Chapter Specific Characters: Porter Gage, Magical Mystery Chef, Shank, Swanson, Dora (Nubs), Kessler
Chapter Specific Tags/Warnings: Crying
Extra Warning: Ash and Gage are only gonna get closer from here on out, so if that squicks you out, now's the time to cut your losses. There will still be exactly no naughtiness more explicit than gestured vaguely at until Ash is 20, so no worries there.
After the books were balanced, Ash and Gage ate together, Ash still sitting on the desk with his blanket wrapped loosely around himself so he could eat properly. He'd missed his lunch alarm when it'd gone off because he'd been busy atop the ferris wheel and now it was a couple hours later than it should've been, but at least he was eating. Ash managed to choke down an entire radstag stew, which he'd found in his bag, piping hot despite the fact that he never carried stew on him let alone one fresh enough to be hot, and two razorgrain rolls. He still didn't like food or have much of an appetite, but he was determined to get better.
More than anything, Ash was determined to show Gage he was trying. He needed Gage because he was the only person in the world he cared about and simultaneously resented him for the same reason. Sometimes, he got the feeling that Gage felt the same way. Resentful even as he needed Ash. He figured that was just wishful thinking but Ash wasn't Ash if he wasn't doing thinking of some kind; be it wishful or over, his mind was always running.
On that note, Ash remembered something he'd wanted to talk to Gage about. "So, heard any interesting rumors floating around Nuka-World?" He asked as casually as he could muster, knowing Gage had by the way he stiffened.
Relaxing a second later, Gage looked up at Ash, half finished with his own stew, which he'd found in his own bag, equally hot and confusing as the one Ash had found. "Couple maybe. Why do you ask?" He asked back, trying to sound casual as well.
"Cuz I was hanging with Dixie earlier today and she has a real big mouth." Ash replied, dropping his casual tone. "She's also not afraid of me. Which is equal parts refreshing and aggravating."
Gage wanted to laugh but it wouldn't come out so instead he just swallowed uncomfortably. "Look, boss-"
Stopping Gage by holding a finger out to him briefly, Ash shrugged lightly, smiling just a little at the confused look the older man was giving him now. "I'm not mad."
Blinking once, Gage slumped. Then he blinked again and let out a little huff. "Huh. Thought for sure you'd be out for blood."
"Yeah, so did Dixie. Gave me a big speech about how raiders only have so many simple pleasures and stuff." Ash said, pulling his blanket closer to himself. "I was surprised, maybe a little ticked, but I got over it."
Finally able to laugh, Gage nodded, looking impressed. "Well, look at you actin' all mature n' shit." He said, grinning when Ash's eyes narrowed from the hole in his cocoon. He could only see the teen's eyes but he could imagine what expression was hiding under there.
In reality, Ash was blushing just a little, finding for the first time that he not only didn't mind Gage's praise, but actually liked receiving it. "She didn't just tell me the rumors about us." He said softly, watching as Gage went back to eating his soup. Ash, like the cruel bastard he was, waited until Gage had taken in a particularly large mouthful to provide more details. "She told me some rumors about you too." Just as Ash had hoped, Gage choked and he felt some satisfaction from that. Take that, you stupid, saucy cowboy motherfucker. Jesus Christ, had he really just called Gage saucy in his head?
Swallowing his mouthful of stew hard now that he'd almost choked to death on it, Gage cleared his throat. "Oh yeah?" He wheezed, not particularly wanting to look at Ash but glancing up anyway. Gage was surprised by how calm his eyes looked.
"She told me you and Mr. Sexy Accent used to fuck around and that's how everyone got the idea about us." Ash informed, only realizing he'd called Colter "Mr. Sexy Accent" out loud when Gage looked equally confused and amused for a bit.
"Mr. Sexy Accent, huh?" Gage asked, looking away when Ash's eyes narrowed again. "Alright, alright. Yeah, Colter n' me used to fuck. Wasn't no big secret or nothin'." He admitted, getting back to his stew.
