Preston liked that about his general. He knew she was the general the Minutemen and the wasteland needed. He was always happy to hand her any problem that came up and always knew that it would be done with precision and respect. Lately, though, she'd been almost avoiding him and he had to wonder if something was going on. Was she avoiding everyone else, too?
"Welcome back, Riddick," Preston greeted, standing at the defense wall on the bridge entering Sanctuary. There's no way she could take a different route, so she couldn't avoid him now.
"Good to be back," she responded, offering that same smile.
Maybe Hancock was right. He'd pulled Preston aside earlier, saying to just pay close attention to Riddick The ghoul thought that something was up with the way that she smiled.
"I'll be back to talk about defense in a moment; my power armor is in need of desperate repairs," she laughed, walking passed. Yet another excuse to not talk to him.
"Yeah... Hey, general? If there's... anything you want to talk about, to get off your chest, I'm here," Preston murmured gently.
"Uh... okay..." she laughed awkwardly.
She walked off, Dogmeat trailing happily off behind her, tail wagging away.
"Ys see her yet?" Hancock asked, walking over to him.
"You were right," Preston mumbled with a sigh. "We should watch her. Warn the others."
He'd seen that look many times. That look haunted his nights; all the people he couldn't save because he was just too stupid to ask. He hated himself more and more every time someone close to him took their life. She had that look where one minute it seemed all smiles and joy, but then something would change in their head and her smile would be wiped away and her eyes would become downcast. If he could save anyone, he needed to save his general; the Commonwealth was depending his the hope she brought.
"Riddick?"
The survivor looked up from the desk she was working at and blinked a few times.
"Preston? I thought you'd be asleep by now," she murmured, turning to face him completely.
"I thought the same for you, but then I saw your light on... What are you working on?" Preston inquired, moving closer.
"Oh just plans for all the settlements. You know how I like to plan," she laughed. A forced laugh.
"Right... Those are... really detailed blue prints. Like, so detailed that someone with absolutely no engineering experience could follow it."
"Well, you never know what could happy, Preston," she shrugged. "If I died, I'd like for everyone to continue building without a hitch."
"You're not going to die any time soon, general," he said perhaps a little too quickly.
Riddick paused. "Preston, you know full well that we really aren't in control of that..."
"Are you sure there's nothing on your mind?" he inquired, voice going a little too high towards the end.
"Is there something on your mind?" she asked, standing now. "And why has everyone been hanging around me all day? Not that I don't enjoy the company, but they've been seriously up my ass."
He sighed. "We're just concerned about you, Riddick."
She was silent for far too long.
"Concerned?"
He slowly nodded. "You've been... Well, not talking to me as much lately, sending Hancock to ask for stuff to do? He... thinks there's something up with the way you've been smiling, too."
"My... smile?"
"Riddick, we think you might be... suicidal. We all know you've been juggling a lot with your son and the Minutemen but I just want to let you know that we appreciate everything you do and we're all here for you and why the hell do you have mentats on your desk? You've always stayed away from drugs and why are you laughing?"
It was true, Riddick was full on laughing now. As much as Preston enjoyed hearing such a hearty laugh coming from his general, it concerned him given the circumstances.
"I'm not suicidal, Preston!" she exclaimed. "And Hancock tossed these at me earlier, even though I didn't want them," she snorted. "You know how he is. Preston... If I've been avoiding you, it's because... I can't control my heart when I'm around you," she admitted.
"Huh?" Was that really all he could think to say?
"I like you, a lot Preston. Like a lot, a lot," she sighed gently. "I... I was scared you didn't feel the same way because well, you always seem to make everything about business. I thought maybe you wouldn't want to deal with my baggage, because boy do I have baggage," she awkwardly laughed.
"General... Riddick... I don't care about all that... I told you I'd do anything and every thing for you and... I may have said that that was because you're my general, but it's also because you're my general, if that makes any sense."
"Coming from you? That makes perfect sense," she chuckled gently, shaking her head. "Well, general," he started, moving closer to the survivor, placing his hands some what awkwardly on her waist. "I'm glad we got that all out in the open."
"Me, too," she murmured, reaching up and playfully taking his hat, putting it on her desk. "I know my bed is kind of small, but I like to think that it makes it better for cuddling," she commented, a small smirk forming her lips.
"That's the best part, isn't it?"