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boarix · 5 years

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Wraith in the Ruins: A Fallout 4 Story Part XII

Children of the Wasteland

Trigger warnings: canon violence/language/gun, alcohol and drug use. Suggestive/mature content

Game Spoilers!

Please enjoy!

“You may kiss the bride!”

Spring had finally returned to the Commonwealth and with it the wedding of Valentine and Ellie. Wraith and Hancock stood tall and proud next to their friends as they pledged themselves to each other. Going all out with her sewing skills, Wraith had managed to make a wedding dress that the demure Ellie not only felt comfortable in but looked incredible in too. Valentine was dashing in a tux and formal hat and the pair presented an image that was somehow both striking and modest.

As soon as she had finished the dress Wraith had turned her attention to Hancock’s coat. He had been reluctant to have her mend it; suggesting that the threadbare look was necessary, “Rugged yet classy. Flashy but grounded. It’s a carefully cultivated affect, sunshine.”

“I think that even the King of the Zombies could occasionally go to a tailor… I’ll be gentle I promise.” She had kissed him to make him feel better, “We’ll go find some trouble sometime after the wedding and it’ll be right back to where it was.”

“Mmm, you me and trouble sounds good.”

Wraith hadn’t been getting into as much trouble as she might have liked. After returning to Sanctuary from the behemoth incident, Curie had grounded her. Apparently, tearing the entire Gunner Plaza apart with bare hands so recently after having a shoulder rebuilt was a mistake.

“Madame, you have been entirely too rough with your new arm! You heal quickly yes but you are not invincible. It requires additional surgery now and I would have you rest until it has mended. No more ripping and smashing until I say so! You understand, oui?”

Wraith had initially protested and told her that it would have to wait until spring but Hancock had finally gotten through to her after watching her try to shovel snow. “Far be it for me to tell ya what to do with one of your own limbs but sunshine, you should see the faces you’re making. If it hurts it hurts! Danse an’ me will take care of the snow, ya feel me?”

Working one-handed had been frustrating but Wraith couldn’t deny the necessity. Cautioned even after she stopped wearing the sling, she had to convince Curie that sewing and working on new tack with Strong and Bear wasn’t going to undo all her hard work.

“It’s perfect rehab, Baby Bird. I’m all caught up with desk work and I’m about to lose my mind. It’s this or I go out and find dragons to fight.”

“I simply cannot understand your attraction to violent excursion.”

“ALPHA GOOD AT SMASHING!”

There was no denying the sense of peace she had felt, while sitting with Panther sprawled across her lap, creating something with her hands. Now, standing next to Hancock in her Minutemen uniform, the past frustrations of the winter melted as the snow.

Valentine and Ellie were married and there was a small reception at Home Plate. Piper, Preston, Codsworth and Wraith had been cooking for days. Incredibly proud of the cake he had made, Preston stationed himself next to its table, eyeballing MacCready and the children if they got too close.

“Do you think he’ll let us cut it?” Ellie’s voice was just loud enough for him to hear but rather than be embarrassed Preston gave her the two finger I’ve-got-my-eyes-on-you gesture while sporting a huge smile.

The partygoers ate and visited, paused to watch the cake cutting (Ellie had rather daintily touched Valentine’s substantial nose with frosting and then proceeded to kiss it just as daintily away which cause a great deal of assorted “awww” noises) and ate and visited some more. Wraith drifted around pretending to mingle but really she was looking for Deacon. She hadn’t seen him since the Plaza fiasco and she was worried about him.

“Hey sunshine, come dance with me.” Hancock was the very definition of dashing in his mended coat. As other pairs moved to the floor, the ghoul led them toward the less crowded edge. When the song ended he pulled her tightly to him with a cunning look in his eye. “He’s not here, love.”

“Who?”

He smiled then kissed her. It was a long, intense kiss that left Wraith breathless and brought a flush to her cheeks. Seeming satisfied by her passionate response, he cocked his head to one side and gave her a self-mocking smile, “There’s only one person, apart from MacCready, that steals your attention from me.”

Now the color on Wraith’s cheeks belonged to embarrassment and she took a step away from him, “Who says I’m not looking for Shaun?”

“You just out-smarted yourself, sunshine.”

