I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire
Gob absently wiped down the surface of the bar. It was more habit than anything else. Since Moriarty was no longer around he could go do whatever he wanted. As owner of the Saloon the ghoul could even do sit down for a minute without fear of getting punished.
The creak of the opening door brought his attention up. Gob smiled when his favorite red headed wastelander strolled in. She smiled back taking her usual bar stool in the middle of the scared counter.
On a busy night Rachel had Jericho on her right and Billy on her left. When she was in town nobody questioned the seating hierarchy. Even if somebody had been sitting there before she arrived when Rachel walked in her stool was suddenly unoccupied.
"Hey kid, you're back,"
"Hello Gobbert, we just got in. So these two cannibals are eating a clown right. And one looks up at the other and says: Hey, dose this taste funny to you?"
Gob chuckled shaking his head. "That's terrible smoothskin, where'd you hear a joke like that?"
Rachel nodded her agreement, "I know, every time we come into town I ask Wadsworth to tell me a joke. They're most awful but it's just what I do,"
"Yeah," he nodded, accepting it as another one of Rachel's quirks. She looked him in the eyes, leaning forward a few inches on the bar. Her face was a mix of disbelief and shock.
"That was today's joke…Gob. Charon laughed his ass off."
"What?" Gob squawked dropping his cloth. He leaned on the counter, giving up on the pretense of cleaning.
"I know. He dropped his gear just like always but then he heard Wadsworth's joke and he full on; like tears in his eyes full body laughed. Then, Then, he kicks off his boots and just flops down on the couch with a cigarette like he was going to have a nice afternoon nap," Rachel drummed her fingers on the wooden bar.
Gob now matched her expression. "What the fuck did you do to him out there?"
"I don't know! We had a normal trip. It was a simple delivery job to Rivet City. Then we did the usual stop in underworld. Carol says hello by the way. We spent the morning scavenging in the ruins on the way back. Gob I've never seen him without his boots. Not unless we're in for the night. No boots and laughter in one afternoon…I think where heading into a second Armageddon." Rachel threw her hand in the air while she exclaimed. "It's the second coming of the apocalypse."
"You Might be right," Gob breathed.
"I think I am." She stressed, "That's the biblical one I think. Locusts, Floods, Charon laughs a Wadsworth's jokes. It's the end of the world."
Gob took out two shot glasses, pouring a shot of whiskey for them both. "That…I think…what did you say?"
"Nothing, I came straight here. Is this a sign he's turning feral?" Rachel pointed at him. "Be straight with me Gob!"
"I don't think that's it. As a rule ghouls get more violent when their turning,"
"Charon was wearing socks," Rachel said suddenly and Gob choked on his whiskey. "I don't know why that surprised me but it did,"
Gob laughed, "Well you're having a weird day,"
"Yeah," Rachel lit a cigarette and offered it to Gob. He shook his head so she inhaled deeply.
"Did you two fuck?" laughed a gruff voice from above them. Rachel and Gob both looked up, Jericho was leaning on the railing right above Rachel's head.
"No more than usually," Rachel answered, tilling her head back to look at the old raider. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Heard you walk in, Nova's gettin' dressed but she says maybe he's jettin'," Jericho snickered, lighting his own cigarette.
"Why are you too upstairs? You live together." Rachel asked while Gob brought out two more shot glasses.
"Call it nostalgia." Nova purred from her old "office".
Rachel thought about that as Nova appeared. She and Jericho came down to join them.
"Jet's not something I can see Charon doing," Rachel Said, dismissing her neighbors sexual relationship. She flicked her ashes into the tray Gob set on the bar for her. It wasn't like Charon to do drugs and she didn't think he'd hide it from her.
Nova smiled patting Rachel's hand, "Maybe he's just having a good day, you could ask him about it."
Rachel bit the corner of her lip, she could just ask him. He might not answer her but she could try. It was a little embarrassing that she hadn't come to that conclusion by herself. She'd just been caught so off guard.
"You're right, I'll try that and come back," she told her friends, swiveling on her stool. Her foot just touched the floor when the door opened and Charon sauntered in. He looked at each of them before cocking what was left of his eyebrow.
"What?"
They all shook their heads. Charon didn't appear convinced but he singled out Rachel instead asking why they were all looking at him like he'd grown a second head.
"Rachel your killer needs to be unsaddled, if we leave him alone for too much longer he'll chew the leather off again," He reminded her. Rachel nodded, jumping up. Claw had destroyed two harnesses already and replacing the pieces got expensive fast.