There was silence for awhile, enough so that Gage was almost finished with his stew, just down to soaking up the remaining broth with his razorgrain rolls, and then Ash spoke up again. "Do you think it's weird that I tell you goodnight?" He asked suddenly, getting a raised eyebrow from Gage.
"'Course." Gage said easily, shrugging a bit. "Not much weirder than anythin' else you do though." He said, looking back down at his food. "Grew on me, anyhow. Kinda like it now."
Suddenly feeling far too hot under the blanket but refusing to shed it, Ash began to panic. His mind raced through a million thoughts in seconds and when he finally finished shorting out, Gage had finished his food and was leaning back in his chair casually. "Is-is being trans still a thing?" Ash suddenly blurted out, the silence having felt like it stretched on for hours when it'd really only been minutes.
Frowning at the suddenly frantic tone in Ash's voice, Gage looked concerned. "Depends on what the hell "trans" is."
"Transgender?" Ash asked, getting a blank look for his efforts. "Men who are born with vaginas and women who are born with penises?"
A look of understanding dawned on Gage's face and he nodded. "Yeah, course. We just call 'em men and women though." Gage said, raising an eyebrow at Ash. "What made you think that wouldn't be a thing anymore?"
"Well, I figured the concept wouldn't die if people still existed, but the term is dead." Ash explained, able to ignore the whirlwind in his head if he just stayed focus on anything else.
Nodding in understanding, Gage reached into his bag and got out a can of water, cracking it open and taking a sip. "There's chems to help get their bodies actin' the way they want and surgery for the physical stuff. I don't think it's a big deal." He thought about it and shrugged again, taking another sip of his drink. "I could start callin' you by somethin' 'sides Ash if that's why you're askin'."
"You never use my name." Ash muttered, recognizing the offer for what it had actually been a second later and shaking his head. "No, I'm not trans."
Nodding again, Gage sipped at his water before looking Ash up and down and frowning. Sanctum was a comfortably cool temperature all the time and Gage could understand bundling up for bed, but surely Ash wasn't still that cold from the rain. The thought of the rain, or more accurately, what had happened during it, made Gage frown more. "Could you come out of there, please?" He asked softly, fully expecting Ash to cover up his eyes just because he was a little shit like that and finding himself surprised when Ash slowly unearthed his head.
Ash was still flushed, the heat under the blanket having not helped, and he really hadn't wanted to come out, but now it was too late to duck back in. Maybe he was feeling indulgent, maybe he was just weak, or maybe he was serious about fighting the little asshole voice that made him want to do stupid, petty shit like cover himself fully when Gage had asked him to come out. He wasn't sure, but now he was out and Gage was staring at him way too intensely for his liking.
After making Ash thoroughly uncomfortable for a moment, Gage finally spoke. "Do you know what it's like to know for sure that someone you care about is gonna die, boss?" He asked softly, tone deceptively neutral.
Feeling a sinking feeling in his stomach, Ash shook his head slowly. "No, I don't." He answered softly. And truthfully, he didn't. Ash hadn't cared about a single solitary individual in his life before the war. He really hadn't ever cared about anyone until he'd bonded with Gage.
"I do." Gage said softly "I've seen you do some pretty stupid shit and at the worst of it, I always thought "welp, there goes the Overboss". But when I saw you standin' on top of that ferris wheel, all I could think of was how I couldn't lose you." He paused, swallowing, his tone wavering a bit on the last few words. "How I couldn't lose you. Not the Overboss, but you."
Breath hitching, Ash watched in shocked stillness as Gage stood slowly, now level with him. The older man reached out, having set his water down, and cupped both of Ash's cheeks, making sure the teen couldn't look away as he looked into his eyes.
"Ash, if you ever make me feel that feeling again-" Gage trailed off, shaking his head softly before returning his gaze to Ash's almost glowing amber eyes. "Promise me you won't ever pull a stunt like that again. If I ever ask you for anything else ever again, throw this in my face, and that'll be just fine, but just-" He almost choked, gritting his teeth and forcing his voice not to quiver. "-just promise me you won't ever pull a stunt like that again. Please."
