists or their tongue? Tongue.

What is your character’s     kryptonite?

She is extremely gullible. For all her backbone, she can be manipulated into giving you her trust and allowed to be mistreated.

How do they perceive     strangers?

To Emily, you are a friend until you prove that you aren’t.

What do they love to     hate? She finds that whole idea troubling.

What is their choice of     weapon?

Swords. Very dramatic.

Have they ever been     bullied or teased? Is murder bullying?

Work, Education and Hobbies

What are some of their     past jobs?

She ran her father’s speakeasy for him before her death.

What are their hobbies?

Playing piano, traveling, getting lost and finding adventures.

Educational background?

She went to a girl’s school, able to get a high school education thanks to her father being well off.

Intelligence level? Just     average intelligence.

Do they have a natural     talent for something? She’s musically gifted.

Do they play a sport?     Are they any good?

She does not play a sport but because it was not an option to her. If she had had an opportunity, she would have probably enjoyed it and be athletic.

What is their     socioeconomic status?

She is currently quite poor and living in a shelter until she gets a job and money to support herself.

Favorites

What is their favorite     animal? Hummingbirds.

Which animal do they     dislike the most? Snakes.

What place would they     most like to visit?

She would love to go to Paris. Emily thinks of it as the epitome of sophistication and romance.

What is the most     beautiful thing they’ve ever seen?

A full moon shining through the tree.

Music, art, reading     preferred? Music

What is their favorite     color? Purple

What is their password? EmilyL     – its bad, I know, she’ll learn lol

Favorite food: Anything     with lots of garlic so she can taste it

Possessions

What is in their fridge?

Nothing, because she doesn’t have to eat.

What is on their bedside     table?

Dried flowers and a candle

What is in their bin?

Paper scraps scribbled with Emily Van Dort

What is in their     pockets? A lot of change

Spirituality

Who or what is your     character’s guardian angel?

She misses the worm that helped her with advice when she was dead.

Do they believe in the     afterlife? Um… yes.

Are they superstitious? Very.

What would they like to     be reincarnated as?

She would be happy just being a whole person and not a dead one.

How would they like to     die? Not murder by someone she trusted, that’s for sure.

What is your character’s     spirit animal? A rabbit.

What is their zodiac     sign? Pisces

Values

What do they think is     the worst thing that can be done to a person? Murder.

What is their view of     ‘freedom’?

Freedom is the ability to make your own choices, live your life by your own rules, out in the world and surrounded by nature.

When did they last lie?     A couple days ago.

What’s their view of     lying?

As long as you aren’t hurting someone, she does not see the issue with it.

When did they last make     a promise? Earlier today. She makes them often.

Did they keep or break     their last promise? Always keep your promises.

Daily life

What are their eating     habits?

Because she is dead, she doesn’t have any need for nourishment or eating. She eats for appearances sometimes, or to feel normal, but she has to eat and drink very strong flavors in order for her dulled taste buds to notice it.

Are they minimalist or a     clutter hoarder? Clutter is comfy.

What do they do first     thing on a weekday morning?

She hasn’t slept so she probably goes back to wherever she is staying to change into new clothes and wash the old.

What is their alcoholic     drink of choice?

She loves old timey drinks that remind her of home and her life before death.

Miscellaneous

What or who would your     character dress up as for Halloween?

She is going to enjoy some Halloween. She’d probably just paint her face slightly green and reveal all her real stitchings, and go as a zombie.

Are they comfortable     with technology? Hahaha, no.

If they could save one     person, who would it be? Victor.

If they could call one     person for help, who would it be? Orion.

What is their greatest     regret?

Any act of violence she perpetuated.

What would they do if     they won the lottery?

Pay for a trip to Europe for herself and her friends.

What is their favourite     fairytale? Cinderella

What fairytale do they     hate? Hansel and Gretel

Do they believe in happy     endings? Absolutely.

What is their idea of     perfect happiness?

A house lit by candlelight with a husband and children running around.

What would they ask a     fortune teller?

Does she find someone who love her?

If your character could     travel through time, where would they go?

Home.

