Nora's body was frozen in place, shoulders tense and arms held rigidly by her side; but her mind was a blur of activity - questions flew by so fast there wasn't time to form a sentence. Just fractured words that her mouth couldn't speak.
Dark eyes flickered up - and up, trailing along a broad torso to meet vast shoulders and a strong jaw. Then milky white eyes set deep in a strong, angular face. Leathery skin stretched across sharp cheekbones, tanned but pockmarked.
So she was right; he was a ghoul. Despite the pounding of her pulse in her ears, Nora smiled.
"Nora Bentley?"
The voice, gruff but not unpleasant, caused her to jump. Her heart fluttered in her chest and suddenly she was far too aware of the sweat dampening her palms. How did he know her name? "That's me," she replied - and god, her voice sounded so childish, all faint and nervous. She cracked another smile, but it barely touched her lips.
The hesitant smile that flickered across his face matched just how she felt - but soon his face settled back into something stoic and blank. "I was supposed to hire you for a job, but I guess the situation has changed."
"Yeah." Nora felt a frown crease her brows. Pre-war she had hardly ever frowned - and prided herself on her line-free complexion - but now it seemed like all she did was frown. "Uh, what's your name?"
"Edward Deegan."
Nora opened her mouth to reply - but the words seemed stuck in her throat, lodged there and refusing to break free. Instead she simply swallowed and pursed her lips closed. This wasn't how meeting your soulmate was supposed to go - where was the romance, the excitement, the wonder? He didn't even look like he wanted to be there at all. Was he disappointed? Tears pricked the corner of her eyes and she turned away to blink them back.
If there was one thing she had learned about the Commonwealth, it was not to cry. Ever.
She felt his gaze burning into her, pale grey-blue eyes unblinking. After a moment Edward cleared his throat - and when she finally looked up, it was his turn to drop his gaze. "Why don't we sit down in the Third Rail? It's cold out here."
Nora quirked a thick brow, but said nothing. The breeze was pleasant and the humidity of the afternoon still lurked in the air - but he was trying, at least, so did it matter if he had to bullshit about the weather to get her inside? A smile graced her face and this time it felt real, her chest bubbling excitedly as she said, "sure, I'd like that."
Maybe this wasn't going as horribly as she thought!
They slipped inside together, ignoring Ham's questioning look as they made their way to the ancient escalator. Edward was a warm and solid presence by her side - and as he took long, loping strides down to the lower level she realised just how enormous he was. Nora wasn't small herself; she had built up muscle during her time in the Commonwealth and quickly grown into a tall, broad shouldered woman that towered over the likes of Hancock's skinny frame. But Edward, he was a whole other league of buff.
It was kind of nice to watch him from behind as he walked, noticing the way the chunky armour clung to his frame. And those jeans hugged him really well.
Things were beginning to look up. Until her feet touched the last step and she watched as Edward collapsed onto the nearest chair. When he gestured for her to sit across from him his face was solemn, eyes hard.
Nora gulped and tried to ignore the way her stomach lurched as she sat. Resting her elbows on the table she laced her fingers together, chin propped on large hands. "Why so glum?" she questioned - and though she kept her tone light, the waver in her voice gave away her nerves. Suddenly it felt as if the entire bar was judging them; it didn't matter that no one even seemed to notice their existence.
Edward's lips curled; a movement so tiny most people would have missed it, but Nora spent enough time around ghouls to notice the little quirks on mostly unreadable faces. He held her gaze; grey-blue and hazel brown. Then a hand came up to press a flat palm to his temple and he sighed. "There's no easy way to say this."
"This being?" Nora questioned in a voice so faint she wondered if he had heard her over the chatter of the bar at all. All around them people talked and laughed and drank - and a place that once seemed so homely now felt foreign.
He huffed out a breath. Though his face was a mask of stern calmness, Nora knew it was a lie. After all, how could someone be so calm when faced with their soulmate? Eventually he sat up, thick arms spread across the table and for a moment she thought he was going to reach out to her. Instead he plucked a lighter from the ashtray and retreated back. "I came here to ask you for a job. I didn't realise it was you that was my soulmate. The job offer is still open if you want to know more, but-"
"But you're not interested in soulmates," Nora snapped back - and her lips curled, eyes narrowing until only a sliver of hazel was left. "Well, you can shove that job up your ass." Fire burned in her gut and it felt as if she was being swallowed whole, burned to a crisp right there on the spot. The chair screeched above the din of the bar as she shoved it back; then she was on her feet, towering above Edward for the first time, hands flat against the table though they urged to curl into fists. "I don't know what your problem is and I don't want to, but I've been looking forward to meeting my soulmate for two hundred fucking years. If this is how you feel, you better find someone else for this job of yours."
He opened his mouth as if to speak but no words came. Instead he dropped his eyes - and for a moment Nora thought she saw guilt flicker across his features.
Not that she cared. With a strangled swear that sounded more like a hiss, Nora pushed herself away from the table. The table shook from the force and the leg clattered into her chair - but she hardly paid attention to it, or to the way the entire bar seemed to hush around her. Within moments, she was gone.