Gage could hold it back. He was in his thirties and had years to learn how. Ash was only eighteen and his emotions were strong and wild. He had precious little experience suppressing them and only slightly more controlling them. Gage had managed not to, but Ash had started to cry. "I promise." He whispered, realizing with a heart-wrenching, sinking, sick sort of feeling that this is what it feels like to know you've hurt someone you love.
Letting out a breath, Gage released Ash's face and did something he'd only been brave enough to do once so far: he pulled Ash into a hug. "I mean it, boss." He whispered, feeling Ash go rigid and then relax again almost immediately after. Then the teen's arms were around him and Gage rested his head on Ash's. "You drive me fuckin' crazy, but I can't lose you."
Biting down on his cheek hard so he didn't make any sound, Ash simply nodded, trying hard not to sniffle or sob even though Gage already knew he was crying. It fucking burned. Ash wasn't much of a crier and it burned like he couldn't ever remember it burning before. He wasn't sure why it burned, but it certainly wasn't helping him calm down. Then something slipped out of his mouth and the moment it did and Gage tensed up, he wished he could take it back. But then Gage said it back and suddenly Ash couldn't keep himself quiet anymore, the tight, choking feeling in his throat giving way to the most pathetic noises he'd ever heard anyone make in his life.
"I-I love you, Gage."
"I love you too, Ash."
When Ash woke up the next morning, he felt like shit. He eventually remembered all the crying he'd done the night before and immediately knew that was the culprit. Fucking unstable emotions. Groaning, Ash dragged himself out of bed and went about his morning. Once he was slightly more awake and felt less like shit, he remembered that he and Gage had exchanged l-words and it gave him a spike of panic that made him wake up fully.
They'd been having a moment when he'd let it slip, who knew how Gage actually felt? Oh, fuck, what if he'd made things awkward? Ash's panicked ponderings were interrupted when Gage entered his room, looking far more calm than Ash. Of fucking course he was calm, he wasn't an unstable, emotional wreck, he was put-together and-
"Boss? You still with me?" Gage asked, pulling the hand that he'd been waving in front of Ash's face back when the teen jerked hard and seemed to come out of whatever daze he'd fallen into. "You alright?"
"No." Ash answered instantly, regretting it a second later and tying to backpedal. "Yes. Of course. Why wouldn't I be? Certainly not because-"
"Boss." Gage interrupted, looking tired now. "If you wanna pretend last night didn't happen, we can do that, but I meant what I said and I'm about ready to get this show back on the road."
Letting out a long, low breath as if he were a balloon that was deflating slowly, Ash had to take a moment for all that to process. "So, things aren't gonna be weird now?" He asked slowly, coming down from his panicked state gradually.
"Not any weirder than they were with us pussy-footin' around the issue." Gage responded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Now, not to rush or nothin', be we been held up too long. The Commonwealth's gone unconquered long enough." Ash smiled softly at that and Gage smiled back, Ash's smile growing considerably after he himself had smiled. "Ready to go, boss? Day's nice and young, I'm feelin' like we can get lots of shit done today."
"Yeah." Ash responded, feeling light and calm for the first time in awhile. He reached out and Gage took his hand, a relay zapping them off to Nuka-World shortly after. Shank looked oddly relieved to see Gage and Ash together but it was quickly covered by his usual neutral mask as he stepped up to the pair.
"Ready to get back to it, boss?" He asked, offering the pair a calm smile and getting his book out.
"Yep. Bring on the next settlement." Ash said, wondering in the back of his mind if the rumor mill was cranking out anything about yesterday. "I heard the Overboss couldn't handle torturing someone and tried to off himself." He could imagine it.
"Next closest is Covenant." Shank informed, flipping through his book and looking up at Ash. "Really more of a small town than a settlement. My sources tell me it's walled and pretty well-defended so they might actually give you a challenge."
