Jinx twirls some more, head tilted skyward and laughter spilling through the night. "Looks like a kaleidoscope from here," she giggles, feet stumbling as she dizzily slows down. Alarmed, Fawkes watches her steps drift towards the edge of the roof and tugs her back to the relative safety of the center.
She just laughs some more, star-drunk. "I've jumped off roofs before, Fawkes. I'd survive."
"You are giving me every reason to question your sanity," he rumbles, her indifference prickling under his skin.
"Join the queue," she says flippantly. "I'm going to go check on Nova, see if she woke up from her nap yet. Maybe keep her from drinking everything in the house," she adds, grinning wickedly.
"Only if it's wine." Gob sits at the edge of the roof, shoulders tight as he stares downward at the darkness.
"Afraid of heights?" Jinx asks sympathetically, swinging her feet over the edge and dangling her lower body.
"Not heights. Depths."
Her feet hit the crates, knees bending to absorb the impact. She turns in place, picking her next step down. "An important distinction," she agrees. "Come on. I'll catch you!"
Fawkes looks over the edge of the roof, his stomach queasy with grilled squirrel, gravy, and the seeming abyss of the drop. "Depths, not heights," he mutters. "I like that one." It's easier if he closes his eyes, dropping down and grunting with relief as he feels ground thud underfoot once more. Even knowing that the metal walkways of Megaton are over yawning space, at least it's better than being on the roof.
As it turns out, Gob needs neither Fawkes nor Jinx to catch him, instead making a graceless scramble down the pile of junk. Jinx bursts into ecstatic cheers when he reaches the bottom, clapping her hands fit to make the ghoul blush.
"Not so bad, huh? And wasn't the view worth it?" she bubbles, hopping from one foot to the other and pumping her fists in the air.
The ghoul nods, gaze drifting upwards with lingering wonder. "I have never seen the stars like that before."
"There's a planetarium, in one of the old DC Museums—it's pretty fantastic. Imagine, being able to summon the stars with just a flick of a switch…" Her voice trails off with a sigh, and she briskly knocks at the door. A howl answers her, then Nova calling, "Unlocked!"
Once inside, Fawkes immediately checks the ceiling. The atrocious lamp is gone, thankfully. Nova has also pulled out several bottles filled with rose and amber liquids, along with a few bottles of Nuka-Cola. A mismatched set of shot glasses and cups are set aside, but it looks as if Nova has not started drinking yet.
"Had a lovely nap, then thought why not have a toast?" Nova drawls, her voice sweet smoke and heat. She gestures to the liquor display with a disbelieving shake of her head before touching Jinx's cheek. "You have enough to open your own bar."
"Just until Doc Hoff comes in." Jinx grins fiercely, but reaches for a whiskey bottle. "I don't like selling to Moriarty, and the Stahls can't take everything I find." She pours a finger's worth into a glass, then fills the rest with cola. The dark fizz quickly masks the tawny liquor.
With a faint 'tsk,' Nova pours in another generous dollop of whiskey. "We're playing drinking games tonight, hon. Part of that means drinking."
"I thought we were toasting first?"
"Good point," Nova concedes. A dark bottle of beer goes to Gob, the ghoul popping the top with practiced ease, but she hesitates at Fawkes. "What do you drink?"
"I don't know," he admits, sitting at the edge of the bed. His bed. The shape is still objectionable, but at least it's large. Fairly comfortable too. He would like to trade the obnoxious red coverlet for something more muted, but this will suffice. Dogmeat sits next to him, curled into a tight ball.
"Big as you are, you probably won't feel anything unless we get you the hard stuff. Whiskey?" He just nods, accepting her decision as she pours a line of shots for him.
"A toast! To friends, to freedom, and to drinking!" Nova finishes her toast by loudly clinking her glass of rose wine against Jinx's glass and Gob's bottle, then reaches over to tap it to Fawkes' shot. He feels a wet splash of liquor spilling over the side, but downs the rest. The liquid burns going down, a fiery tingle spreading to his gut and limbs, but the rawness soon fades, leaving only pleasant warmth. The taste… he tilts the glass again, licking the small amount that lingers at the bottom. The taste is not something he particularly cares for, but he can see why others would appreciate its effects.