Ham met her at the top of the escalator, brows knitted in what might have been concern. "That was your voice I heard shouting." His tone held no malice, unusually gentle for a man so stern.
"Yeah. So what?" Nora shot back - but already the fire was fizzling out to nothing. She was just empty. Dark eyes met Ham's and a look of understanding passed between them. She didn't need to ask to know he had figured it out.
"Get some sleep. Things always look better in the morning."
Sure. Rejection from her soulmate, that was something so easily fixed, right? She scrunched her nose and bit back her snappish response - though from the way her throat closed up and tears sprung to her eyes, speech seemed impossible anyway. Turning, Nora wiped her eyes on her sleeve and shoved down the uneasiness settling in her gut. "Thanks, Ham," she replied simply.
As she exited the Third Rail and the cool breeze ruffled her hair, she wondered if Edward might come after her. She hovered there on the steps waiting, hoping, but no one pushed past those double doors, no one raced to her to apologise in a rough, guilt-ridden voice. It was just her, the gentle breeze, and a deserted street.
Hushed voices reached her ears - wordless, jumbled voices but even in her half-asleep state she recognised Hancock's accent as it drifted up the stairs.
Nora rolled out of bed, uncaring for her rat's nest of thick brunette curls or the torn tank top and shorts that passed for pyjamas. She padded over to the door on bare feet and oh so slowly cracked it open to peek her head outside. If only the wasteland provided glasses, she might have been able to make out the vaguely familiar human shape standing in the entrance.
"She's asleep, and I ain't waking her up for a mug like you." Hancock's voice rose, the untamed anger so unfamiliar that for a moment Nora's brain stuttered to a halt. Hancock was the most relaxed guy she knew - what the hell was going on?
Nora simply hovered in the hall, feet cold against the wooden floor. Who was he talking to? And why did the voice sound so familiar even though she couldn't hear his words? She hopped from foot to foot, old floorboards creaking under her weight - before huffing out a sigh and creeping to the stairs.
"I'm not here to start a fight," the man spoke, and his voice was so restrained but the cold undertone of menace was undeniable. "But if I have to, I will."
From where they stood, neither men saw Nora as she dropped into a crouch by the railing - nor did they hear her as she sucked in a breath. Edward. The man standing in the entrance was Edward Deegan. Her soulmate.
Heat surged in her gut as she hauled herself to her feet - and both head snapped up to watch with wide eyes as she stared Edward down. Silence surrounded all three, thick and claggy in the State House.
"Nora-"
"Save it." With that she spun, ignoring how her bare feet slid on the floor - and without a single look back she stormed back to her room and slammed the door with enough force the floor shook. It was like the house itself was cowering from her.
The door barely closed before she collapsed. The makeshift bedroom was hers and only hers - and she was quietly thankful that Hancock had created this space for her. Edward wouldn't dare come in here and Hancock wouldn't allow it. Tears sprung to her eyes at the thought of his name and the first rolled down her cheek to splash against her bare collarbone. With a grunt she wiped it away, blinking until her vision cleared.
She wasn't going to cry over a man - especially a man that didn't give a shit about her. Even if that man was her soulmate. The Commonwealth was a harsh, cruel place; why was this any different to the rest of the bullshit she was put through?
At least things downstairs had quietened.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind when the house shook, the force of the entrance door cracking shut so ferocious a yelp left Nora's lips. The booming slam lasted barely a second but it left her ears ringing and her chest pounding - and then there was only silence.
Deep, calming breaths followed. She didn't want Hancock to see her like this - she was a mess. Sure, she had seen him in all kinds of drug induced hazes and he had seen her drunk out of her mind but this, this kind of mess was for her knowledge only. Her breath wobbled as she blew out that breath, hands shaking as she brushed dark hair from her face. If only showers still existed; Pre-war, she had always taken a shower to sort through her messes.
Instead all she had was a cracked bathtub in the corner of the room and the lingering sense that even hot water wouldn't alleviate her problems.
"Nora?"
The voice, so soft and quiet, elicited a jump. Her knee collided with the door and she let out a hiss as pain shot through her leg. "What?" she barked as she edged away from the door.
"He's gone," Hancock replied simply, voice muffled by the rotting wood between them. "Chased him off for you."
Nora huffed - and despite the uneasiness still crawling under her skin, she smiled. "Thanks."
"Anything for my favourite travel buddy. You want breakfast?"
Her stomach rumbled in response and she heard a laugh muffled by a fist. Nose curling, Nora replied, "I'll pass. I need to take a walk or something, get out of Goodneighbour for a while."
"Want me to come with? I love an adventure."
"No," Nora snapped - and then she sighed, guilt curling in her gut. "There's a place I wanted to check out up North. I'd rather go it alone."
Hancock said nothing, which was incredibly odd for him. No sarcastic comeback or fun quip. She thought she heard him sigh quietly, but could have been the old house settling. Then, "your choice, kid. Just come back in one piece. Take any supplies you need."
"Thanks," Nora replied - and she pressed a palm flat against the door, only to be met with Hancock's retreating footsteps.