A challenge. Not trouble, just a challenge. Maybe the rumor mill hadn't gotten wind of his suicide attempt if Shank was still treating him like he knew what he was doing. "Sounds like fun. I'll give it to the Operators." Ash said, holding his Pip-Boy out to Shank. He got the coordinates and left immediately with Gage, excited to get back to conquering after all the other shit he'd been up to.
Ash and Gage arrived an inconspicuous distance from Covenant and then walked the rest of the way. Ash didn't draw his weapons right away and so neither did Gage. The settlement really was as well-defended as Shank had said, surrounded by tall walls with turrets chugging away on little platforms here and there. There was even a guy guarding the gate. He wasn't any Diamond City synth, but it was more than most settlements had.
When Ash and Gage got too close to the gate, the guard spoke up. "You two here visiting Covenant?" He asked, making Ash look at him. "If not, move along. You know, armed people loitering around, not good for the nerves." The guy seemed friendly enough but Ash didn't care for being told "move along".
"I can barely hear you over the turrets up there and you're worried about my weapons?" Ash asked, deciding not to go right for stabbing just yet. He didn't want the turrets deciding he was a threat at least until he'd gotten into the town.
To the guard's credit, he looked a little sheepish at that. "Can't ever be too careful." He offered, shrugging lightly. "Anyhow, you two want in?"
"Yeah." Ash replied flatly, not liking the way the guy perked up.
"Since you're a first timer, there's something you gotta know first. We don't just let anyone inside. There's an entrance test. We call it the SAFE test." He informed, seeming to catch the shift in Ash's general aura as he tipped from slightly annoyed to mildly inconvenienced and his mood shifted accordingly. "Everyone's gotta take it."
Now Ash had options. He could either waste his time and agree to take the test, whatever that entailed, or he could just blow this guy's brains out and storm the town. One option was obviously more appealing than the other, but Ash found himself curious. "What's the test?"
"I ask you some questions and you answer 'em. Real simple." The guard responded, still not letting his friendly tone slip. "There ain't even any wrong answers."
Suddenly Ash was reminded of sitting on an ugly beige couch in an office that was far too sterile while trying desperately to appear welcoming with a woman sitting across from him in an equally ugly beige armchair, pencil at the ready, looking far too earnest to try and hide the ice in her eyes, telling him to answer honestly, there are no wrong answers. What's this blob look like? First word that comes to mind. Let's explore that. Shuddering a bit, Ash raised his pistol and shot the man in the head a few times. "No."
There was a collective whir and Gage started taking out turrets as they locked onto Ash and then himself. Ash got the key from the corpse slumped against the wall and unlocked the gate, walking inside and not bothering with the turrets even as the ones that could reach him started firing. Gage would take them out before they could do more than riddle him with bruises and right now he needed to worry about the pissed-off townspeople who were coming out of their houses, guns at the ready.
Ash tried going for legs so he could keep some people around to run the small farm off to the side of Covenant, but the people here were persistent and in the end, only one man who hadn't ever started firing, a Mister Handy robot, and three injured settlers remained. Everyone else had chosen to fight to the death. By the time Ash finished killing the settlers who fought, Gage had finished taking out the turrets.
"Go ahead and give those injured settlers the speech and get them collared." Ash said, looking over his shoulder at Gage. "I'm gonna hack the robot."
"Sure thing, boss." Gage replied, heading over to the injured settlers and giving them his best approximation of the "on behalf of Nuka-World" speech Ash always gave before collaring them and relieving them of their belongings.
The robot in question was obliviously hovering near a house as Ash approached it and tried to sell him lemonade when he got close enough. Ash ignored the offer and easily plugged his Pip-Boy into the robot's access port. He reprogrammed it in a little over a minute and unplugged, still ignoring it when it blinked back online and continued to try and sell him lemonade. Noticing the man who hadn't pulled a gun was still standing around, looking shocked, Ash walked over with his shotgun at the ready. That seemed to snap the man out of it and he held his hands up defensively.
