It was a cool, quiet night in Megaton; and for once, Rosalinn had stayed home for the day, rather than gallivanting all over the wastes. She stared up at the stars, their beauty not lost on her. The night sky was one of the things Rosalinn had become most thankful for since leaving the vault nearly two months ago. When it was dark, the vastness of the cosmos was very different from when it was day, when it seemed so much bigger and more intimidating. But bathing in the glow of the moon and starlight felt calmer, more private. Rosalinn closed her eyes, feeling the breeze on her bare arms and legs as she leaned on the railing. Only wearing a tank and a pair of denim shorts had become an outfit of comfort, and she was particularly comfortable now. A breeze felt different to the air conditioning of the vault - almost magical. Her eyes roamed as she tilted her head back to swallow a couple mouthfuls of Nuka, eventually landing on Moriarty's Saloon. She still hadn't gone.
Maybe it's time I take Billy's suggestion and actually go see this Moriarty. I need to get on track finding Dad.
"Hey, penny for your thoughts?"
Rosalinn was lost in thought when Billy's voice interrupted, causing Rosalinn to jump and spill a little of the drink down her chest. She coughed and spluttered, then looked up at him like a deer caught in headlights.
Speak of the handsome devil.
Billy instantly felt bad.
"Ohh, I am so very sorry, Rosie. I did inot/i mean to catch you off guard." He chuckled as he pulled a handkerchief out. She looked up at him, her face red.
"It's okay" She sneezed a couple of times before she felt a hand under her chin. He pressed his kerchief to her face and wiped it free of Nuka, an apologetic smile on his face. He handed it to her and she smiled back, shyly, gratefully, as she wiped under her nose. It smelled like him, his aftershave. Billy turned away as she cleaned off her chest, but not before catching the gentle swell of her chest as she tugged her shirt down enough for the moonlight to catch her pale skin as she cleaned what she could.
Damn. She's pretty as her name. Easy, there, Creel - don't be a dog.
"You alright, there, Rosie?" he asked, amusement in his voice.
She chuckled a little, herself.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll, uh, wash this and bring it back to you later."
"Not a problem. I got more."
She nodded and leaned on the railing again. Billy looked at her now, searching her face as she searched the skies.
"What's on your mind, Beautiful?"
Her blue eyes widened at the compliment and a blush illuminated her cheeks once again.
Yeah, the girl was sweet on him, and he couldn't say he wasn't feeling the same.
"I was just thinking about going to the Saloon and talking to that guy, Moriarty. I haven't done that, yet. Been too busy."
Rosalinn made a face at her wet shirt. That was amusing.
"Want to talk inside? I need to change anyways."
Billy nodded and grinned.
"Sure, I got lots of time. Maggie is spending the night with the Simms' anyways. His boy's birthday today."
The woman smiled, thoughts of her own parties as a child.
"I'm glad people out here can still do normal things. Gives me hope I might be able to settle down out here some time."
She walked upstairs as she spoke and went into her room, tugging off her tank top and replacing it with a similar black one. When she came back down, she smiled brightly as she walked to her small kitchen area.
"Want a Nuka? I got the fridge running, so they're ice cold."
Billy smiled as he watched her bend to get some drinks from the ice box.
"Yeah, sure, I'd love one, Rosie. Thank y' kindly."
When Rosalinn straightened with a bottle in either hand, she looked down to them as she turned.
"Sorry, I only have regular right now. I haven't been ab-"
Her sentence was cut off as she bumped into Billy, who caught her with one arm around the waist, and rested the other hand on her face. He gazed at her for a moment before pressing his lips to her.
Rosalinn stopped. Her thoughts stopped. Her breath stopped.
And then her body began to buzz.
He pulled his lips away from hers, brushing his thumb across the bottom one.
"You still taste like Nuka, darlin'. Close enough." He said with a grin.
Rosalinn's heart thudded in her chest hard enough to hurt.
"Rosie, say somethin'. Was I...readin' things wrong?"
She swallowed and closed her eyes, then took a breath.
"N-no. No, you weren't. I'm just...new. To everything. And-" She looked away just as Butch's smile flashed in her mind.
Billy read her and nodded.
"You got someone?"
She looked up.
"No. I wanted him,but I don't think he ever felt the same about me." She smiled a bit sadly.
"He's back in the vault anyways. I don't know if I will be going back there."
Billy reached up and caught her cheeks in his hands.
