Gob was in an oddly chipper mood today, the parched lips slightly split as he whistled along with the radio. Part of it was because Moriarty had been bent over his computer all day and didn't seem about to leave it any time soon, leaving his employees to keep to themselves. And with such a lazy day even Nova had found herself whistling along with the tunes at times, all in all the day was reaching to its lazy end...nicely for once.
Standing in his usual spot Gob bobbed his head a little to the crystal clear sound of Butcher Pete coming through...man that fix of the transmission was a godsend. Even as Nova watched the ghoul checked the caps in the register, slammed it shut...and made a small pirouette. "Wow, look at you go." Gob flinched, so engrossed in his 'work' that he had forgotten about her, Nova laughed. "Never took you for a dancer."
Gob was suddenly very interested in his feet. "Well...the new socks help."
"Hey, no need to explain yourself, it's a good day after all. I'd ask you for a dance but I'm afraid I'm horrible at it."
Gob opened his mouth to argue, without a doubt desiring a dance above anything else at the moment, especially with her. Nova smiled, might as well get convinced...it was a small favour and she might get a laugh out of it...
Then the door opened.
Muttering a curse that made Nova smirk the ghoul turned to the customers...and instantly forgot his irritation as his face split into a smile. "John! And James! Well I'll be!" He spoke louder then normal, had the good mood given him a little spine to speak up? Nova hoped so...then she realised what the ghoul had said.
There they stood, larger than life.
John seemed a little fresher, more energized before, and not just the desperate rage that kept him going. Still, he hadn't changed that much, he was still an odd mix of muscles and gauntness...and still quite dirty and rough around the edges. The scar over his face had turned pale, a white streak right across the tanned flesh...and his eyes were fixed on her.
Feeling a little flustered Nova quickly went to look at the other man entering, and who now was sitting down by the counter.
James had changed little since she saw him last. The shoulders hung a little lower, he was a little dirtier...and looked quite tired. Still, it was the same man, the same noble look that made one believe in a better world. Now that she saw them together she could even see their kinship, though it would probably have been easier with the John that had entered the first time...
"Good evening Gob, nice to see you again." James said, resting his arms on the counter in a way that bared his weariness. "A drink for my son and me if you please." John sat down next to him, apparently far from tired. He sat closer to Nova than James...and eyed her and Gob with a questioning look.
"So you found the old man did you?" Gob asked John, quick hands moving to get the drinks.
"Yes..." John turned his head to Nova, raising an eyebrow in question. She shrugged and tilted her head towards Moriarty's office. It had been easy fooling Gob that Moriarty had been the one responsible for her now healed bruises, it had been a simple manner of getting Moriarty to force himself on her and then blame any injuries on him... It was a small lie that didn't change anything, Gob already hated the bastard as it was. It had been the right thing to do. Seeing a look of relief quickly cross the man's face she was even more convinced of it.
"Good, good..." Gob nodded, placing two full glasses before the men. "There's too few good guys left as it is, where did you find him?"
"I'm still here you know." James laughed, then wrapped an arm around John's shoulders while grinning at Gob and Nova both. John smirked slightly at it. "And you wouldn't believe the mess the kid got me out of, getting me out of a simulation of all things." He saw Gob frown in confusion. "Sort of a mental prison I suppose..."
"That's just great." Gob nodded, he probably didn't understand...heck Nova didn't...but any story of heroics was good to him. "And that you got here without being ambushed by the Talon company or something is amazing."
"Yes...why they're after the kid here he still haven't told me." James threw his son a suspicious look, with which the kid replied to by taking a swig out of his glass. Then James looked over at her and Gob. "Heck, he mostly talks about you two if anything."
"Us?" Gob echoed Nova's thoughts as she felt her face burn. She had always thought John had friends all over the place, he had saved so many...surely people everywhere knew him well. Yet...maybe he didn't have so many friends? The sudden interest John had in the counter seemed to confirm it. "I'm surprised he even remembers us when he's out there fighting the good fight."
"Of course I do." John muttered, taking another sip out of his glass. Nova frowned, realising she understood. Many men saw her as their lover...yet she saw none as hers...maybe it was the same thing for him? Maybe...he was as alone as she and Gob was? No, she had Gob everyday...what did he have? Only thoughts of them...though sad it was was a little cute, Nova smiled.
"Yes, I don't know if I'm suppose to be jealous or happy when he speaks of his 'family' in Megaton while leading his foolish dad through the odd minefield and raider camp." James chuckled at John, apparently set on embarrassing the kid, and doing a good job at it by the looks of it.
"I never said..."
"But you meant it." James interrupted, then eyed the other two while squeezing John's shoulder. "You two have been taking good care of him I hope? And will continue to do so?" Nova felt her cheeks burn, which didn't go James unnoticed, he winked at her. Oh God... "I know he's a stubborn jackass but he's my son and a good guy."