Frowning now, she play-punched his shoulder, “Be nice to me!” She folded her arms and glared at him.

His smile vanishing, Hancock snaked an arm around her middle and pulled her back to him. Leaning in close, his eyes shown with a look of open lust that made Wraith’s heart skip, “I’ll be very nice to you. Right now, if you want me.”

For a long second Wraith forgot that she was in a room full of people. Her breath hitching in her chest, she leaned against him.

Two can play at this game.

Her mouth at his ear, Wraith’s voice was wanton and husky, “I want you.” Thinking that she had called his bluff she was genuinely surprised when he pushed her to the wall while kissing her hard and unfastening her uniform.

…tactical error…

He let her push him away, knowing that he had won, “Don’t worry sunshine; I’m not that much of a barbarian.”

“Hmm, I don’t know… You’re not someone I’d play chicken with.”

Wraith shooed Valentine and Ellie away when they started to help with the clean-up, “Oh no; you guys leave this me! I’ll have some plenty helps so you guys go do newlywed and stuff.” A little tipsy, she made a couple of obscene gestures that made Ellie giggle.

To everyone’s surprise, Valentine swept his wife up into his arms, “I’ll get right on that!” Ellie laughed, delighted as he carried her out the door.

Hancock snickered, “He’s not even drunk! Hasn’t had a drop since MacCready’s birthday!”

Taking a break, Wraith settled in a chair and waved goodbye (perhaps over-enthusiastically) as Piper and the kids left.

“Quite a swinging, goodtime you all had.” Deacon handed Wraith a container of water, “Any cake left?”

“Ah, there’s the shadow master.” Wraith took a couple of sips while she stared at his full, red beard. “Where’ve you been?” Close to sober, she looked at the floor, “I’ve been worried about you.”

MacCready had swaggered up and stood next to Wraith’s chair not unlike Preston guarding the cake, “How’s it going, sunglasses? Nice chin-warmer. It real, or did you shave a dog for it? Haven’t seen you for a while; thought you might have gone to that big ol’ dumpster in the sky.”

Deacon was surprised: MacCready’s body posture and tone were conversational and friendly, despite the fact he initially seemed territorial. “Well, gosh MacSweety! I had no idea you cared so much.”

“Right!? Well, a hero always cares for the little people.”

“Hey hero, come back o’er here and help me with this fucking table!” Hancock winked at Wraith on their way out the door.

Even with just the two of them, Deacon felt the air was stifling close, “Can we talk on the roof, boss? I want to see the sky.”

It was still early spring and the night was chilly. Wraith sat cross-legged next to Deacon and watched their breath float away like mist, “You seem to be moving around okay…”

“I’m fit as a fiddle… where on earth did that expression come from?”

“Can you tell me what you’ve been up to? You seem... thicker. I like your beard by the way; it’s nicely shaped. You do that yourself? What’s it hiding?”

“Keeps my face warm. I’m a Minutemen caravan guard. Later this spring when you head to the Capital Ruins to pick up MacCready’s son, you’ll be joined by six fresh-faced new recruits. Well… in my case, a beard-faced recruit. My name’s Harley.” He offered her his hand, “It’s an honor to finally meet you, General. I believe I will be of great use to you.”

After a firm handshake he reached into the Minutemen uniform he was wearing and handed her an envelope. “This is correspondence meant for you from the Nyx Morningstar. She has agreed to meet your party and aide in the safe travel of Duncan MacCready.”

“De… Harley…”

Deacon removed his sunglasses and smiled his eyes at her, “Thicker, huh? Guess all those extra pushups did the trick.”

“You’re almost beastly.” She used her shoulder to shove his playfully. “Harley, are we sure these five ‘recruits’ aren’t going to suddenly become coursers midway south?”

Regret flashed across his face, “We are sure, yes.”

“I trust you.” She meant it as a joke but could tell his chuckle was forced. “I sent a letter to Morningstar last fall… how… no, that’s stupid; you know every fucking thing about me! But, do you know how unfair that is?”

“I’m the same age as Hancock. We are both going to be forty-five this year.”

“I adore you. You know that too though, don’t you?”

He let her lean on him, “Yeah.”

