It had been almost two months since her father died. I tried to convince her that we should go back to Megaton to get away from all of this shit, but she refused. For some reason she wanted to stay in The Citadel amongst all of The Brotherhood assholes.
They were just that, assholes. Most of them liked her, or at least they pretended too. Not that she was wise to it, Kate made herself easy prey. Growing up in that Vault with less friends than you could count on one hand had made her desperate to form any sort of connection with people. She was like that with everyone, and in some ways I suspected its why she never gave up on me. While her friendliness had helped us more than a few times, it was also to her detriment.
Sure some of the Brotherhood members were okay. They had after all given us a safe place to stay. A few even came to check on her regularly, see how she was fairing. Then there are the men. I don't know who they are, all of the Steel looks the same. Most of them are apart of that stupid "Lyons Pride" group. There are about five of them, though sometimes there are less. She didn't speak to them at first, but I think she got lonely.
When we finally started coming out of the room they gave us, everyone had been eager to meet her. Most of them had never seen the girl in person, they had only heard her stories. They wanted to train with her, eat dinner with her, whatever they possibly could. Of course she was quiet and humble throughout. Most of the members gave her the space I assured her was necessary, she was still dealing with the death of her father after all. Even if I didn't like them, or them me, they were respectful enough. Except for those men.
They had preyed upon her the hardest. Followed her around, asking questions and making comments. It made me uneasy, hell it made me down right furious. For some reason I allowed myself to be careless and didn't say anything. I knew she couldn't tell the intentions they had, the way they looked at her. Kate has never been extremely perceptive to men flirting with her. As angry as it made me, she was opening up. She said she was happy that she was making friends here. I couldn't kill that feeling inside of her. Especially after watching her grieve so heavily over her father.
So I buried my discomfort deep inside for the sake of Kate. Luckily they hardly ever spoke to her when I was around. If I wanted to make them go away all I had to do was walk up to her. They, as well as I knew she would send all five of them away quicker than me. It did not surprise me however that they disliked what I was. None of the Brotherhood had been too keen on taking me in. Thankfully they held Kate and her late father in such high regard. Still, I could feel some lingering bitterness from these men. They didn't want me here, to them I was inhuman.
Things weren't going that bad until news of our relationship got out. We had done our best to keep it quiet, Kate and I both knew it was the last thing we needed to explain. The Brotherhood could barely understood our companionship. Although she protested, Kate had agreed when we arrived that it would stay a secret.
Things had just gotten out of hand. We hadn't made love since before her father's passing. After he was gone we had both needed some time to sort things out. With Kate feeling better, things had just happened. I couldn't really tell her no, I never could. Somehow someone had heard...or seen, but when we woke up the next morning things had been completely different.
"Why does everyone look so weirded out today?" Kate asks as we walk towards The Den. I shrug, just as confused as she is. Everyone that we pass seems to eye us differently. They have always looked at me with judgement, but never her. Luckily we find The Den mostly empty. I sit at one of the tables while Kate rummages through the food supply to find us breakfast. The assholes had agreed to feed us after all. A few of the female Steel members are watching Kate suspiciously. She's right, what the hell is up with everyone?
The door bursts open and the horde of Brotherhood scum come walking in. They all look eerily the same in that armor they never take off. Although Im sure they would say that about me and any other ghoul. Its only three of them today but they look to be in full force. The oldest one has a huge smile on his face. One of the female's walks up to them, not that Sarah girl that Kate seems to like, but the other one. She whispers to him, smirks and sits back down. Somethings up.
Its just then that Kate hears them enter, turning her gaze from the room's refrigerator towards the door. She smiles brightly and waves. "Hey Glade, Vargas, Colvin!" She sits our food down at the table, urging me to go ahead and eat. "I'll be right back," She promises.
I watch her walk over towards the men in metal suits and greet them once more. They appear to make small talk, asking how she's feeling and things like that. For a moment it seems that things have become more normal. I tune them out and begin to eat the Noodles she's prepared for me.
"You should have told us Vault Girl." The older one snickers, looking at his buddies. Something in his voice brings me back to the conversation. They normally call her by name, not "Vault Girl." I can only see half of Kate's face but she looks utterly confused.
"Told you what?" Her small voice emerges through the silence.
"That you're a nasty ghoul-fucker." The one with his head covered in some sort of armor says.
I immediately find myself on my feet, doing all I can to resist ripping their throats out. Ive been so stupid, so careless to think that no one would find out. We were quiet, or at least we had tried to be. We never touched too intimately in front of them, we did nothing to tip them off. What more could we have done?
Its not only defeat that angers me, its what that piece of shit called her. To smoothskins, especially those as privileged and bigoted as the Brotherhood, anyone touched by a ghoul is tainted. That belief is even more imposed on women. I've seen it and I won't allow her to be apart of it. They can say whatever the hell they want about me, look at me and treat me as beneath them but they will never lower her. Kate had made me promise to be civil with them, but I don't know how much longer that will last.
Kate's eyes are wide with shock, her mouth gaping. She manages a, "...wh-what?"
The blonde one with a block shaped head says, "What you've done is truly immoral. I feel sorry for you and urge you to seek forgiveness."
The one with the armored head says, "Whatever, look Dusk saw you last night with that, that thing." He points in my general direction without looking. "We knew you were weird but...God, just look at it." He gestures to me again, "How fucked up are you?" Theres laughter.
"So Vault Girl, what do you have to say about that?" He cocks his eyebrow and smirks.
The whole group snickers, waiting for her response. I can feel the on-lookers eye's going from me to Kate.
Her shoulders seem to shake a bit, her face scrunching up painfully. If they make her cry I swear to God they will bleed. She cries enough already. I don't care how many of them there are or if they kick us out of The Citadel. We can find the G.E.C.K. on our own.