If they could have a     superpower, what would they choose? Flying.

[thevalicemultiverse]

Things You Need To Know About: Catch Us If You Can

Tag: ~V: Catch Us If You Can

Premise: An offshoot of The Forgotten Vows Verse, where someone saw Alice kill Dr. Bumby and ran off to get the police. Forced to flee without Victor, Alice disappeared into the mean streets of Whitechapel, and Victor was taken to Rutledge as their newest patient. There, he recovered his mind, but lost much of his sanity thanks to the cruel treatments and his parents’ insistence he stay there for still clinging to his stories about “corpse brides.” Alice, catching wind of his fate, broke in one stormy night and got him out – but the two ended up killing the hated Monroe twins in the process. And then they realized, hey, they kind of like the idea of eliminating once and for all the scum on the East End’s streets…

This AU is basically the "bad end" I conceived of for the Forgotten Vows Verse one day. It's functionally identical to that verse right up until Alice kills Bumby. Unseen by her, someone else walks into the station looking for their train, and sees her shove the psychiatrist on the tracks. They promptly scream and go running for the nearest policeman. Alice, realizing she's in trouble, tries to wake Victor but fails thanks to being in a rush. Unable to stay, she instead gives him a command -- "Just follow the police and go where they tell you!" -- before racing off just ahead of some of the constabulary.

The police naturally find Victor in the station, still lost in the dark places of his mind. He did hear Alice's command, however, and when they ask him to come with them, he obeys immediately, slipping back into normal Thirteen mode. The police keep him at the station a couple of days, trying to figure out what to do with him as they look for Alice -- Harry Hightopp and Fred Tarrant, his old cop friends, try to wake him up, but their efforts are for naught. Finally, needing the cell, the decision is made to send him to Rutledge, and he is admitted as their newest patient.

As might be expected, his time in the asylum is pretty horrific -- not in the least because David and Lum Monroe are back there, and very keen on taking advantage of his obedient state. Strangely enough, though, the treatments actually do bring back Victor's memory (starting with a cold bath making him recall what he went through after Dr. Carcer's visit to his house). Once he's mostly back to himself, his parents are called in for a visit. Victor is eager to see them and go home to regain some semblance of normality...but the moment he admits that he still remembers Emily, and still believes her real, Nell and William declare that he is going to stay in Rutledge until this is no longer the case.

As Victor himself would put it, "the old Victor Van Dort died in that moment." Victor snaps and lunges across the table, now a being basically of pure rage. The staff manages to restrain and sedate him, but after that moment, Victor is suddenly their greatest escape risk, taking advantage of even the slightest lapse to make a break for it. He also gets much more dangerous around the staff (with the exception of Nurse D-, whom still treats him kindly), to the point where he's kept in a straitjacket near-constantly. He's even muzzled after a biting incident with the Monroe twins. Officially disowned by his parents and at the mercy of the asylum's worst, Victor begins to despair of ever leaving Rutledge any other way than in a coffin.

And then, one stormy night, someone opens his door -- and it's Alice. Still on the run for the murder of Dr. Bumby, she finally discovered just what his current situation was in a local paper, and, wracked by guilt, has come to rescue him. Victor's thrilled to see her, and the two attempt to sneak out quietly. Unfortunately, the Monroe twins spot them, and a fight ensues. Alice, who goes nowhere now without a knife for protection, slices open David's throat, while Victor gets his hands on the handle to an old supplies cart and manages to beat Lum’s head in. The two manage to escape despite the ensuing chaos, hiding out in an abandoned house nearby. As they lick their wounds, they come to a realization --

They kind of liked killing the Monroes.

Coupled with the knowledge that, while Bumby is dead, most of the people he sold to and worked with are certainly not, the pair make a vow -- to get rid of the scum of London in the most permanent manner that they know how. And so begins the lives of Whitechapel's most notorious vigilantes. . .

It would be wise to consider this verse to have a permanent trigger warning for violence and death -- I'll tag posts appropriately, but if you really hate that sort of stuff, probably best to leave this Victor alone.