"Whoa, whoa, I ain't one of them!" He shouted, waving his hands a bit. "I was just here investigating a missing caravan!"
"Merc, huh?" Ash asked, getting a hasty nod from the man and nodding a bit himself. "You can go then." He said, motioning at the gate and watching as the man practically tripped over himself to get away. A nudge at his side caused Ash to look over and he saw Gage standing there, an odd look on his face.
"Awful generous of you, boss." He said, his tone off as well.
Frowning, Ash shrugged. "Nothing like letting a witness go every now and again to really get the news spreading." He lied easily, Gage's expression softening as he nodded thoughtfully. Why the hell would he collar someone who didn't even live in the town? There was a difference between collaring settlers who were already doing what Ash was forcing them into and enslaving randos who had actual lives. Wasn't there? Ash felt there was.
Since there wasn't any construction that needed to be done, Ash linked up with the workshop in the settlement and replaced the turrets Gage had destroyed. He designated the largest house to be the actual settlers house since the three of them would be sharing it and then made sure there were plenty of beds for the Operators when they arrived.
It was while Ash was tidying up the houses and counting beds that some movement caught his eye. He looked around and saw a small shape under a bed he'd just counted. Frowning, Ash went over and knelt down, finding a cat huddled under the bed, watching him with an expression one could only describe as suspicious. Eyes widening, Ash reached out slowly and his heart stuttered when the cat didn't flinch away.
Gently pulling the cat out, Ash sat down and set the small animal on his lap. It was stiff but as Ash stroked down its back gently, it began to relax and then purr. Smiling, Ash went to touch the cat's head and it leaned up to bump into his hand. Ash nearly melted. "I'm keeping you." He said softly, pulling the cat close and standing up. It remained docile in his arms as he went outside to find Gage keeping an eye on the settlers who were helping eachother with their injuries.
"I need to stop by Sanctum for a bit." Ash informed, watching as Gage glanced his way and did a double-take.
"You found a cat." He said, raising an eyebrow. "Ya keepin' it?"
Nodding, Ash adjusted his hold on the cat protectively. "I'm gonna name her Nubs."
Smiling a bit, Gage nodded. "Alright. Well, I'll keep an eye on Covenant while you're gone, boss."
"Thanks, Gage." Ash said, managing to trigger a relay while holding Nubs and taking her up to his room. He set her down and gave her a few more strokes before she decided she'd rather explore her new home than get attention. Considering the things he'd need, Ash found two bowls and filled one with water. He set the bowls where he thought Nubs would be able to find them and put a command into his Pip-Boy. His alarm to eat went off shortly after and Ash obeyed while he searched for the supplies he'd need.
It took Ash awhile to find a plastic container that he thought would be a good litter box, but he found something eventually and put it near the restroom. Toys. Cats needed toys. After a bit of pondering, Ash decided to make her some toys since he couldn't think of anything he had on hand that would work. He was halfway through making Nubs some toys when the synth he'd ordered came in followed by another synth. The first one was holding a large bag and a box while the other was holding a small refrigerator.
Pointing to an open space, Ash looked at the second synth. "Put the fridge there. It does work, right?"
"Affirmative. The coolant has been replaced and it was tested." The synth confirmed plugging the mini fridge into the wall.
"Good." Looking at the first synth, Ash held his arms out and the synth handed over the box and bag. "There's a box near my restroom, put some of the sand in it and then put the bag nearby." He ordered, motioning to the bag and taking the box over to a table when the synth took it and left. Ash opened it up and smiled at all the little containers of chopped meat within. He filled up the fridge with the exception of one container which was emptied into Nubs' second bowl.
Setting the container aside, Ash continued making cat toys and dismissed the synths when they both came up to ask if that was all. The making of the toys didn't take long since Ash was quite good at tinkering and when he was finished, Nubs had two balls, one that jingled, and a few small stuffies Ash hoped she'd like hunting or packing around. He couldn't think of anything else Nubs might need and so relayed back to Covenant after sending out a quick memo to all his synths to treat Nubs like royalty.