"Crap, I'll go do that now," Rachel was half way to the door when Nova stopped her.
"Can I go with you? I haven't seen him all dressed up yet,"
Rachel laughed and beckoned the ex-hooker to follow her. "Sure, Claw's loves an audience,"
"Be careful," both Charon and Jericho growled at the same time. It made the girl laugh as they hurried through the door.
After the door was closed and the sound of the girls' footsteps faded Charon turned to the two men in the room with a large grin. When he'd walked in he looked like he always did. Big, imposing and standoffish. Both Gob and Jericho wonder if Rachel had imagined the whole thing. Now faced with a grinning, excited, Charon they were stunned into silence.
Jericho was the first to recover. The old raider crushed his cigarette in the tray before he cocked an eyebrow. "What the fucks wrong with you?"
Charon took over Rachel's vacant stool, something he never did unless he and his little smoothskin were there to eat. "I wanna do something for Rachel, I need your help."
"He is so amazing!" Nova laughed while she scratched under Claws' chin with both hands. Rachel laughed, stowing his armor in the trunk she kept in the big stable she kept for Claws. She was eternally thankful that Simms had let her build this addition to Megaton's outer wall.
The Stable, which was more like a really big lean-to, had a front door in case of sandstorms. Claws' stable was built at the back of a large fenced in area. The walls were solid sheets of steal to help make the Traders feel safe from the animal living inside.
"Fuck," Rachel growled and Nova looked over at her.
"You alright?"
"Charon distracted me from asking him why he's acting so weird today,"
Nova laughed, "Maybe he just wanted you out of the room so he could talk to Gob and Jericho alone,"
Rachel laughed too, "Yeah, they can talk about their feelings. The only conversation I've ever heard Charon have with Jericho that was more than a handful of words was about custom weapon mods,"
Claws shook his body before he moved to his mistress. The deathclaw licked the full left side of her face. Rachel laughed as she pushed him back wiping her face with her sleeve. "I love you too, now go play!"
After Claws had been taken care of the women went back to Rachel's house. Wadsworth greeted them when they walked in but didn't pause in his cleaning. Charon wasn't back yet but Rachel wasn't worried. Curious, but not worried.
"So," Nova grinned when Rachel passed her a cold beer before popping the cap off her own. "Now that your chores are all done do you want to go have a bath with me?"
"Oh Nova dear, you sure know how to treat a girl right,"
"Years of practice, I'll go get my stuff and meet you over there,"
Rachel agreed and Nova left. Rachel pulled a relatively intact towel out of one of the lockers in the living room and grabbed her soap from her pack. There wasn't very much left to the cream colored bar. Of course there hadn't been that much to it when she'd found it in the back of an abandoned gas station either.
Rachel added a pair of her cleanest pants and a tank top to her pile of bathing things, thinking. Rachel kicked off her boots, trading them for a pair of heeled sandals. When she'd found the black shoes she'd taken them on a whim. They were pretty but not practical so she only ever used them to get from her front door to the public bath.
Sometimes she'd wear her sexy sleepwear instead of her clothes but generally that was an after dark thing. It wasn't that she was ashamed of how she looked but it irritated Charon when she ran around without pants.
When she got to the bath house it was empty. There were three tubs inside along with a couple stalls that held toilets and a single sink. Over the sink was a cracked mirror and a light flickered overhead.
The tubs were set against the far wall and you filled them with a hose in the corner.
Rachel had dragged two of the tubs side by side and had just started filling the first one when Nova walked in. she had a similar bundle of bath stuff in her arms that she set in down on a decaying chair.
"Sorry I took so long. I stopped by Gob's to let our men know where we were. I didn't want them to think we'd been eaten."
"Was Charon still there?" Rachel asked,
"Yeah, the guys were all leaned over the bar whispering. I don't know what they were talking about though; they went silent when I walked in,"
"They're plotting," Rachel growled, "What the hell could Charon be doing? Nova I don't like surprises,"
"Yes you do hon," she chided, "You don't like being spooked."
Rachel's tub was almost half full so she switched the hose to Nova's. "My question stands,"
"Whatever it is don't worry about it. Charon loves you, he wouldn't do anything to hurt you,"
Rachel nodded as she striped. Nova was right, Charon wouldn't do anything to hurt her on purpose. "I guess I can rule out my assassination then. I hope that they are plotting something and Charon's not sick or anything. He'd tell me if he was dying. Right?"