Shaun was furious. Dirty and bruised, the fact that he had been fighting also showed in the mud in his curly hair. He stood before Wraith with his chin held defiantly high and his fists clenched at his sides.

“Why did you push Nat, Shaun?” Wraith tried to maintain a calm, level voice and keep emotion from her face.

“She threw mud at me.” His voice trembled with barely suppressed anger.

“Why did Nat throw mud at you?”

“I told her to stop being a bully!”

“Elaborate, Shaun. Tell me the whole story.”

“This isn’t fair! SHE STARTED IT! WHY AREN’T YOU YELLING AT HER?!”

Wraith let an edge creep into her voice and hardened her eyes, “The only person yelling is you. As for Nat, don’t worry about it. Piper will speak to her. When you cause a scene and are publicly violent, it is my responsibility.”

“Since when? I thought you gave me up to the Wrights.”

“It’s unfortunate you feel that way.”

Ouch, kid!

Wraith sat motionless waiting for him to speak. A game of patience and nerve she didn’t plan on losing. It took some time but he broke the silence first.

“Nat, Pete, Erin and me were playing the ground-is-radioactive-waste with a ball… that’s when you can’t let the ball touch the ground, cause…” Surprised that she hadn’t interrupted he was momentarily flustered, “Anyway, Shang was just… Idunno, watching us and I felt bad. I asked him if he wanted to play with us but Nat said ‘no’.” Shaun’s face had started to relax as he spoke but now tightened with renewed anger as he relived the memory, “I told her she wasn’t the boss and she got really mad and threw the ball up on the roof of someplace! I said she was a bully and we all weren’t going to play with her ever again! Then she threw mud at me so I pushed her down.” He waved his hands in exasperation, “SHE TACKLED ME WHEN I TURNED AROUND! SHE TACKLED ME!”

“MacCready said he had to pull her off of you, yes.” The fact that MacCready had been laughing the entire time he had told Wraith, wasn’t something she was going to tell the prideful child.

“HOW IS THIS MY FAULT?!”

“I never said it was your fault. Not sure what that has to do with anything… or why you are still yelling. I’m right here and I’m listening to you.” Resisting the urge to cross her legs or arms she took a deep breath, knowing that he’d most likely mirror her. “If you had a chance to go back and change how you handled yourself what would you have done?”

After a deep breath he folded his arms and looked away, “I’d stop Nat from throwing our ball away.”

“I said ‘you’, Shaun, not Nat. What different thing would you have done?”

“I dunno what you want me to say, so just tell me.”

“Nope.”

Anger renewed, he clenched everything and glared at her, “You want me to say that ‘violence is the last resort’, right? Why don’t you practice what you preach, Wraith the Barbarian?! It must be nice sitting up there on your high tower!”

Wraith had to bite her lip to keep from giggling. “I think you just combined ‘high horse’ with ‘lofty tower’.”

Cheap shot but still, ouch kid. Ouch. I can’t get over how much you look like Nate… lighter skin and my eyes but still… You’re breaking my heart…

“We aren’t talking about me. We are talking about you. Judging by what you just said you know full well where mistakes were made.” Wraith stood up and folded her arms behind her back, “Do you know how to play chess?”

“Wha...”

“Did you know Bear came with me? He wanted to see if there was a market here for some of his brahmin tack… anyway, he and Hancock like to play chess together and I think they were going to meet up for an after-lunch game. I want you to go and watch them. You don’t have to tell them about what happened this morning but you do need to be polite. Understand?”

Confusion crawled across the synth child’s face, “That’s it? I just… have to watch Mr. Hancock and Mr. Bear play… But why…”

“Yes or no, please.”

“Yes, grandma.”

“Got tackled by a girl, huh? Good for you!” Bear gave the child a hearty pat on the back that made him lurch forward, “Start calling you Lady-killer! Har har!”

Hancock’s face was inscrutable, “How old are ya, twelve? I guess that’s not so early to have a girlfriend.”

“She is NOT my girlfriend!”

A table had been set up in Home Plate for the two ghouls to battle each other. MacCready was sitting nearby, helping to sort guns that had just come in and he snickered at their gentle ribbing.