"I won't push it, but I want y' to know, I'm here. And I can be here for y' every day." His gaze flickered from her eyes to her lips and back again.
"Every night."
The butterflies caged in her chest threatened to burst out, and every signal in her heart and body screamed at her to accept him and quell the fire. He was making her feel things she had wanted to feel with Butch.
She gently placed her hands on top of his and took a breath.
"Can we...maybe spend some more time together first? Get to know one another?"
Billy smiled widely.
"Yeah, I'd love to, doll. I'll admit, y' got me hook, line and sinker, but I'm seasoned enough to wait."
The woman watched him, his gentle expression and smiled back.
Then she leaned up and returned his kiss.
He marveled at how gentle she was, and how fragile she seemed in that moment despite her proving several times over she was anything ibut/i fragile. Rosalinn closed her eyes and snaked her arms around his neck as one of his hands slipped around the back of her head, and the other around her waist once more. Billy lost himself in that kiss, his tongue finding refuge between her lips, looking for hers. She pressed her tongue forward in response, tentatively. They continued for a few moments before until Billy broke away with a start.
"What's the matter?" She asked, breathless.
"Somethin' cold touched the back of my neck."
Rosalinn laughed as she realized she was still holding the bottles, then handed him one.
"Um, revenge?" She shrugged, looking innocent.
He gave her a side grin and shook his head.
"Yeah, I guess we're even."
"Not by a long-shot, Billy. My shirt was soaked."
The man got a devilish grin before pulling her close enough to kiss her cleavage, giving the pale flesh a swift lick.
Rosalinn squeaked, and then moaned in response, looking near to pouting when he let go.
Billy chuckled and caught her lips in another kiss, then leaned close to her ear.
"Mmm, still taste sweet. Maybe you can soak me in return a different night, Sugar."
He said in a low, rough voice that sent shivers down her spine. She stared at him, similarly to the first night they met and he laughed.
"But for now, let's you and me go siddown outside, and we'll talk, yeah?"
Rosalinn took in a slow breath and nodded, looking flustered but happy.
"Yeah, sounds good."
~~~~~
The next evening, Rosalinn pulled her Snakes jacket on and headed out the door, giving Wadsworth instructions to lock up after her. She walked up the ramps and across town, attempting to swallow her nerves at the rusty and creaking corrugated metal under her boots. She always had the impression it was going to break underneath her.
She walked past Billy's place and heard Maggie giggling and Billy laughing.
Aww, that's cute. I remember Dad and I laughing like that. She thought as she kept going to the next shack over.
She was about to push the door to go inside when someone spoke.
"Was wonderin' when you were going t' come 'round."
The voice belonged to an older man. He came down the ramp with a smoke in his mouth, looking at her as he took a puff and blew it out to his left.
She turned to face him.
"Are you Moriarty?"
"That I am. What took ya so long, newbie? Would've thought someone would have dragged y' here at some point."
The woman shifted.
"I don't drink much."
"Ah, so you're green. Well, that's okay, girl - how about one on the house?"
"No, thank you, Mr. Moriarty. I just have a question."
"I might have an answer."
She pulled a picture out of her coat pocket, the one of her and her father on her 10th birthday.
"Have you seen this man? Someone told me they saw you talking to him."
Moriarty looked at the picture, then up at her.
"Well I'll be damned, it's you! Th' little baby girl, all grown up! Fine lass, y've become!" He said with a laugh, though it wasn't the most joyous sound. This man's laugh was laced with something sinister, or seedy at best. Rosie didn't miss it.
"So, have you seen him?" She pressed.
"Well, Lass, I can tell ya, but yer gonna have to do me a little favour first."
At that moment, Billy had come out of his house, to see Rosie ironically enough, before he caught her out of the side of his vision. Instead of approaching, he stayed where he was, leaning against a wall in the shadows and out of sight. He disliked Moriarty, and didn't trust him as far as he could throw him.
Rosalinn sighed softly and tucked the picture back into her inside jacket pocket.
"I won't cut a deal to find out information that is rightly mine." She looked up, fiercely, before continuing.
"Too bad...my Dad mentioned knowing someone named Moriarty that helped him out for a while. I didn't know you were here, but that doesn't change the fact that he spoke of you fairly highly, almost like a friend."
The man put his smoke out under his boot and narrowed his eyes.
"That so?" He pondered for a moment, and then quick as a flash, he grabbed her wrist and grabbed her chin to make her look at him.
"Don't lie to me, girl."