Jinx catches his measuring look, and chuckles. "Yeah. That's why I mix mine with cola. I'm a baby like that."
"Nothing wrong with that. Not like there's a lot of other mixed drinks I can make anyway," Gob grumbles. "I've seen those prewar cocktail books, and most of them are just about impossible to make with the crap we've got around." He takes another swig of his beer, sitting heavily in a chair and looking a world apart from the beaten-down ghoul behind the bar.
"Other ways to make drinking fun." Nova's cheeks are flushed, but it's more likely joy than alcohol.
"Drinking is always fun, according to some," Jinx points out, tapping her feet against the ground and idly swishing a finger through her drink.
"Yes, but games make you feel like there's a point." Nova takes another dainty sip of her wine, pinky turned up in exaggerated delicacy. "Ever played 'Never Have I Ever'?"
"Never have I played Never Have I Ever," Jinx intones, ducking to the side to avoid Nova's annoyed finger-flick.
"Well, aren't you just a smartass tonight. Rules are simple: Say what you've never done, and if someone else has done it, take a drink. Winner is whoever stays sober the longest. Or takes the longest to finish their drink; I've never quite been clear on that myself." Nova smiles brilliantly, all soft curves and warm charm. "I'll start." Clearing her throat daintily, she states, "Never have I ever been to Underworld."
Gob and Jinx both take their sips, though Fawkes is lost as to the game's entertainment.
Next, Gob holds up his beer. In a firm voice, he declares, "Never have I ever deactivated a bomb." Jinx drinks to that, but not before laughing 'not fair!' and reaching over to swat him. He only snickers, beer coating the gravel sound.
"Fine. Never have I ever…" Her voice trails off, and she eyes Fawkes' untouched line of shots. Then she grins, electricity crackling through her form. "Never have I ever gone solo to rescue someone from the Enclave."
Nova lets out a low whistle of appreciation as Fawkes takes his first drink. "So that's how you two joined up?"
"She managed to rescue herself," Fawkes says quietly, gaze averted. He does still owe her so much, and every kindness only adds to the debt of his obligation. Belatedly, he realizes it is now his turn in the game. "Never have I ever jumped off a roof." There; he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
Unsurprisingly, Jinx sips her whiskey-cola mixture. Surprisingly, Gob does as well, cueing a surprised laugh from Jinx. "Hey, when did you jump off a roof?"
"Young, stupid, had skin back then. Did it to impress a girl," the ghoul mumbles, but he grins foolishly, eyes misty with long-gone memories.
"Did it work?" Nova wants to know, leaning forward eagerly.
Gob just blushes, the remnants of his skin going pink and purple as Jinx hoots, "Details! Details!"
"She was gorgeous. Hair in long braids, skin like honey. All sweetness and light," Gob begins, but stammers to a halt as Jinx asks, "Did you kiss?"
"Forget kiss; did you fuck?" That came from Nova, smug and grinning ear-to-ear. That completely undoes Gob, the ghoul hiding his face in his palm and refusing to stir from beyond its limited protection. Nova chuckles. "Fine, be that way. Never have I ever kissed a girl. That wasn't paying for it," the prostitute quickly amends, bringing color to Fawkes' cheeks as he recalls that yes, Nova's profession makes her (un)fair game for most of the filthier 'I Never' statements.
Both Jinx and Gob take their drinks, though the ghoul's eyes widen at Jinx's casual swig. "You prefer dames?"
"No," Jinx states firmly, wiping her mouth against the back of her hand. "I like dames. But I don't prefer. I like who I like."
"So who was the lucky girl?" Nova asks, tilting her glass to swirl the wine.
Jinx's smile is small and sad, eyes shuttering closed. "My first crush. Didn't work out, but at least we stayed friends. She helped me escape the vault when everything went crazy." Fawkes remembers her tale of that frantic escape, and the pistol… monsters in the labyrinth. Will she ever be truly free? Her hands flutter like broken wings as she gives a dismissive wave of her hand. "But that's my kiss story."
Nova raises an eyebrow, looking at Fawkes' line of shots. "No kisses for you, big guy?"