Kate can't seem to get her words out, her mouth opens but she doesn't speak. In this moment I wouldn't care if she discredited our relationship. She could call me any number of horrible names, say she would never touch me in a million years, even claim that I had forced her and I wouldn't be upset. This is not an easy situation, her whole reputation with these people is at stake. The people that will help her complete her father's legacy. I will never come out on the winning side but Kate, Kate has a chance.
Instead she says, with more strength than I thought she had regained, "It's none of your business what I do, Vargas. I suggest all of you fuck off now before things get worse." I take that as my permission to hurt anyone that furthers the subject. All I have to do is wait for her cue.
The old one laughs, "Oh God, its true then...right? That's so fucked."
The blonde one just shakes his head, looking unable to speak.
The one she called Vargas says, "None of our business?! You brought this rot-bag under our roof and we let you. Thats pretty fucking kind of us if you ask me. So I'd shut your mouth before things get worse for you." He sighs, running a hand over his face, "God, women can be so difficult. Just because your daddy died doesn't mean you can be such a bitch."
I am temporarily blinded by hate. Fuck being civil with these people. No one says anything about her or her father, especially not so soon. That man had not only been good to Kate, but me as well. To bring his name into all of this, to make light of her grief, someone will pay. When I regain myself, I decide it is time to take action. I can no longer wait for her order, something must be done. But before I can pull my shotgun from my back Kate is already one step ahead of me. She pulls her 10mm SMG from her belt, holds it sideways and with one swift motion hits him with the barrel.
She fucking pistol whipped him
Vargas falls to his knees, hands over the side of his head where her weapon struck him. The other Brotherhood members make no effort to stop her as she pulls him up by his ear and places the muzzle against his temple. Part of me wonders why they aren't attacking her. Shouldn't they all be taking up for this Vargas? The other part is too stunned and completely thrilled at what is going on.
My mouth fights to keep a smile from forming at the almost beautiful sight of Kate defending herself. She's crying, hands shaking slightly but she always gets this way when she's furious. The pure joy that overcomes me at watching her keep my current anger at bay. I can let her handle things for once.
She stares right at Vargas who seems completely frozen in panic. In a way Im glad she's crying. Kate looks completely on edge, almost deranged. If nothing else that should strike fear into their hearts.
"First off, what I do is NONE of anyone's fucking business." She growls in his face. "Second, don't you ever talk about my father ever again. If you so much as utter his name I will destroy you. Third, I will be a bitch to you whenever I feel like it, even if unprompted. Fourth, and lastly, you will get on your knees and beg for Charon's forgiveness for the things you've said about him."
God, I love her.
The whole room is dead silent until Vargas finally responds to her orders, "Im not doing shit." He grumbles, trying to appear uncaring. Kate jabs the gun closer against his head, placing her finger over the trigger. "Im not above shooting you." She says, oddly calm. She doesn't do shit like this. Kate can be scary when she wants but something like this is extremely rare. Its silent again until the older member says, "God dammit Vargas just do what she says! She knows we can't hurt her, Elder Lyons said so. " Kate shoots him a wicked grin and Vargas sighs.
"Fine." He huffs. Kate smiles, obviously pleased.
Finally her gaze is on me, she hasn't look at me since she sat the food on the table. Her brown eyes, although rimmed with red look strong and powerful. Her pretty pink lips form a smirk and she gestures that I come over. As I move I suddenly feel all of the eyes in the room on me again. I take a quick look and find them all filled with horror. Its almost comforting to know I still cause that kind of fear.
I stop in front of Kate and the Paladin she has hostage. When no one says anything, Kate kicks Vargas a little and shoves the gun farther into his temple. "Grovel." She reminds him with a snarl.
"What the hell am I supposed to say?!" he pleads with desperation.
To that Kate shrugs, "You could start with your bigoted remarks. Or the way you refer to him as an it. You can also apologize for you and your friends trying to embarrass us and outing our private relationship. Or..."
"Okay, okay!" Vargas grumbles.
His eyes turn to me, and its the first time one of them has really looked me in the eye. I know Im not pleasant to look at, but if Kate has taught me anything, its that I deserve at least a sliver of human decency.
"Im...Im...shit, Im sorry...Jesus," I almost smirk, he looks like he can hardly bare to speak. I bet this man, this Brotherhood of Steel Paladin has never even imagined in his wildest dreams that he would be apologizing to a ghoul. He says the rest of his "apology" sarcastically. When he's done, he attempts to get up only to have Kate drag him back down.
"Not good enough." She says, cocking her gun, finger on the trigger.
"Jesus! Okay, okay! Im sorry!" He cries, "Im sorry for the shit I said, please I don't want to die." Vargas reaches out and actually tries to grab my leg. I step back, unwilling to let trash like him touch me. He continues to spew out his apologies, looking completely pathetic.
Kate looks at me as if to ask if she's gone far enough. I simply nod and make my way back to our table. Kate puts her gun back on her belt and shoves Vargas to the floor. She turns her gaze on all of the Brotherhood members present, specifically the two other men, "Let this be an example to all of you."
Then she stalks over to the female member, the one I saw whispering to them.
"You keep away from us, or else."
The woman shakes her head quickly, fear in her eyes.
With that Kate heads for the door, motioning for me to follow her. I do as Im told. For good or ill, I serve the woman I love.
I hope the description of characters didn't get too confusing. I wanted to emphasize just how little Charon knows (cares to know) about them while incorporating the real Lyons Pride as clearly as possible lol.
Also, sad IRL connection: When my real dad died someone said the same, "Just cause your dad died doesn't mean you can be a bitch," thing to me. So that kinda helped inspire this!