“I thought Wraith was teaching you judo. How’d Nat get the better of ya?” Hancock hooked a nearby chair with a boot and gestured for Shaun to take a seat, “Relax kid, you’re lookin’ like yer about to pop!”

Slumping, defeated in the chair, Shaun muttered at the floor, “She’s teaching Nat and Ms. Wright too.” He absentmindedly picked at a clot of mud on his jeans. “It’s not like I’m special or anything. To her, I mean.”

MacCready made a noise in his throat and half-stood, ready to come to Wraith’s defense. Hancock waved him back to his seat with a subtle flick of his hand.

“It seems odd for her to waste her time in teachin’ somebody judo, if she doesn’t care ‘bout ‘em, you feel me? Hey, Bear?”

Taking a long drag from his cigar, the enormous ghoul made a show of considering Hancock’s words, “Hmmm, you’re right.” Blowing a few smoke rings, Bear folded his arms and leaned toward Shaun, “You know, I lost my mom when I was a kid. My poor pop was a broken man for a time. Wolf’s family took me in and she an’ I grew up together just like you and your girl, there. We used to get in the worst kinda screaming, punch fights! Phew!”

Shaun’s locked his green eyes on Bear, “Really?”

“Sure enough. Mrs. Wolf would make us hug after; the worse the fight the longer we would have to. Drove us crazy but it did the trick. Teach us to throw hands at each other!” Looking back at the chessboard, Bear knit his brow and frowned, “Wait. Wait… what did I just do?”

“You lose your spot, brother?”

“No! Nope I got this… So young Shaun, you want to learn chess from a master?”

“I know a little bit… Just how the pieces can move and what they’re called.”

“Master, huh?” Hancock moved his queen, “Checkmate.”

“N… no… you… ” Sucking air over his teeth, Bear was ready to let loose with a powerful stream of curses. Hearing MacCready loudly clear his throat, he instead exercised extreme restraint, “Youuuuu… oxygen thief!”

Shaun shared in MacCready and Hancock’s laughter, “Grandma says that too. What’s it mean?”

“It means a ‘useless person’. I demand a rematch! I was distracted.”

“First lesson, Shaun: when you lose, resign your king with grace. What Grandmaster Bear just demonstrated was not a graceful resignation.”

“Hardy har har.”

“Back on your girl trouble...” Hancock smiled at Shaun’s frustrated sigh, “I imagine that Nat cares about you and yer opinion of her. Probably hurt her to hear ya say you’ll never play with her again. Dealing in absolutes is dangerous. Plus, hormones aside, yer getting a little old to be goaded so easily into a throw-down like that.” Raising his brow he leaned forward confidentially, “Don’t get me wrong, rolling around in the mud with a gal is fun and all but like I said, you’re twelve. Maybe just stick to holdin’ hands, you feel me?”

“She made me so mad!” Hugging himself, Shaun confessed to the floor, “I didn’t mean it though.” When he lifted his head, there were tears in his eyes and his voice was thick with emotion, “Was grandma broken? Is… is that why… Oh, I should’ve said that!”

MacCready practically leapt across the room, “Hey man, don’t cry! What did you say?”

Shaun shook his head and wiped his face with a sleeve, “I’m just… I was mean.”

Hancock set a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Listen kid, we all have bad days, right? You know yer grandma will understand. So, chin up and eyes open. Watch me kick Bear’s… MacCready, what am I allowed to say again?”

“Well, I’m glad you were able to get through to him; he called me a barbarian! Although, truthfully I can’t protest too much…”

“You’re not… that bad.”

“Thanks, Mac.”

“You should have heard ‘em. Everything a proper father should say.” MacCready shoved Hancock playfully, “Maybe, we should start calling you ‘daddy Hancock’.”

Wraith maintained a private suit at the Dugout Inn and after finalizing plans for a morning departure, MacCready, Hancock and she retired for the evening.

Wraith had been brushing her teeth as MacCready sang the ghoul’s praises but stuck her head in the bedroom to make a disgusted face, “Ugh, no! That is, surprisingly enough, one kink I do not have.”

Hancock pulled MacCready to him, “You can call me whatever you want, Robert.” He set his scarred lips against the younger man’s in a dipping kiss that ended with Hancock gently nipping MacCready’s lower lip. All while maintaining eye contact with Wraith.