When Ash arrived at Covenant, Gage was leaning against one of the houses, looking as imposing as he always did when they were conquering a new place. He walked over and Gage straightened up, meeting him halfway. "Not alot to do on this one, huh, boss?" He asked, looking around at the already fully furnished settlement.
"Yeah. No telling how long it'll take for the Operators to get here." Ash agreed, looking around as well. "Where'd the settlers go?"
"I let 'em head inside. Figured they could get to work once they healed."
"Generous of you." Ash mocked, smirking when Gage narrowed his eye at him.
Then Gage smiled a little and stepped forward, pulling Ash's mask down and pecking his lips. He smirked at Ash's shocked expression and fixed his mask. "Shut the fuck up, wise ass." Gage grumbled, stepping back and looking away like nothing had happened.
Once his brain finished rebooting, Ash looked down, still too shocked to say anything as his face steadily turned red. He managed to clear his throat eventually and looked at his Pip-Boy. "I suppose I could call some synths in so we can move on to the next settlement." Ash mumbled, glancing to the side when Gage nudged his arm.
"Hey, remember when I said to let me know if I ever started overstepping my bounds?" He asked softy, looking a tad concerned.
Smiling softly, Ash nodded. "Don't worry, I will." He assured, looking back down to his Pip-Boy when Gage nodded and relaxed. He entered a command and after a few minutes, a courser and a handful of synths appeared. "You're all gonna keep an eye on these settlers until the Operators get here and relieve you." Ash informed, all of his embarrassment gone while he bossed his synths around. "Just make sure they're tending the crops and if they try to rebel or something, try non-fatal force first. If something you can't handle comes up, send for me."
"Understood." The courser responded, motioning for the synths to spread out before walking off.
While double-checking that there wasn't anything else that needed to be done at Covenant, Ash realized none of the houses had electricity and cracked that out in a few hours before finally leaving with Gage. To say Shank looked surprised to see them would be an understatement. Or maybe an overstatement, considering how little Shank actually looked surprised. For him, it was alot of emotion showing all at once.
"I'm ready for the next settlement." Ash informed, feeling a certain smug satisfaction when Shank looked impressed.
"Not much of a challenge after all, huh, boss?" Shank asked coyly, doing some scribbling in his book.
"Not for me and Gage, no." Ash responded, eyes wandering the area as he spoke. "Left a few synths to look over the place since I didn't wanna wait around doing nothing."
Nodding, Shank flipped to another page. "Alright, well the next settlement is Bunker Hill." He paused, looking up at Ash. "Bunker Hill is actually a small town. It's got a market and a hotel and everything. You might wanna go over and have yourself a look around before you go promising it to anyone." Shank shrugged, getting his pencil ready. "Up to you, 'course. You're the boss."
Nodding a bit, Ash finally let his eyes rest on Shank. "I'll check it out then. Whatever I decide, I'll send someone to let you know. Give me another settlement to clear in the meantime."
"Sure thing, boss." Shank said, doing some scribbling before entering both coordinates into Ash's Pip-Boy. "This one's Egret Tours Marina. No farm, only one settler, but it was armed last time I checked."
"Sounds easy. We should be back in no time." Ash said, looking at the coordinates before looking back up at Shank. "I'll let you know which gang to send out to the marina once I've decided about Bunker Hill."
"Sounds good, boss."
Waiting patiently while Gage picked up more shock collars, Ash adjusted the relay points he'd be using. When Gage returned, he triggered the relay and they did some walking before arriving at Bunker Hill. It had walls as well, but unlike Covenant, the gate was open. A woman stood by, gun at the ready but Ash couldn't hear any turrets chugging away.
As soon as the woman caught sight of Ash and Gage, she stiffened up a bit, pulling her gun closer. The closer they got, the stiffer she got, but she actually lowered her gun. By the time Ash stopped in front of the woman, she looked incredibly tense. "Overboss Ash?" She asked, Gage and Ash sharing a look before Ash nodded.