This verse has no sub-categories – threads can be set anytime without any major changes of location or cast.

Common NPCs:

Alice Liddell (throughout)

Shipping: Victor/Alice -- Victor can't even conceive of himself with any other woman at this point. As a point of interest, the relationship itself is purely romantic -- any desire either of them had for sex was killed by Bumby's lustful depredations.  

NPC Ships: None

Important Facts:

You know how Forgotten Vows is triggered by people coming up on him suddenly from behind, being touched on his butt, total darkness, or being threatened with hypnosis? Take his reactions to all of those and turn them up to ELEVEN with Catch Us Victor. While Forgotten will generally try to either run away or (if he thinks it might work) reason with anyone attempting any of the above activities first (or at least apologize for elbowing someone who didn't mean it), Catch Us's first response will ALWAYS be violence, or at least the threat of such. He generally won't make it lethal violence, but if someone keeps pushing or he deems them a genuine threat to his or Alice's well-being. . .all bets are off.

Victor is also triggered by the idea of being restrained in any fashion. This one you can blame mostly on Rutledge, where he spent a hell of a lot of time in a straitjacket or tied down for treatments. He'll fight like a cornered cat at the threat of being tied up in any manner.

Victor is so Alice-romantic it's not even funny -- any attempts at flirting will be shut down immediately (with varying degrees of politeness depending on the flirt and the person flirting). Trying to force the issue -- or do anything sexual in nature to him -- is going to end with a blade between your ribs.

Victor and NPC Alice have no compunctions about killing people they feel deserve it. Fortunately for the general population, and anyone who might come talk to them, they generally limit the deserving to "child predators and anyone actively trying to kill us." While they'll naturally be wary around those in law enforcement, they can be perfectly friendly with anyone else. They have a soft spot for kids in particular -- any child who ends up befriending them is going to have a hell of a pair of bodyguards.

Victor's appearance differs somewhat from his counterparts in that he has shorter hair -- it was shaved in Rutledge, and threads will be generally set around the time it's started to properly grow out. He's looking forward to the day that he finally looks like himself again. He also has ditched the suits for plain shirts and trousers -- easier to clean.

Victor's weapon of choice is a straight razor -- easy to carry and can end a life pretty rapidly. (Yes, it's a Sweeney Todd reference -- you expect me to go without one?) He's willing to use pretty much anything he can get his hands on, though, and he and Alice generally scavenge extra weapons from their victims. NPC Alice herself favors the traditional butcher's knife.

Dr. Wilson has still taken over the Home in this universe, and June still works there -- she raced to her interview with Dr. Bumby only to find the house empty, and then learned her predecessor killed him when the police came knocking. She looked after the place until Dr. Wilson was coaxed into taking over, and promptly became his assistant. It's unlikely they'll be regular NPCs (since Victor and Alice avoid being seen near Houndsditch due to a high risk of being caught), but if a thread somehow requires their presence, they can show up. As you might expect, both of them have a lower opinion of Victor and Alice than they do in the "main" Forgotten Vows Verse. Similarly, Victoria and Christopher have returned to Sandford by the time of Victor and Alice's first kill, but could be brought back if a thread requires it. (And if you just want to throw a completely oblivious Victoria at Victor, feel free!

This verse is open to everyone!

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: Fallout of Darkness -- Another Meme

I unfortunately don’t recall where I got this one, though I do remember picking it up in the #fallout 4 tag -- I think a number of people were using it for their Sole Survivors. Which is what I did! With the added twist of “let me do this universe’s Alice as well!” So you get double the information for the same price! :P

Note: This is vaguely set I’d say about halfway through the plot of Fallout 4 -- Victor and Alice have had the run-in with Ug-Qualtoth and gotten Alice sunlight immunity (see this post for more details), and they’ve met at least most of the other companions. Also yes, pets -- Victor does indeed adopt the “wounded dog” encounter in my verse! (And if anyone knows of a mod that lets you send her to a settlement for real. . .) Please remember I haven’t actually played much of the main plot myself, so things may be a little vague/prone to changing once I get further in!

name ➔

V: Victor Fitzwilliam Van Dort – my mother wanted me to have an "aristocratic" middle name, for some reason.