“Sh… shit.”

“Awww, now with the cursing? Well I guess daddy’s gonna have to teach you a lesson…”

“Please. Please, let’s not have this be a ‘thing’, okay? …guys?” Wraith protested even as the two men quickly shed their clothes.

“Wraith, c’mere and help hold ‘im down!”

MacCready feigned a timid whine, “Who says she’s on your side, huh?”

Giving in to desire, Wraith pulled her shirt off over her head, “Okay, but I’m gonna make you two hug after.”

Stopping briefly at Sanctuary, Wraith had dropped MacCready off for his first semester of the year. With another winter in the Commonwealth conquered, she set about finalizing plans for an extended leave-of-absence. This included a three-week tour of all Minutemen settlements within the Commonwealth proper, with Hancock and Dogmeat in tow. Apart from a minor skirmish with a grumpy, just-woke-up yao guai, that involved Wraith running in circles while calling out to a very frustrated Hancock “please don’t shoot the bear!” the inspection went as well as one could hope and she returned home exhausted but hopeful.

“Curie wants to see you at the clinic, when you aren’t too busy, dear.” Sofie rolled her eyes, “Whenever that is.”

Hancock had nearly fallen asleep on Wraith’s office couch, but gestured vaguely at her on her way out the door, “Make sure you eat somethin’ first!”

Laughing at her when she walked into Curie’s lab with a whole loaf of razorgrain bread hanging out of her mouth, Danse pointed to his lip, “Afternoon, General. You’ve got a crumb… just there.”

Curie giggled at them, “It is good to see that you eating, Madame.” She walked over and began manipulating Wraith’s left arm. “I wanted to check on your shoulder before your journey.” Danse got up to leave the room but Curie waved him back to his chair, “Her clothing will remain on, mon ours.”

“So what’s the plan, General?” Danse’s face turned red and he cleared his throat.

Not to be detoured from his pet name reveal, Wraith’s smile was enormous around her meal and she razzed him unmercifully, “’Bear’, huh?” She chomped and smacked as she ate; making as much obnoxious eating noises as possible, “You know, we already have a Bear. What’s French for moose?”

“General…”

“Hmm, there is élan, but this is an elk. It isn’t quite fitting, no? Although some anatomy may be…”

“Curie…”

“Oh, ho? You don’t say? Oh my, do tell!”

Danse’s face was nearing purple, “Are you ladies quite through?!”

“Oh mon amour, don’t be such a prune.” She stepped lightly to him and kissed the corner of his mouth.

The large man gave an equally large sigh and smiled at her, “Dearest, I believe you mean ‘prude’.”

“Oh? Very well.”

“You two are too adorable…”

“How is your pain level, madame?”

“Honestly it’s fine. My arm can be a little tight if I move it straight up and down laterally but unless someone plans on using me as a water pump, it’ll be oaky.”

Danse had been brewing tea and offered Wraith a cup, “The plan? You haven’t actually told anyone where you’re going…”

Sitting on the edge of a counter, Wraith took a sip before answering, “It’s kind of a surprise. I actually want to talk to you about some related matters though; so if you can keep a lid on things, I’ll fill you in.”

“Shall I step out of the room, madame?”

Wraith waved the suggestion away, “Nope, it’s not a huge deal just, like I said, keep it hush-hush.”

The couple pulled up chairs and both leaned forward unconsciously. Their eager faces reminded Wraith of children excited for story time and made Wraith felt particularly maternal.

I feel like I’ve been more of a mother to these two…

“I’m going to take a couple of days to rest here but the plan is to head south. Hancock, MacCready and I are taking a small contingent of Minutemen and going to Underworld, to get Duncan.”

Curie clapped her hands, “Oh, how wonderful! To reunite father and son! Oh, oh I’m going to cry!”

Danse had gone very still, “You’re going to the Columbia Commonwealth.”

“Yes, I am and I wanted to ask if you would like to come along.”

Standing abruptly, he turned his back to her and spoke to the wall, “Do you think that I should? Why?”

“Danse…”

Whipping around, his face was a kaleidoscope of emotion, “I’m not sure if anything that I remember was real! No, I can’t. I shouldn’t.”