Nova stepped into her tub. She was shaking her head as she fixed her friend with a stern look. "If Charon were dying I don't think he would laugh at lame jokes and suddenly have the driving need to share secrets with other men,"
"Maybe it's cancer? A tumor in the behavioral part of his brain?"
"He's a ghoul hun, ghouls don't get sick like that. A dose of radiation and he would be cured,"
"Well…I'm still making him stand down by the bomb later, just to be safe."
"There, you have a plan. Now tell me all about your latest trip, I want all the dirt,"
The woman talked for a long time. Rachel felt a lot better now that she had a plan of action. She liked seeing Charon's lighter side but that side was subtle. He'd been so out of character today that it had her mind spinning. The thought of losing him, even to the imaginary ghoul killing cancer she'd invented, scared the hell out of her.
When Rachel walk through the front door Charon was sitting on the couch with his shotgun in pieces on the coffee table. He looked up smiling at her, putting down the part he was cleaning.
Her man stood and crossed the room in three long strides, pulling her into his arms. Rachel dropped the clothes in her hands, hugging him tightly. He lifted her chin with the crook of his finger and planted a hard kissed on her lips.
"Did you have fun with Nova?" he asked softly.
"I did," Rachel smiled up at him,
"Good,"
"Charon?"
"Yes?"
Rachel hesitated, "If, if you were unhappy or in trouble or sick you would tell me. Right?"
The big ghoul frowned slightly, "Of course, I would expect that you would do the same for me,"
"I would. It's just you've been acting so weird today. Laughing and taking off your boot and napping,"
Charon laughed again, a soft rumbling in his chest as he kissed her forehead. "I am just having a very good day," he assured her. "You will see what time is it?"
Rachel glanced down at her Pipboy, "It's six thirty,"
"Are you hungry? I would like to take you to Gob's for dinner,"
Rachel raised her sleek eyebrows, "Should I get dressed up for this?" She joked, "Make-up and heels and a beautiful evening gown?"
"Yes," He grinned at the startled look on his woman's face.
"What's going on? Tell me please," She begged as he steered her towards the stairs.
"I will not, now go get dressed. I want you to look like you own Tenpenny Tower," he told her, gently pushing her into their bedroom. He flashed a affectionate grin and left, closing the door.
Instead of going back down to the living room Charon ducked into the room next to theirs. It was for storage right now but it had once belonged to him. When she'd first brought him into her home she'd given him this room. He opened a metal box and pulled out the black pre-war business suit he'd stashed there.
Moira had performed a miracle when she found one his size. He'd asked her to keep an eye out for one a couple of months ago. He'd gone to sell of their salvage a few weeks ago and she'd pulled it from under the counter. She'd even insisted on giving it to him for half of what it was worth. He tried to pay full but the eccentric woman had refused saying it was for a good cause.
He didn't have shoes but he'd shined up his boots and the pant legs of the suit were long enough to hide most of his boots anyway. He'd put a lot of effort into tonight. Thankfully Rachel hadn't caught on.
Rachel stared at her door. She could hear Charon moving around in the next room but she couldn't tell what he was doing. She sighed, turning to the filing cabinet she kept her few clothes in. He wanted her to wear a dress? She did have one that she didn't hate. It was the one she'd worn that night in New Vegas.
She pulled open the bottom drawer and moved things around until she found what she was looking for. It was V-necked, sleeveless and black. Rachel looked it over, pleased to find it wasn't too wrinkled or ripped anywhere.
The girl shrugged and changed, sliding the material on over her head. She straitened it over her curves, inspecting her reflection in the mirror Charon had attached to the back of the door for her.
The black dress hugged her torso and fluttered to just an inch above her knees. It was low in the back which was perfect to show off her angel wing tattoo. After she wrapped the wide red belt around her waist Rachel automatically reached for her boots but stopped, her eyes settling on the strappy heels she only got to wear to the bathhouse.
"Well, might as well do this right," she whispered to herself. She was suddenly intensely glad she'd shaved her legs today in the bath. Rachel looked at the door when she heard Charon head down stairs, a smile creeping over her lips. If he wanted her to takeover Tenpenny Tower then she would, just to prove that she could.
Rachel pulled her hair back into and elegant bun. She let a few strands of hair fall around her face. She applied dark red lipstick and the eyeliner she had been saving for a special occasion. A sliver double chain that used to belong to her adoptive mother Carla went around her neck. Rachel even dug out a pair of earring she'd made out of the tiny silver wheel cogs of a broken watch.