"I have no memories from before my isolation."
Nova just laughs at the overly prim statement, shaking her head in disbelief. "Shame about that. Maybe you have, but if you don't remember… hm. It'll be a while before you finish those shots then."
"Never have I ever gone swimming," Gob declares. Jinx and Nova take their sips, though Nova raises her eyebrow at Fawkes again.
"Just how long have you been out in the big wide world?"
"Two days," he admits. Nova shakes her head in disbelief.
Now it's Jinx's turn again. Grinning, she teases, "No worries. I'll teach you how to swim." Then she switches to an oratory tone. "Never have I ever seen the rain."
Gob and Nova take their drinks, Nova still shaking her head. "You've only been out for a few months too… well, give it a bit more time and the rains will come."
"Never have I ever…" Fawkes stares upwards, looking at the lamp's conspicuous absence. "Never have I ever seen a lamp like that before today."
Jinx takes a sip, blushing so that her cheeks match her hair. "Sorry again about that. Moira just thought when I said I needed a really big bed that I needed a whole 'lovers theme' going on. But I don't think that lamp had much to do with 'love.'" She mimes thrusting one finger through the closed circle of her thumb and forefinger, the unexpected vulgarity making Fawkes choke.
"And you know so much about love, little girl?" Nova's affectionate, playful even, but Jinx's response is dead serious.
"You don't have to be in love to know what you like." She gives an enigmatic half-shrug, tapping her drink to form ripples.
"Fair enough," the prostitute concedes. She takes a sip of her wine to wet her throat, regardless of it being her turn in the game. "Never have I ever danced naked in the moonlight." She looks about the table curiously, wondering who will be snared by that one.
Unsurprisingly, only Jinx takes a drink. Gob raises what's left of an eyebrow. "When was that?"
"Eh. A while ago." Jinx shrugs dismissively, apparently failing to find it odd or unusual.
Nova quirks her eyebrow upward. "For someone special?"
"Nah. I just felt like it." Jinx rolls her shoulders back, giving a sigh of relief as a joint pops. "I just… I like dancing. And I like being naked. And I like the stars. So is that so strange?" She blinks, biting her lip as if just realizing how cleanly sheared her inhibitions are.
"It is unusual," Nova allows. "But no stranger than many other things."
Jinx snorts, crossing her ankles. "I'm not that weird," she mutters. "I just do the things people think about. I spent nineteen years trying to run around with my wings clipped, and I'm just… I'm sick of it." She abruptly kicks her legs out, rising like five feet of fury as the words spew out. Alcohol may be the trigger, but this has been brewing far longer than just this silly little drinking game. "I don't like caring about what other people think. I do what I have to do, but all the social bits—that's another game. As long as I kill raiders and slavers, it shouldn't matter a damn whether I dance naked on the rooftop. Or kiss girls. Or… anything."
She takes a long swig of her drink, throat pulsing as she swallows the sweet beverage. The room is silent as she does so, finally setting her glass down.
"Story-time's over," she says in clipped tones, slamming herself back in her seat. "Gob, your turn."
"Um." He coughs, rapidly shifting gears. "Never have I ever… dyed my hair. Even when I had hair," he adds feebly, running his fingers through the scattered strands still clinging to his scalp.
Jinx and Nova both take their drinks, though Fawkes just rubs his bald pate.
"I think at this rate, I will remain sober long after you are all inebriated." He says the words slowly, eyeing the line of drinks still in front of him.
"Fine. Let's see if this gets you going—never have I ever had to duck to enter a doorway," Jinx says devilishly, passing her hand over her head with a whooshing sound.
Fawkes takes his shot and Nova laughs.
"Never have I ever walked all around Megaton with my shirt wide open," the prostitute adds breezily, winking as Fawkes coughs before taking his shot.
Jinx giggles, her solemn mood vanished like a mirage. "Yeah, we're a regular pair of nudists." She leans to the side, drumming her fingers against the edge of the table.
Swallowing, Gob attempts to continue the string of drinks. "Never have I ever…" His gaze flicks to Fawkes, and he gives a lipless smile. "Never have I used a Gatling laser."