A: Alice Pleasance Liddell – yes, just like the historical Alice. I guess after Lizzie decided I should be "Alice," my parents decided to go whole hog with the reference.

are you single ➔

V: [with a warm look at Alice] No, I'm not.

A: [with a warm look back] Not anymore.

are you happy ➔

V: [still with that warm look at Alice] Very much so.

A: [smiling] A lot happier than I was in the past, that's for sure. Which is kind of sad, given it's post the nuclear apocalypse now. . .

are you angry ➔

V: [thoughtful] I – I was for a while. Not so much anymore – the worst of it has cooled. But – there's some things I think I'll always be angry about.

A: I think my answer's about the same. Given some of the nonsense we've been through, some low-level anger is just to be expected, honestly.

are your parents still married ➔

V: . . .they were when the bombs dropped.

A: Mine were when that bastard Bumby set our house on fire to cover up what he'd done to my sister.

NINE FACTS

birthplace ➔

V: Burtonsville – it's a tiny village in England. I don't actually remember it, though – my parents moved to Boston when I was only about a year and a half old. I grew up here in Boston and the surrounding area.

A: Oxford, England – my father was the Dean of Christ Church at the college when he was alive. I have fond memories, but I haven't been back since the fire.

hair color ➔

V: Black. Mother occasionally insisted it was dark brown, but – black.

A: Black, though weirdly I actually was almost a redhead as a child. It darkened straight through brown to this as I grew up. I've never been sure why it got so dark, though I suspect all that time lying in Rutledge, getting probably-inadequate nutrition and light for a growing girl, didn't help matters.

eye color ➔

V: Dark brown.

A: Green, though Victor likes being poetic with descriptions like "emerald fire" sometimes.

mood ➔

V: . . .er – generally anxious? Trying to be helpful regardless?

A: Sarcastic? To hide that I'm more worried than I let on?

gender ➔

V: Male, he/him.

A: Female, she/her.

summer or winter ➔

V: Summer – I'm not a fan of the cold. Though spring's my actual favorite season – I love seeing everything come back to life.

A: I feel like I should like winter more, because of the longer nights, but now that we've actually fixed the sunlight issue. . .yes, summer. I'm not really a fan of the cold either.

morning or afternoon ➔

V: Afternoon – I've never been that much of a morning person, and mornings tend to be – stressful in the Commonwealth.

A: To be fair, so are the afternoons, but – yes, generally you're not dealing with threats still wiping the sleep from your eyes in said afternoons. And in my case, they're closer to night, which is still the time when I feel most myself, so. . .

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

are you in love ➔

V: [exchanging a very warm look with Alice] Yes.

A: [giving it right back] Very much so.

do you believe in love at first sight ➔

V: Maybe not true love, but attraction? A sense of connection, kinship? Certainly – that's how I felt when I first met Victoria, and later Emily.

A: I can get behind that – my mother said she felt a pull toward my father when they first met. . .but I don't think love at first sight exists. You need to get to know someone – form a solid bond first.

who ended your last relationship ➔

V: [darkly cheerful] The American and Chinese governments, throwing nuclear missiles at each other! [sighing] No, that’s not quite fair – yes, they drove us into Vault 111, but the ones who actually murdered my wife and girlfriend were Kellogg and the Institute. The former more obviously than the latter, but. . . [voice cracks] Damn it, what was wrong with putting everyone's life support back on. . .