"Yeah."
Nodding a bit, the woman put her gun away, seeming to force herself to relax. "Bunker Hill doesn't want any trouble. If it'll keep us on your good side, consider yourself to have the run of the place." The woman said, motioning back at the small town with one hand. "And if you ever need somethin', just ask, alright?"
Tilting his head a bit, Ash regarded the woman before nodding slowly. "So if I wanted to move a few synths in to make sure you hold to that, none of the people around here would find that objectionable?"
"No, sir." The woman confirmed, cutting her eyes to Gage briefly before focusing her attention back on Ash.
Humming a bit, Ash nodded. "Alright. Consider yourselves on my good side." He said, walking a little further into the town before snapping his fingers and looking back at the woman. "And it's "boss", not "sir"."
The woman had just been about to actually relax before Ash turned his attention on her again and she nodded stiffly. "Right. Yes, boss."
Smiling a bit, Ash started walking around the small town. It was bustling despite its size. Definitely not as busy as Diamond City, but its small size made it seem more hectic. Ash found the workshop and linked up with it, using it to put a few turrets around the outside of Bunker Hill but leaving the inside untouched. After he'd finished with that, he assigned two small teams of synths to patrol Bunker Hill and then turned to Gage, feeling satisfied.
"I think that's it." Ash said, smiling when Gage nodded.
"A whole-ass town under your control." Gage said, smirking at Ash. "Gonna make some real caps getting a cut from this."
"If you think this is impressive, wait 'til you see the cut we'll be raking in from Diamond City." Ash said, grinning when Gage simply stood there, looking surprised and confused.
"We- when did you decide we're goin' after Diamond City?" Gage asked, sounding more surprised than anything.
"I already took it." Ash replied, smiling even more when Gage's eyebrows rose comically high on his face. "I was busy while we were apart. It's not my fault you never asked what I got up to."
"I didn't think you'd take over the biggest town in the Commonwealth while we were apart!" Gage hissed, coming closer to Ash so he could talk quieter. "How-"
Gage was cut off as some synths flashed into the town, making their way over to Ash. Ignoring Gage for the moment, Ash looked at the synths. "You're all going to guard this city. Refer to the Diamond City and Slog rules for what that entails." The synths gave him their affirmatives and Ash dismissed them, holding a finger out to Gage when he started to say something and looking at a synth that came up to him once the guards dissipated. "I want you to relay to Nuka-Town and let Shank know that Bunker Hill is under my rule and it won't be occupied. Egret Tours Marina is going to the Disciples."
"Understood." The synth confirmed, relaying away once Ash dismissed them.
Finally, Ash looked at Gage. "Yes?"
"What did you do while we were apart?" Gage demanded, now feeling that he really needed to know.
Smiling in amusement at Gage, Ash looked down at his Pip-Boy. "How about I tell you over lunch?" He offered, looking back up at Gage. "My alarm'll be going off soon, so we'd have to break for it anyway."
"Your alarm?" Gage asked, frowning a bit in confusion at Ash.
"C'mon." Ash said, motioning with his head and leaving Bunker Hill with Gage. He led the way to some nearby docks and actually found a decently intact table with a few sturdy-ish chairs to sit at. Ash got his food out and set his bag aside, waiting for Gage to do the same before he started talking. "So, first I came across this kid who thought he saw a monster out in the water. I was curious so I swam out there and it was submarine with a pre-war ghoul inside. He needed help fixing his sub so he could go home, so I helped." Gage gave Ash a questioning look at that and Ash nodded. "I know, I know, but I got something pretty cool in return."
Reaching down into his bag, Ash pulled out one of the beacons and showed it to Gage. "If I throw this, it activates and works as a beacon for Zao. He can then lock onto the beacon and fire a low-yield nuke from his submarine."
"Oh hell no." Gage said, looking horrified. "The last thing your crazy ass needs is access to fuckin' nukes."