Predictably, only Fawkes and Jinx take their drinks. She hiccups, tapping her chest with one hand, but her words are still clearly enunciated as she announces, "Never have I ever run down a hallway full of lethal levels of radiation." Fawkes does not drink, so she raises her glass at him, cola sloshing about the edges. "Oh come on. You did," she says peevishly.
"Lethal is relative. It was not lethal to me; hence, I survived." It might be a pedantic distinction, but he is gratified by her immediate booing, her tongue sticking out as she gives an emphatic thumbs-down.
"Not fair! Drink! Drink! Drink!" she starts chanting, Nova adding her voice and even Gob clapping along as he shakes his head. Fawkes finally obliges by taking another shot, the whiskey filling him with liquid heat. He starts to feel a pleasant haze, thoughts blurring together as the alcohol finally starts kicking in.
"Very well. But never have I ever danced naked on those stairs," he adds, pointing to the guilty structure. Jinx cackles as she takes her drink, and Nova shakes her head in amusement.
"Starting to wonder where you haven't been sky-clad, hon."
"Technically, it's not sky-clad in here because there is no sky," Jinx points out, finger extended upward. "But only in the house and on the roof. Not like I've ever gone 'hey, I want to wander around this abandoned metro naked and see if a feral ghoul pops out!'"
"Might not be all that pops out." Gob claps his hand over his mouth as soon as that blurts out, but Nova and Jinx are both carried away in gales of laughter, Jinx pounding her fist against her thigh as she gasps for air.
"Gob, you're learning to sass! Fantastic!"
"Never have I ever slept with Sheriff Simms," Nova says, so quietly that it takes a few moments before anyone even realizes she said anything. No one else takes a drink.
"You sweet on him?" Jinx is tapping her lower lip, eyes distant and scheming.
"A little, but I'm a big girl. If he doesn't mind me being a hooker… well, we'll see." Nova's smile is soft and enigmatic. "Gob, back to you."
"Never have I ever slept with two people at once," the ghoul creaks, then almost drops his beer as both Nova and Jinx take their drinks. "Jinx! You?"
"You said sleep, not sex," she points out, smirking. "Plenty of sleepovers. Fawkes, you can drink for this one too; there were definitely more than two people in the room at Big Town."
"You know what I meant." His frown fails to have any sting, and his chuckle comes out in a jagged burst as Jinx pats the back of his hand. Neither interrogate Nova on her use of the word 'sleep,' the woman just rolling her eyes at Jinx's word-play.
"Fine. Never have I ever had sex. With anyone other than myself," she adds, crinkling her eyebrows as if deep in thought. Gob and Nova take their drinks, but Nova groans.
"Seriously, if we're just sticking with the vulgarities, I'm going to be finishing that entire bottle of wine," Nova complains, raising the bottle in demonstration.
Gob frowns, looking at Jinx. "How old are you again?"
"Nineteen and change." The so-called Lone Wanderer smiles tightly. "I just never met anyone I was into. At least, not into and in a relationship with," she amends. "Never dated in the vault, and Wasteland romance isn't exactly compatible with running around the ends of the earth. I mean, only seeing my sweetheart once a week at most…" Her voice trails off, and she gives a low sigh.
"There are people who wouldn't mind that," Gob says softly. Fawkes shifts uncomfortably, wondering if she recognizes the longing in his voice. Even if his ribs are intact, his heart is on display.
The tight line of her smile softens, twisting into something more sad and wistful. "But I would. And being half the relationship… well, that would put a damper on things."
Draining the rest of her glass, Nova complains, "We are all playing this game wrong. It's supposed to be silly and dirty, not emotional and feely. We're supposed to be laughing about all this, not crying in our cups."
"But happy-drunk Jinx wouldn't wake up early enough for a morning trek to Underworld," Jinx points out, clinking her glass against Nova's now-empty one.
"Fine. Just one more then, but you have to make it count, Fawkes." Nova may be joking, but there is steel under her tone, and Fawkes flounders under the unexpected pressure.
"I have never done most of these things, or even played the game before. How am I to single-handedly turn this tide?" he objects.
Jinx smirks, pointing to the line of whiskey in front of him. "Body shots. You definitely haven't done those before. And from what I've heard, they're a perfect ice-breaker." Nova's loud groan spurs Fawkes to his next declaration.