Rachel took a look at her reflection smiling. She felt like she just stepped out of a holotape. The girl opened the door, carefully descending the stairs. Heels always took her a few minutes to get used too.
Charon was standing by the door waiting for her. When he turned to look at her his face said everything she'd been hoping for. Rachel looked her ghoul over slowly. Somewhere he'd come up with a very handsome black suit. They were defiantly dressed to match. He'd even combed what was left of his hair back.
"Fuck," he growled glancing back up the stairs and then to his smoothskin again. "We don't have time."
"You don't look so bad yourself," Rachel blushed, running her fingers down his dark red tie. "Where did you get this?"
"Moira," he growled trying incredibly hard not to take her right there against the door.
"Remind me to thank her," she whispered and Charon nodded.
"It's seven," he told her, offering his arm "Come on, Let's go make every asshole in this town fuckin' jealous."
"Am I really that pretty?" Rachel asked as she took his offered arm.
"I can't wait to see Creels face,"
Charon led her into the warm night air. They strolled arm in arm along the walkways towards Gob's Saloon. He deliberately led her down by the bomb where a few people where listening to Cromwell spout his Church of Atom nonsense. Every set of eyes were on the pair. It made Rachel blush when a man whose name she didn't know whistled. When she looked at Charon he had smirk on his face and his chest was puffed up in a clear sign of male pride.
"So are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Rachel asked but he shook his head.
"If you haven't already figured it out you will in a minute,"
Charon paused in front of Gob's door long enough to kiss her lips softly. "Remember, I love you"
She was going to ask what he meant but Charon opened the door. Half the town of Megaton yelled "Surprise!"
Rachel jumped six inches, her hand immediately flashing to wear her gun was suppose to be but she was laughing breathlessly. "What is this?"
"Happy Birthday," Charon whispered in her ear, scanning the room. People were drinking, talking and having a good time. He was pleased to see more than a few envious eyes on Rachel, one pair of those eyes belonged to Billy Creel. He was the only Man in town who'd ever dared make a pass at Rachel while her big bodyguard had been there.
He glanced down at Rachel, realizing she was talking to him.
"-amazing, Thank you so much!"
"I'm glad you like it, go have a seat before Gob explodes,"
Rachel nodded, moving to take her usual seat between Jericho and Billy. Billy's eyes ate up her body. He grinned when he reached her face. "Well don't you look like the belle of the ball," he said getting to his feet. He gestured for Charon to take his seat while he talked. "I have to go pick up Maggie, I'll see you in a little while,"
"Thank you Billy!" Rachel waved at the man, oblivious to his affection for her. She looked from Gob to Jericho. Both men were gawking at her with wide eyes. "What?"
"You look amazing kid," Gob growled as he poured her a Rum and Nuka. "Happy Birthday!"
Beside her Jericho wished her the same and handed her a small box wrapped in cloth.
"You didn't have to get me anything! How did you guys even know?" Rachel asked, fixing her eye accusingly at Charon. The big ghoul chuckled.
"I remembered the date from last year,"
The box was heavy in her hand, laughter bursting from her lips when she had it unwrapped. It was a full box of .308 rounds. "They're armor piercing," Jericho told her as she hugged him from her stool.
"Thank you!"
"Yeah, get off me. Nova'll be pissed."
"No, I wouldn't mind sharing with Rachel," Purred the woman behind him. She handed Rachel a little bottle of dark red nail polish as Jericho's face lit up at the possibility.
"I would mind," Charon growled, wrapped a possessive arm around his woman. Nova and Rachel laughed.
Rachel got a few other gifts from people in town. Billy's daughter Maggie gave her a much loved teddy bear when she got back with her father. The Stahl's gave her a scrap of paper worth a free dinner for her and Charon at the Brass Lantern. Lucy West and Simms both got her some .44 ammo for her rifle and Gob presented her with a bottle of coffee brandy. She'd never seen brandy but Gob poured her a shot and it was delicious.
Rachel looked up from her conversation with Gob realizing someone was missing. "Where's Charon?"
"He'll be right back," Jericho told her and she shot if a suspicious look.
"Since when do you keep tabs on Charon?"
He was saved from having to answer when the door opened and Charon walked in carrying something long wrapped up in canvas. Moira followed him with a silly grin on her lips and something dark smuggled on her cheek.
"Well Happy Birthday," She greeted. Moira was without a doubt the most cheerful person Rachel had ever met.
