Writer's Note: This is another entry on my long going quest of posting many collabs between characters from the Fallout series. As always I am happy receive feedback, comments, questions, and suggestions. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!
(Diamond City, 2287)
Nora and MacCready step up to the Power Noodles stand and take a seat on the bar stools next to one another. The night is calm for the first time in the past few days. No rain, no radiation storms, just the warm dust being kicked up by all the market shoppers looking for the daily bargain.
The past week has been rougher than most. Nora has discovered the whereabouts of her son Shaun only to be slammed with the information that he doesn't have much longer to live. On top of that MacCready has been distracted a lot by the well-being of his own son. They have found him a cure but there is still the wonder of how long it will take Duncan to recover after nearly a year of illness. The two of them really need an outlet in order to allow themselves even just one night of uninterrupted sleep.
MacCready looks to Nora and gives her a cheeky smile then turns to the chef. "Hey Takahashi my man, pour me a usual will ya?'
Takahashi gives his usual response, "Nan-ni shimasho-ka?" He puts down his stirring spoon and turns towards the fridge behind him.
Nora giggles which gets MacCready's attention. "The usual? What is that?"
"You start with some Nuka-Cola Quantum, add some vodka, whiskey, and gin. Shake it and finish with a splash of radscorpion venom."
Nora gives him a curious yet disgusted expression. "Is this how your teeth got to be so rotted?" She teases.
"That and the fact my diet growing up was eating Sugar Bombs any chance that I could."
Nora shakes her head. "You are so crazy."
"Hey, the only crazy thing would be to ask for a second round." He thinks to himself for a moment. "Come to think of it... Takahashi make one for my friend as well."
Nora raises her hand to stop him. "No no, I'm good-"
"Oh come on. What are you scared?" He taunts.
"No! I just-" She sighs realizing by his wide eyed expression that nothing she says is going to change his mind. "How does someone even come up with a drink like that?"
"I have been drinking since I was six so at this point I need something with a little more kick."
Takahashi quickly pours the ingredients into a martini shaker and instead of just shaking his arms up and down he shakes his entire upper body. Everyone at the bar laughs at the sight of him looking as if he is mimicking a washing machine. After about twenty seconds he stops and pulls out two shot glasses from under the bar, then pours the mixture into them in front of MacCready.
"Thanks pal. Just add them to my tab."
Nora giggles again, "He lets you have a tab?"
"Yeah, for about... six months now."
"Wow. And how much do you owe him?"
"Let's not worry about that now. Here." He slides one glass between his index and middle finger over to her. She turns up her nose at the sight of its green color and the scent of all the hard liquors whose mixtures are still bubbling from the shake. "Don't think about it just knock it back and enjoy the ride." She continues to contemplate her next move. His tone becomes more serious. "Nora look, I know I'm not the easiest guy to understand, but... this is my way of showing you that I want to do anything in my power to help you in any way you may need it. And no matter what might come our way I'll be right here to make sure things turn out okay." He takes her by the hand which surprises her. This isn't the first time he has expressed his emotions but it is the first time he seems to be doing so without any hint of sarcasm. She looks up into his big, blue eyes. "You trust me... don't you?"
The question strikes her like a pinprick to her heart. "Of course I do. It would be pretty stupid of me to have traveled around with you all this time if I didn't."
"Well then..." He lifts up his glass and holds it out for hers.
She picks up her own and tinks it against his. They lift the glasses to their lips and Nora waits for MacCready to start downing his then follows suit. She closes her eyes tightly and waits for her gag reflex to kick in but it never does. Eventually she lifts up her head and blinks her eyes a few times. The rush of the Quantum is the first thing to strike, dilating her pupils, and sending her senses into overdrive. There is only a slight burning that comes after the flavors subside and she finds it to be pretty tasty. She turns to MacCready with an ecstatic grin. It is a look he has never seen her make before.
"Nora, are you alright?" He asks a bit concerned.
Her grin grows slightly bigger. "I feel fantastic."
(The Next Day)
Blinking her eyes open slowly, Nora looks around the dimly lit room and discovers that she is laying on her new bed inside Home Plate. At first she feels a bit uncomfortable considering she has been so on edge lately that actually getting a full nights rest makes her feel vulnerable. Anything could have happened to her while she was dead asleep and by the time she could know what was happening it would have been too late. MacCready was good on his word though, they made it through the night safely. He had locked the doors and ensured that nothing would disturb her sleep.