Ash wanted to be offended, but he knew Gage had a point. Shrugging lightly, Ash put the beacon back in his bag. "Only way for me to get rid of them is to use them. I can always throw them into the ocean or something."
Sighing softly, Gage nodded. "Alright, but I'm gonna be there when you do it."
Now that stung a bit, but Ash couldn't hold Gage's distrust against him. "Fair." He sighed lightly, taking a bite of his food before carrying on. "So anyway, after that, I found an all-ghoul settlement and helped them deal with a super mutant problem. They're under my protection like Bunker Hill and Diamond City now."
"So that's the Slog, then?" Gage asked, having heard Ash mention some rules that had to do with Diamond City and a place called the Slog."
"Yeah." Ash replied, eating between talking and taking Gage's interruptions as an opportunity to really cram the food down. "So then the next day I went to Diamond City because the ghouls at the Slog told me about how the ex-mayor there had kicked them all out. I can't stand a racist, so I took over." He was proud of that one and sounded it, smiling as he spoke. "Now ghouls are allowed in the city and anyone who doesn't like it can eat laser."
Snorting at that, Gage shook his head. "Well, guess it doesn't matter why you took the city, what matters is the caps it's gonna pull in for us."
Shrugging, Ash thought for a moment, mentally replaying the order of events. "I realized I'm bad at eating and decided to set alarms so I can stop losing weight." He said, humming a bit as he thought again. "The next day I went back to Nuka-World and that's when I was hanging out with Dixie. Then the-" Ash paused, looking down and poking at his food. "-the ferris wheel happened."
There was a bit of silence before Gage responded, deciding not to linger on that last part. "You n' Dixie do anythin' besides gossip?" He asked as lightly as he could manage, frowning when the change in subject didn't make Ash look any more comfortable.
"Yeah." Ash said slowly, taking a few bites of his food and swallowing it down quickly. "See, when I went to see her, she was torturing someone." He started, cutting his eyes up at Gage. "And she convinced me to give it a try."
"Oh." Gage said, the words seeming to dawn on him a moment later. "Oh." He said more slowly, nodding a bit. "I, uh- did you enjoy yourself?"
Refusing to look up from his food, Ash simply nodded. There was a long stretch of silence as they ate, Ash quickly finishing up his food and waiting quietly while Gage ate. It quickly became too much for Ash and he spoke up. "Does that bother you?" He asked softly, looking up at Gage.
Taking a moment to ponder the question, Gage shook his head slowly. "Knew you had the streak for it that day with Red-Eye. Honestly thought you'd done it before then with how- well, into it you seemed when you had him beggin' for his life and all that." He said, shrugging lightly and looking back down at his own food. "Might like to see you work sometime. Always liked watchin' you work with your hands, after all."
"Yeah, I noticed that." Ash said, able to ignore the flush that wanted to burn on his cheeks when he focused on the other part of Gage's statement. "I think you have some sharing of your own to do."
To say Ash didn't expect the reaction he got was an understatement. Gage's eye widened and he pursed his lips, his cheeks flushing a bit as he looked down. "I, uh, I maybe got a thing for hands."
Blinking slowly, Ash let that sink in and then grinned broadly. "You have a hand fetish?" He asked softly, leaning forward a bit.
"And you get your rocks off on makin' people scared, everyone has somethin'." Gage said defensively, glaring at Ash and feeling even more annoyed when Ash just kept smiling.
Suddenly Ash stopped smiling, looking thoughtful. Somehow, Gage found that even worse than the smiling. "So if I tortured someone, and you watched, because I have a thing for making people afraid and you have a thing for hands, we-"
"Alright, I'm done eatin'." Gage announced loudly, indeed having just finished with his food. "We should get a move on. Day's still young."
Nodding slowly, Ash put his mask on and fixed his hat. "We're revisiting this." He said seriously, getting a tired sigh from Gage as he set up a relay.
"Yeah, alright, boss." Gage mumbled, unable to help a small smile as they were relayed away to their next destination.