“Mon amour, surely you have chapters of your life that need closing? What if Haylen…”

“NO!” Instantly sorry for shouting, Danse visibly pulled himself together and offered the two women a wan smile, “This is real.” He took Curie’s hand and pulled her into a hug, “You are real.” He kissed her, “Right?”

“Oui, mon ours, I am real.”

Wraith stood to leave, “I understand. Oh, Curie, will you have the prosthetic for Henrietta finished soon? Since we’re going to be going that way I’d like to give it to her in person.”

“Oui, Monsieur Sturges and I finished yesterday.”

“Excellent! Oh, like I said, I’m keeping it a surprise until I know for certain that Mac will be ready. He might still need convincing, so mum’s the word.”

Grabbing her hand before she made it through the doorway, Danse pulled Wraith in for a hug, “Thank you. I know I’ve said it before but if it wasn’t for you… I might have never known what ‘real’ is.”

Wraith patted his back, “I’m glad I could help you bear-man.”

“Why am I so nervous? Are you nervous? I’m sweating… ugh! Are you sweating, because I am definitely sweating?”

It was early morning and Hancock and Wraith sat at the table in her small kitchen. MacCready had yet to join them and Wraith was letting her anxiety spin out of control.

“I’m not even sure why I’m nervous! I mean, maybe it’s because I’ve spent a lot of time planning this without actually getting his permission. And the fact that I’ve asked him before… even volunteered to go with him but he said ‘no’ like he meant never.”

“It’ll be fine, sunshine.” Hancock took her hand in his to keep her from drumming the tabletop apart, “You should have seen him when he saw that picture… when he heard his boy’s voice…” His own voice deepened with emotion and his eyes where misty with the memory, “He wasn’t ready before but he’s sure as hell ready now!”

“What am I ready for?” MacCready joined them while rubbing his eyes like a sleepy child. Folding his arms on the table, he laid his head on them and mumbled into the crook of his elbow, “What are you two crazy people going to get me caught up in now?”

“Did you sleep upside-down? Your hair is completely vertical!” Perhaps slightly jealous, Hancock’s tone carried a small amount of disgust, “It’s goddamn ridiculous!”

The young man, with dramatic slowness, unfolded an arm and flipped him off. Smoothly and without hesitation, Hancock plucked a mutfruit from the bowl on the table and slid it down over the offending digit.

“Oh mY GOD! WHAT IS THAT?!” Shuddering slightly, MacCready shouted into his elbow: too afraid to look.

Laughing helplessly Wraith shook her head, “You two are the absolute best!”

“It’s a mutfruit, MacCready.” The ghoul’s tone was shrewd and taunting, “I’d think you’d know…”

Lifting it to his lips, MacCready waggled his eyebrows at him while slowly taking a bite, “Not used to one being applied in that particular location.” He winked at Wraith.

“Boy, that got off track before we even left the station...” Wraith cleared her throat and tried to school her features into a poker face Fahrenheit would be proud of. “Okay… here we go. Mac, I wrote a letter to Nyx Morningstar last fall. She and I have made arrangements to meet at a relatively safe location and she’s going to grant us additional protection as we pick up Duncan.” Mistaking his shocked expression for a rejection, Wraith’s face pinched with nerves and she spoke faster and faster while gesticulating, “I know you’ve told me ‘no’ but I think we have come a long way in making the roads safer since then. After all, that was just after we gave the cure to Daisy! There will be ten Minutemen with us, Morningstar’s people once we get close enough, plus Hancock and me. Not to mention you! The behemoth thing was just a fluke and although I’ve no way of being able to guarantee, without any fraction of doubt, that we won’t come across a similar situation, statistically…”

“Wraith! Wraith, stop!” Able to capture one of her waving hands, MacCready stood and pulled her with him. Reaching for Hancock as well, he hugged them both while laughing and crying, “I love you guys. Of course, of course I want…” Giving over to crying, he was unable to finish.

Thank you so much for reading! Like what you read? Looking for more? Please see my Wraith in the Ruins master-link under my bio. Tumblr’s dislike for link-posts is why you’ll see two versions of my chapters. I do my best to keep the master updated and change the date when I do. As always, feel free to throw me an ask if you have any questions/comments/concerns. Anon too! =^..^=

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