"You're telling me." Gob chuckled as he leant against the counter. James pulled back a little at the closeness, John didn't...for some reason Nova found that interesting. "People are talking about him all over the place apparently, I've had a trader coming in here telling a great tale of the vault hero who slew a dozen super mutants about to eat him."
Looking up a slight smile escaped John. "Oh yes, how is Crow?" James visibly beamed with pride, which John didn't even seem to notice. "Still wearing that ugly cap of his?"
"Sure is." Nova chuckled, not wanting to miss out on the conversation. "Thought it's now stained red...he's still complaining about the shot that he admits saved his life, wouldn't be surprised if he sends you a laundry bill."
John turned his head to look at her, gaze searing into her, making her feel naked on a whole different level. It wasn't so bad compared to when Colin did that... "What have I told you Nova?" She blinked, feeling uneasy as she tried to come up with an answer. "You're not supposed to stand in that corner all day!" His face actually split into a grin, if only for a moment.
Laughing Nova moved for the offered stool and sat down, feigning reluctance was difficult when you really wanted to take the seat...Nova caught herself checking her nails instead of looking at the others. When had they gotten so clean and neat? She hadn't bothered taking care of that before... "Sorry, I keep forgetting that now that I'm not sick anymore."
"Sick?" James queried.
"Radiation sickness, damn Moriarty..." Glancing up Nova noticed John's hands on the counter clenching into fists. Please don't do anything stupid...a moment later the fists unclenched...Nova felt an odd mix of relief and disappointment at that. "Has anything happened since I was away by the way? The place seems a little...quieter then normal."
Shyly looking up Nova saw Gob scratch his scalp, ruined lips pursed. "Not so much trade going on, and people are a little more hesitant about going too far from Megaton. Don't rightly know why, there's tales about these odd power armoured guys ambushing people and seizing them...not brotherhood though, very odd."
John's expression didn't change from the calm cage barely holding the fire in his eyes back, the grip on his glass tightened a little though. "I have to check that out later then, I swear if the raiders have somehow gotten hold of power armour I'm going to have words with the brotherhood." There it was, no hesitation, nor fear...a hero. Nova felt her shoulders sag as a tension she didn't know she had disappeared.
James almost seemed to glow with pride even as he said: "Well that's my son. Promise me to be careful though." He raised his glass.
Raising his glass in turn John toasted with his father. For being a bar it was odd to hear glass hitting glass like that in Moriarty's...it was too much of a cheerful sound, Nova smiled as she watched the two drink. John finished his entire glass and slammed it back into the counter with a gasp: "Careful? What's that? Besides, we have work to do."
"What are you going to do?" Gob asked even as James put his half empty glass back down. The ghoul tensing with eagerness of hearing more tales.
James eyes went distant, dreaming in a way Nova had seen Gob's go when he spoke of freedom. "Project purity...clean water, free, for anyone...enough to sate the thirst of all." Eh? Okay, Nova knew James was a scientist but that seemed...impossible. Yet John didn't seem to doubt it, heck, he barely seemed interested. "I have dreamt of it for so long, and now, finally, it is on the verge of becoming a reality."
"Wow, I wish you luck, we would love clean water, that I know. It would save a lot of lives." Nova said with a smile, noting how John seemed to sober up at that. Aww...ever the hero.
"Well, I need a full night's sleep." John pushed the glass away and placed a small pile of caps next to it. "I'll leave the door to the house unlocked so you can get in when you want dad, though I'd advice you to get to bed early as well." Then he got up, his fingertips brushing hers..
What was that? A mumbling?'
"I said, earth to Nova." Looking up she found Gob looking at her, a very odd look on his ruined features. "James asked you if you knew how John is doing, as he believes you know him better then me."
Turning she found James having an amused look on his face, the door was closed...John had left...for how long? Nova felt her face burn but forced herself to ignore it as she struggled to keep her voice neutral. "S...sorry, I think I spaced out...what was that? How he's doing? He got a house in Megaton, is quite rich as I understand and half the population the wasteland would actually give him help freely. He's better off than most I'd say."
"That's not really what I meant." James replied, his amused look fading as he gestured in the air, apparently struggling for words. "He's so...different. I didn't recognise him the first time I saw him." A look of guilt crossed his face. "I find myself curious about my own son. Is he okay? What does he feel? How does he handle all of this? I understand you two were some of the first civilized people he met..." He grimaced, it must be embarrassing to admit not knowing his own son.
"Well...he's the hero of the wastes, but not for the reasons many claim." Nova smiled, feeling detached from her own words as she remembered all the tales she'd heard, all the times she'd spoken to him...it was almost a tale of two people, only one caught the true nature of the man however.
She begun to describe him, oblivious to the listeners intent stares...