"Very well then. Never have I ever done a body shot."
"Finally!" Nova exclaims, pouring herself another glass of wine so she can take her obligatory drink. Gob finishes his beer as well, muttering about how this is also something he had only done back when he had skin. Despite Jinx being the one to suggest it, her drink remains untouched, something which Nova gleefully observes.
"Okay, since Jinx is so desperate to get back on the road tomorrow, game ends here! But at least we can cross a couple 'I never' items off first. Jinx, do you have any ant nectar?" the woman orders, plucking the last two unfinished shot glasses from the floor by Fawkes. He watches in confusion as she places them on the table by her, pulling her shirt's neckline down to expose more cleavage. Squeezing her breasts together, she wedges one of the shot glasses in the impromptu shelf. Gob blushes, ducking his head but not quite looking away, apparently aware of what's coming next.
When Jinx returns with a small plastic jar filled with a yellow-gold substance, Nova dips a finger in and smears a generous portion of nectar along her neckline.
"Body shot. Game is to take that shot then lick off the nectar. Whiskey harsh and nectar sweet—a grown-up step from your whiskey and cola, hon. Try to get the shot without using your hands." Fawkes flushes, dropping his gaze to the floor. He can hear a loud sucking sound and high-pitched giggles, a few distinctly wet slurps, and then Nova murmuring, "Don't forget the nectar…" followed by more giggles and a loud licking sound. When he finally dares to look up, Jinx's chin is sticky and gleaming, and Nova has an empty shot glass dangling in one hand as she laughs.
Cheeks red and eyes bright, Jinx wipes at the sloppy mess on her face with one sleeve. "Okay. That's one 'never' crossed off." Her voice is somewhat raspy, the whiskey burn not completely subdued by the nectar.
"You too, big guy?" Nova asks, the other shot dangling between her fingers.
Jinx laughs, ruffling her mop of hair with sticky fingers. "It's just a game. But you don't have to play."
Anyone else might miss that pleading tone, but the memory of him backing against the railing is too strong to refuse. So he nods, reminding himself that this is just a game. Within the boundaries of this silly drinking game, contact is not unexpected. It's only the teasing, overly casual nature of it outside that bothers him.
Or so he tells himself.
Nova takes his tentative nod in full stride. "Fine. Your turn to give the shot, Jinx."
The wanderer crinkles her nose, shaking her head emphatically. "In case you haven't noticed, I have no tits."
"Small does not mean none," the other woman says chidingly. "But there are other ways to do it. Lie down and pull your shirt up."
Jinx stands from her seat, steps weaving uncertainly as she plops down next to Fawkes. Dogmeat stirs, but does not move as she leans back into the red fabric. She pulls up her shirt to expose a thin strip of bare flesh, taut lines of hips and stomach with only the scantest of curves to soften their angles. There is little that's childish about her now, cheeks flush with giddiness and alcohol as Nova plunks the glass into the dip of her navel, then smears a line of nectar across a puckered scar that mars the burnt sugar hue of her belly.
Fawkes does not need Nova to recite the rules, instead leaning in and fitting his lips over the walls of the shot glass. Using his tongue to tilt it aside, the liquor comes pouring out into his cheek and he swallows quickly. A stray splash hits against the nectar, creating a rippled line that glistens in the light. Swiftly, before he loses his nerve to finish this ridiculous game, he presses his tongue flat against the trail of whiskey and nectar, pulling up in one broad stroke to gather the rest. She squirms under his mouth, belly quivering as she gives a surprised gasp.
"That tickles!"
Her startled squeak brings him back to himself and he straightens up, cheeks hot with more than just liquor. "I apologize. But that is one more 'I never' taken care of for both of us."
"I'll say," Nova murmurs. There is something wicked and foreign in her gaze, but she refrains from voicing it. "Clean up, then bright and early tomorrow, I take it?"
"For us, leaving at eight at the latest. You're welcome to sleep in if you want; I can leave the key with you until I come back," Jinx offers. "And Nova, Gob, you can take the beds upstairs."
Nova raises her eyebrow. "So where are you sleeping?"