"Hi, Thanks for coming!" Rachel gave the erratic woman a hug before she turned her attention to Charon and whatever he had. He was smirking as her put the heavy object in her hands, pleased with what he'd done.
Rachel undid the wrapping and gasped. The most beautiful sniper rifle she'd ever seen lay on her lap. Instead of gunmetal grey like the few she'd seen in the world this one was solid black with her name engraved into the stock.
"It-it's beautiful!" she choked, tilting her head up to look at the man standing over her. He leaned down to kiss her. Rachel thought he must be having a very good day, he wasn't ever publicly affectionate.
"The rifle is from myself, the color and engraving is from Moira,"
"I just did the painting, it was his idea," Moira told her friend.
"It's perfect," she assured them and she thanked them both.
It was hours before the two of them left together. Her Pipboy said 3:23 in the morning and they were both a little buzzed. Most of the other residents in Megaton had already gone home for the night and the ground around the bomb was vacant of the normal crowd of people.
Rachel flicked on her Pipboy and a familiar tune filled the air. In the shadow of the valley, I would like to settle down.
Charon caught Rachel's hand pulling her into his arms. Charon put one hand on her waist and held on of her hand in his other big palm. He guided her into a slow waltz there in the shadow of the disarmed bomb. The song playing from Rachel's Pipboy was smooth and slow. It fit the moment more perfectly than Charon could have hoped.
This song had seen them through a lot. She'd sung it slowly while she waited for him to wake up after pulling nine bullets from his chest. It had been playing the first time he'd kissed her. He knew if he put it on while she was upset she'd smile.
Rachel rested her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed, letting him move her in time with her favorite song. Charon moved her into the light and spun her slowly in place. He let go of her. Rachel opened her golden eyes, searching for him.
He stood two feet away from her. When Rachel's eyes met his Charon reached into an inner pocket of his suit jacket. Rachel smiled at him, mouthing the words to the songs.
You have always waited for me. You will always be there.
Charon looked her up and down, hesitating for just a second in front of the woman that would decide the rest of his life in just a few seconds.
"Rachel, I've been thinking about this for a long time. I want you to know that you're the most infuriating, brash, sarcastic woman I've ever met. I can't imagine the hell I would be in if you'd never strolled in the Ninth Circle like you owned it,"
Rachel started to laugh but Charon kept talking. "We have fought together, taken bullet out of each other and I know you've bled into my wounds before. That means your blood is in my veins. You're a part of me," Charon felt the cool metal between fingers and with his heart pounding the ghoul got down on one knee, holding a ring out to his smoothskin.
"What do you think Ray? Would you like it if I were a part of you too? Would you marry me?"
Rachel's hands clapped over her mouth. She had to force herself to start breathing again. For a long time she was frozen. For one horrible second Charon thought he'd spooked her and she was going to refuse him. Then she squeaked throwing her arms around his neck.
"Of course you jackass! You've always been a part of me!"
"Then it's time we made it official." The ghoul chocked. Part of him had known she wouldn't refuse but a bigger part had been terrified she'd realize what he wasn't human and how taboo their relationship was. Charon had even dreamed that Rachel had finally come to her senses and told him goodbye.
Rachel was warm in his arms, her heat burned away all those fears. He got to his feet, pulling her up with him.
Charon realized he could hear applause and they both looked up towards the Saloon. Jericho Nova and Gob were leaning on the railing, watching them. Rachel blushed but Charon wasn't surprised. He'd told the men what he was planning earlier that day.
Charon slipped the ring onto Rachel's left hand, kissing her finger before he kissed her mouth. Rachel kissed him back and held her hand under the light to inspect her new engagement ring. It was made out of braided copper wire and it had a red stone woven into the center.
"It's beautiful!" She cried, "Where did you find it?"
"The wire wasn't an issue but I didn't find the stone until yesterday when we where poking around that hotel. It was in a broken earring under a bed,"
"You made this?" she was awed. Nobody ever went out of their way like Charon did for her. He must have spent weeks making her ring.
"I did, you're worth it." Charon took her hand leading her up the ramp to their home. "Come, I want to show you just how happy you've made me tonight,"
Rachel smiled at him, "Oh? How are you going to do that?"
"I'm going to start by stripping you out of everything but that ring."
I wrote this months ago but I couldn't post it until I had On Broken Roads Finished! It's been eating me alive keeping this all to myself. I really like this one-short, It makes me laugh and I hope it does the same for all of you!