A: [puts a comforting hand on his arm] In my case, I never really had a romantic relationship before – even friendships were kind of fleeting, or long-distance. I've gone along with flirtations in the past to get meals, sure, but none of those ever turned into relationships. The closest I had was – well, Heather getting blood-bonded to me, which I didn't even mean to do. I was just trying to help her, and I didn't realize at the time. . . [bites her lip] I ended that – sent her away before she could get hurt by my enemies, explaining that what would make me happiest would be for her to be with her grandmother and stay in college. I wanted to go back and maybe try to help her some more once I was done with LaCroix's bullshit, but then. . .I hope she had a good life, in the end.

have you ever broken someone’s heart ➔

V: Not knowingly – goodness, what started off my, Victoria, and Emily's threesome relationship was an attempt not to break anyone's heart! It worked out very well, until. . . [shakes his head]

A: [squeezes his arm gently] I probably broke Heather's heart by sending her away – she looked so sad as she walked out the door. But it was for the best – I dread to think what would have happened to her if the Sabbat had realized I had a ghoul! Other than that – depends on if anyone I've drunk from was hoping for more than just a "quickie." I doubt that, though.

are you afraid of commitments ➔

V: I'm afraid of them being forced on me because of people randomly promoting me every time I even get close to an organization. [sighing, reaching up to fiddle with a chain around his neck] But – maybe a little. Seeing – seeing your wife get shot in front of you. . .then your girlfriend's half-rotted corpse beside her. . .it sticks with you.

A: [nods] Being the only survivor of the house fire that killed your family sticks with you too. As does two of the most prominent men in your life being the bastard who killed them and was trying to wipe your mind, and the bastard who killed you and turned you into a bloodsucker. Add in my own rather unromantic nature, and – yes, I did pretty much avoid commitments for a while. [smiles at Victor] I think I'm a little better about it now, though.

have you hugged someone in the last week ➔

V: Oh, yes – Preston and Piper just the other day, in fact!

A: I'm not usually much of one for being touched, so I don't hug much. . . [thinks for a moment, then hugs Victor] But I'll happily make the answer a "yes" in this case.

have you ever had a secret admirer ➔

V: Does the brief period of time where Emily was crushing on me before Victoria noticed and decided to let her and me know it was okay if we wanted to date too count? Otherwise, I really don't think so. I wasn't popular with girls before meeting Victoria.

A: Bumby never made it clear whether he wanted to just turn me into a prostitute or fuck me himself as well, but I wouldn't count him anyway, because he was a horrible waste of flesh. So I have no idea – don't think so. Heather was – very open about her admiration.

have you ever broken your own heart ➔

V: Again, what happened between me, Victoria, and Emily was an attempt to avoid that. . .I can't say I have. It seems like others always break it for me.

A: Sending Heather away did hurt me a bit – not in the same way it hurt her, but it was nice to have someone else around the haven. . . [looks up at Victor] And I did resist romance initially here. Fortunately tall, dark, and handsome here didn't let me break my own heart.

SIX CHOICES

love or lust ➔

V: Love, definitely. [going pink] I mean, lust can be nice, but. . .

A: Love – even alive, I wasn't particularly interested in sex. And as a vampire, any urges that way now go toward sucking on people's necks. Which I guess is sex-adjacent, but still. . . Maybe "love" for serious relationships, "lust" for getting a meal.

lemonade or iced tea ➔

V: Oh, I haven't had either in ages. . .and I recall needing a lot of sugar for both to enjoy them. . .I guess lemonade. I think I had that more often.

A: Literally can't drink either these days, for multiple reasons. . .but I'm going with lemonade because I have fonder memories of that. And – hmmm. I wonder if it’s possible to make a variation with that “plasma fruit” Ted came up with at Wildwood Cemetery. . .

cats or dogs ➔

V: Dogs! I had a dog growing up, Scraps, who was my best friend! And Victoria, Emily, and I were going to get a dog shortly after. . . [pause, shakes head] And now I have Dogmeat and Mutt! They’re a good pair.

A: Cats! My best friends growing up were the family cat, Dinah, and her two kittens, Snowdrop and Kitty. Being a vampire does tend to make animals rather mistrustful of me, sadly, but I had some luck feeding ferals pre-War. And we managed to trap a cat recently who didn’t immediately try to claw me and run away – I’ve named her Kit-Kat.

a few best friends or many regular friends ➔

V: A few best friends – I'm n-not good with lots of people, and I just. . .I'm always so awkward, s-socially. I'd rather have a couple of people I know I can trust.