"I have a bedroll."
The flippant response just makes Nova's eyebrow rise farther. Any higher and Fawkes suspects it will detach from her face. "So you are giving everyone else the beds for tonight?"
"You're guests," the younger woman says defensively, jaw set with a mulish expression.
Coughing, Fawkes pets Dogmeat with one hand. After that ridiculous display with the whiskey and the nectar—and having gained a vague sense of comfort from learning that her black widow tendencies are a mere façade—he feels less unease in offering, "But I am not a guest. I am your companion."
"And you get to sleep in a bed too." Her arms are crossed in front of her now, scowling like a gargoyle.
"There is ample space for both of us." Considering her physical intimacy, he does not think she will object. However, with her lack of a clothing taboo… he hastily adds, "But please keep your clothes on."
That startles a laugh from her, and Nova too, the woman rolling her eyes and chuckling, "This must be the first time I've seen a man try to talk a woman into her clothes."
"Sure, I can stay dressed. And thank you." Jinx's smile is small, but her eyes more than make up for it.
Cleaning up is a simple affair, mostly meaning just setting it aside for Wadsworth to get around to. Nova and Gob go up to their separate rooms. Jinx pulls off her boots, setting them aside neatly with her grimy socks spread flat beside them. She hesitates when unfastening her vest, looking askance. "Is this okay? I am keeping the undershirt, but just don't like sleeping in anything too bulky."
Remembering her comment about skivvies, he nods. "Underwear is acceptable." The heavy chains attached to her thick leggings would only dig into the mattress anyway.
For the first time since he has met her, she turns away before disrobing. The worn fabric of her tank top provides sufficient coverage for him to feel comfortable and her bottoms look to be modified boxer shorts, allowing him a small wave of relief. Then even that vanishes from view as she tucks herself under the blanket, nestling herself against Dogmeat. Fawkes moves himself under the blanket as well, the bed wide enough that he does not actually touch her even though he is aware of her warmth less than six inches away.
"Hey. Still want to talk about earlier?" she asks, voice soft and tentative.
He nods before remembering she cannot see it in the dark. "Yes. I would still like to apologize. I know there is no ill intent." His voice carries far more than he would like, so he tries to keep it barely above a whisper, ghost-like and wafting from his lips.
"No. I have… bad boundaries. Most people do not call me on it because I'm small and friendly." She sounds resigned, squeezing Dogmeat slightly and causing the dog to snuffle against the blankets. "I mean, let's be honest. If I was big like you, or a man, all the touching I do—reaching for people's hair, patting their cheeks, hugging them—it would be really inappropriate. And it still is, if you aren't comfortable with it."
He pauses, trying to pick his words carefully. "I admire you greatly. I am still learning your ways, and am enjoying our travels so far. But I am still learning. And most of all, I am trying to learn what you expect of me."
"I need someone to watch my back in combat, and to help me stay alive. Someone I can do the same for," she replies, equally slow and hesitant. "I want someone who can be a friend, and who can argue or disagree with me if they think I am making a poor decision." He feels her toes twitching under the cover, a nervous tic as they rustle against the sheets. "And I would like someone I can touch or hug once in a while. I know it sounds very clingy, but I do cling. I'm not trying to, ah…" Here she coughs, nervous and uncertain as she gives a broken laugh. "I'm not trying to ravish you. I swear, if I want to, I'll tell you. Earlier today was just a very bad joke."
The most incredible thing is that he believes her. Blunt as she is, he has no problems envisioning her giving a cheerful smile and a straight-forward, "Hello, would you like to have sex?"
"I am still learning your boundaries. You intimidate me," he admits. He forges on as she laughs disbelievingly. "You are competent, knowledgeable, and very aware of what you want. I am still struggling to develop those skills."
"And I am still struggling to balance between what I want to do and what others want me to do." She says this soft and wistful, eyes closed when he turns his head to look at her. "Sometimes I feel like jelly scraped across too much bread. But if it's something that makes me happy… I'm not going to stop dancing naked in moonlight just because it shocks someone who can't even see me."
"Never stop dancing."
He can see her smile, teeth gleaming in the shadows of the night. "Never."