The smell of grilled brahmin meat fills the building and her stomach turns informing her that her body needs nutrients in order to start the day. She sits up and her head spins causing her to almost vomit but she is somehow able to keep it down. She sets her feet on the floor and uses the wall as a balance to help her stand up. She nearly knocks over the entire shelf of knickknacks that coat the bedroom walls. Every time they have set out on another mission she has been sure to bring something back as a kind of souvenir. She can not bare to come home empty handed because then she would feel like every time she goes out it was just for someone else. Some could argue that she is just hording stuff but more than once she has had to sell off a lot of things just to get by. That is how she paid for this spot in Diamond City after all. Her only regret is not finding something she can give to MacCready that she thinks he would really appreciate. He has helped her so many times already to carry items home because he knows the end result is more caps but most of the time they just end up in the pockets of settlers or shopkeepers for supplies.
She shakes her head then walks past the room divider, towards the kitchen area, and pulls back the large curtain to the other side. "Please tell me it is just you Robert." She sees him standing in front of the makeshift stove and using a spatula to turn over a large chunk of cooked meat.
"Hey, good morning sleepy head. Yeah don't worry. No one else here but this crazy guy," he chuckles as he points to himself.
"Good." Nora sits down at the table and plops her face in her arms. "Oh god. I don't know what was worse, the caffeine from the Quantum, or the poison from the radscorpion."
MacCready removes the meat from the stove and sets it on a large plate to carry it over to the table. "So you do remember some things from last night. I would have figured you blacked it all out." He uses a knife and fork to cut the meat into slices.
"Naw, I remember everything... except us falling asleep."
He laughs, "Yeah, by the time I got you through the door last night you were already out. No worries. I didn't take advantage of you," he teases.
She lifts her head to look at him. "Why not?" She asks genuinely.
MacCready is taken back by her response, "What do you mean?"
"Well... I happen to recall trying to kiss you last night but you refused me. Why?"
"That should be obvious. I thought you were only acting that way because you were drunk and I didn't find it right that our first kiss should be when we were both not in a clear state of mind. It should be something we can both say happened at the right moment." He blushes suddenly realizing what this means. "I have to say I was not expecting this conversation." His body becomes warm as he looks down at her. He has always found her to be beautiful but at this moment he could swear she is glowing. Her lips and cheeks are so pink and he can tell just by looking at them that they have to be extremely soft as well. He is nervous about what to say next. "So... does this mean that you still... want to kiss me?" His heart jumps up to his throat causing his voice to crack a bit.
"A few passing hours isn't going to change my mind about you." She looks down at the table a moment to think then back up at him. "Robert, I want you to know-" She is cut off by a sudden loud banging of someone knocking on the front door. She huffs, "What the fuck is it now? Jesus you would think living in an apocalypses you could get some piece once in a while." She angrily walks over to the door. "Who is it?" She hollers.
The voice of a gen one synth answers on the other side, "I am sorry to disturb you ma'am but I have a message for you from Father."
She unlocks the door quickly and opens it wide. "What is it?" She grumbles.
"Father has requested your assistance on another courser retrieval."
"Of course he has. So where is this one hiding?"
MacCready joins her at the door and becomes annoyed at the sight of the synth.
"The last known whereabouts of X8-37 is at Fairline Hills Estates. This information was reported to The Institute about eight minuets ago."
"Alright. Give me a few minutes to get dressed then I will head out."
"Thank you so graciously ma'am."
She closes the door in his face not wanting to listen even a second longer to his high pitched, mechanical tone. She places her fingers over her head that has immediately began to throb again. MacCready notices her struggle.
"Nora, I don't think it is a good idea for you to do this. You need to rest."
She lets out a sigh knowing he is right. "I know. But what else can I do? I can't just sit around when I know that innocent people are being murdered."
"I am just worried about this mind set of yours. You can't save everyone and the more you try to do so the more you are just hurting yourself. You need to take time for you once in a while."
"I know. I will. Let's just get this done and then maybe we can put our minds together and think of somewhere we can go that I'm not going to be pressured by The Institute, or the Minutemen, or the endless problems with the Caravans." Her voice becomes more and more stressed as she talks.
He hushes her. "I already have an idea."
"Really?" She becomes intrigued.
"But it will have to wait until after we get this done."
"Alright," she says disappointed.
They both want so badly to give each other their first kiss to help them relax, but it is time to get into business mode. They head back to the kitchen and scarf down their meal before gearing up. When ready Nora takes MacCready by the hand and turns on her teleporter.
"This is Nora Caragan ready to relay with Robert MacCready."
In one quick flash they become nothing more than particles traveling at the speed of lightning to their destination.