A: The same – I don't trust easily, after all the bullshit I've been through. Give me a small circle of people I know have my back over a larger group of more casual friends any day.

wild night out or romantic night in ➔

V: Romantic night in. I'm not much for parties. I like staying home with the people I love and just – being together.

A: Sort of like "love or lust" above, this kind of depends. I like a romantic night in for any actual relationships, but I did my fair share of clubbing to find someone to drink from back in the day.

day or night ➔

V: Well, I do like a good sunny day, but. . . [looking at Alice] I've really come to appreciate the nights in the Commonwealth. And not just because of the stars.

A: [smirking at him] Flatterer. . .but yes, night. For the longest time, it was the only time of day I could be out in. . .and even though it's wonderful now to be able to go out during the day and enjoy that, night is still when I feel most myself.

FIVE HAVE YOU EVERS

been caught sneaking out ➔

Victor: No, but that's because I never did. I grew up in the middle of a plague – I didn't have much incentive to sneak out! It took until I was fourteen for cases to drop enough in our part of Boston for my parents to be comfortable sending me to a school with other children, and by then I was so used to staying at home, sneaking out never occurred to me.

Alice: Oh god, yes, the New Plague, that was horrific. . .on my end, yes, I was. I tried to sneak out a couple of times as a small child to have adventures in the garden late at night or in the middle of storms. . .if my parents didn't catch me, though, my older sister did. I think I only actually got outside once, and even then it was only for a couple of minutes before Lizzie caught up with me. Mostly because she was trying to sneak out too, and didn't want her little sister tagging along.

fallen down/up the stairs ➔

Victor: . . .yes. To both. I – I can be pretty clumsy if I'm n-not paying attention to where I'm going.

Alice: [giving him an odd look] I've fallen down stairs – rushing around as a child on imaginary adventures – but never up. I'm – not entirely sure how you manage that.

wanted something/someone so badly it hurt ➔

V: [tugging at the chain around his neck again, which is revealed to have a blue butterfly pendant and a gold wedding ring strung on it] Yes. Something I can't have, I'm sad to say.

A: [playing with her own necklace, which is an old iron key shaped like the symbol for Venus] Same here. I'd like to think your Victoria and Emily and my parents and Lizzie are in the same place, at least.

wanted to disappear ➔

V: Oh, plenty of times. I have an unfortunate knack for saying the wrong thing and then wishing I could melt into the floor. And – well, I suppose every time I've been hiding from enemies and wanted to just turn invisible counts. . .

A: I wanted to disappear in the asylum a couple of times, in the sense of 'just stop existing.' Survivor's guilt does a number on your brain, let me tell you. . .though I can actually disappear these days, thanks to Obfuscate! Though, annoyingly, I genuinely can't do it if someone's looking.

smile or eyes ➔

V: Oh, back to these? [thoughtful] I – honestly, I think eyes. Victoria and Emily's eyes are one of the things I remember best about them. . . [smiles at Alice] And my current paramour has some of the most beautiful eyes in the Commonwealth.

A: You're going to make me blush despite being dead if you keep on like that. Though, what's good for the goose is good for the gander – while I like your eyes, it's your smile that really warms my undead heart.

shorter or taller ➔

V: Um – shorter out of necessity. I haven't met many women who are six-foot-three.

A: Similarly, I'm five-foot-five, so I kind of have to go taller.

intelligence or attraction ➔

V: . . .I assume this means intelligence or looks, and – I can't deny I like a pretty face, but the main reason I got together with the women I did is because I could hold a good conversation with them. Intelligence.

A: My attraction seems to be based on actually getting to know a person, and I don't suffer fools gladly. Intelligence all the way.

hook-up or relationship ➔

V: Oh, relationship. I never had a hook-up. I can't – I can't just do the "one night stand" thing. I need something a little more.

A: Another one where my actual feelings versus how I'd act to get a meal clash – though admittedly, I never had a "proper" hook-up. I'd just get someone in a quiet spot, suck a bit of blood, and let them get on with their lives. But now that things are better, I'm only too happy to commit myself to a real relationship.

FAMILY

do you and your family get along ➔

V: Well, it’s something of a moot point now, but. . . [he waggles a hand, making a face] I have to admit, I never liked my parents much. They weren’t very “hands-on” in raising me, and I often felt like they considered me a burden. Or a bargaining chip for social status. I did my best not to rock the boat just because upsetting my mother never ended well, but. . . [sigh] It wasn’t good.

A: By contrast, I had a perfectly lovely family life – my parents were kind and encouraged my sister and I in our various pursuits, and Lizzie. . .she was the best older sister a girl could have. I felt like I could tell her anything, and even if the age difference made playing together difficult, she did try whenever she had a spare moment. The reason I have such an “enthusiastic” imagination is because Mama, Papa, and Lizzie never tried to stifle it. I was – I felt so loved and happy the first eight years of my life. . .and then Bumby took it all away. [she looks away] I – it’s not fair.

would you say you have a “messed up life” ➔

V: [completely deadpan] I was frozen at the age of 27 in a vault designed to store people long-term for unknown reasons, and was finally thawed 210 years later, to find my wife and girlfriend dead, my son kidnapped, and the world above having been turned into a wasteland of vicious wildlife, super mutants, and raiders. With parts of it still irradiated because people are STILL launching small nuclear missiles at each other. Also the people who kidnapped my son can apparently make synthetic humans and use them as spies. And in the middle of all this, I’ve somehow ended up the leader of a bunch of little farms and such that composes a ragtag peacekeeping force that is still better than the actual assholes in power armor who have moved in. You tell me.

A: I can top that – turned into a vampire at age 20 after moving to Los Angeles to make sure I was far away from a murder I’d committed, then ended up roaming the world after a literally-explosive end to my time there as everyone’s errand boy. Was in Boston when the bombs dropped and got staked when my hidey-hole collapsed in on me, meaning I too got essentially “frozen” for 210 years, until a raider attacking this fellow here yanked the stake out and I responded by sucking him dry. Leaving me in a post-nuclear apocalypse trying to survive in a world where anyone’s blood might be at least slightly radioactive. Also we discovered that vampires are in fact the result of a little bit of some Lovecraftian horror worshiped by the people over at Dunwich Borers leaking into our world and infecting our souls. So that’s fun.

have you ever run away from home ➔

V: No – again, grew up in a plague, never really wanted to leave the house because of it.

A: I threatened to, once or twice, when upset, but I never followed through. Though I guess my moving to California could be construed as a kind of running away after I killed Bumby. . .but I never thought of Houndsditch as home. Same with Los Angeles, after I left there in the wake of that mess with LaCroix.

have you ever gotten kicked out ➔

V: No, though – sometimes I thought my mother was thinking about it. Whenever my social awkwardness reared its ugly head at one of her parties.

A: My parents were never the sort to do that, and Bumby of course wanted me close at Houndsditch. And I left polite vampire society on my own terms after LaCroix.

FRIENDS

do you secretly hate one of your friends ➔

V: . . .I’m not entirely sure how to classify my relationship with Strong. But I know he thinks more highly of me than I do of him. I – I try to be understanding, but it gets very tiring to listen to him go on about how one day Super Mutants will kill everything.

A: I had to be a lot friendlier to a lot people back in Los Angeles than I would have liked. . .but I don’t think any of them were laboring under the delusion we were actual friends. So no – if I don’t like you, I don’t hide it.

who is your best friend ➔

V: Alice, Preston, and Piper, definitely – they’re the ones I’ve traveled the most with, shared the most with, and just – feel the most comfortable around. [smiles] Oh, and Dogmeat of course.

A: Victor’s definitely my best friend – and frankly, I feel pretty close to Piper and Preston myself. They’re good people. [she smirks] Though Hancock and Nick are definitely the best people to snark with.

who knows everything about you ➔

V: Probably most of the people in the Commonwealth, I’ve had to explain about being frozen and what happened to my son a lot. . .more seriously, I’d say the above three. They’re the people I’m closest to, and the ones I’m most comfortable sharing information with.

A: I don’t know about everything, but – yes, Victor. And probably Piper knows the most after him, given she wanted to interview me for her paper.