Billy almost advanced, but Rosalinn put her free hand up behind her back to stop him. She'd known he was there, but she wanted to deal with this on her own.
"I'm not." She replied simply, seeming unperturbed by his actions.
"He said that when I was a baby, someone named Colin Moriarty helped him while he figured out what he was going to do after my mother passed away." The man stared for a moment. Not many called him by his first name, though James often had. He released the girls wrist and took a step back.
"Hmmph, well, our time together was brief, but... that is the way of it out here. When a bond is forged, little else matters, hmm?" He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
"Well, Lass, y' got his fire, alright. Your Daddy was here for a while, and then he headed southeast, into the city. Said he needed information from those loonies at the station. You know, Galaxy News Radio, what there is of it."
The woman nodded, ignoring the ringing in her ears and the pounding in her chest.
"Thanks. Really."
"Good luck. Should have come to me sooner, really, but maybe you'll catch up to him."
After a curt nod, Rosalinn turned on her heel and left, fast-walking past Billy and towards home. He eyed the Saloon owner as he headed inside, then tore off after Rosalinn.
By the time he'd caught up to her, he found her sitting on her couch inside her home, Dogmeat sitting beside her legs with his muzzle on her lap. Her coat having been thrown over the back of the chair nearby. She was hunched over, her face in her hands, and she sounded like she was gasping.
Billy went to her side, sat beside her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.
She didn't jump this time. Good.
"Rosie, are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
The girl shook her head, her silky raven locks falling over one shoulder.
"No. He didn't hurt me." Came her quiet voice.
"it just freaked me out."
He rubbed her back a bit before pulling her into his chest.
She didn't try to stop him.
By the time they'd settled, Rosalinn was on his lap, a leg on either side of his hips, her arms around his shoulders. She had buried her face in his neck and was trying to calm herself. Trying to breathe. He had continued to rub her back slowly with one hand, while the other was buried in her hair that was now free of it's confines.
"It's okay, Sweetheart. It's okay. Take your time - deep breaths now."
After a few moments of following Billy's instructions, and letting his soft whispers calm her, she pulled herself from his neck and her hands came to rest on his chest.
"Thank you. You've been so sweet to me since I came here. I feel like I'm not doing enough in return. I always take-"
"Whoa, hey, no." He cut her off, staring hard at her.
"I give you what I can, what I want to. And I expect inothing/i in return. It's my pleasure." He touched her cheek, thumbing her cheek bone as his other hand rested on her knee, squeezing it comfortingly.
"And you, you give plenty. Hell, you gave us all basically a hundred percent certainty of living thanks to disarming that damned bomb, so long as we live here. Do not underestimate yourself, Darlin'." He pulled her face down and kissed her like he had the night before.
Rosalinn melted into his lips, her hands sliding from his chest to his head. She tugged off his head wrap and wound her fingers into his hair, eliciting a soft moan from the man. He stopped the kiss, reluctantly, and gazed up at her.
"Rosie, I gotta say, I'm pretty wound up already. I think maybe we should stop, or I may not be able to help myself."
She huffed a small laugh.
"It's okay, so am I. I knew being on your lap was trouble." She looked pensive as she looked away for a moment, biting her lip.
"I know I said I wanted to take it slow, but we're both adults, right?"
Billy chuckled and ran his hands up her sides, desperately wishing there was no leather in the way.
"True enough. And besides, there ain't enough love in this world as it is, not in any sense of the word." He leaned up and captured her lips with his again.
"So, whaddaya say we get to know one another a bit better tonight?"
She nodded, not caring for words just then.
~~~~~
Completely spent of energy, Billy collapsed on top of Rosalinn, and she welcomed him into her arms. They were a panting, sweaty mess, but this was the most relaxed either of them had felt in a long time.
"That was amazing." Rosie managed after she had spent some moments silently basking in afterglow.
"I agree entirely, Darlin'. Feel worshiped enough?"
He asked, grinning to her as he shifted to see her face.
The woman gave a breathy chuckle, and kissed his forehead, not minding his clammy skin.
"I feel the best I've ever felt."
"Then I've done m' job." He said as he gently separated the two. She sat up, giving a small gasp of pain. He looked down, worry flashing in his eyes.
"Did I go too hard?"
She shook her head.
"No. I think this is just the way it must feel losing virginity." She grimaced, and them smiled to him.
He caressed her cheek, thumbing her jaw.
"What say we clean up, Beautiful? I saw you got a tub downstairs, and from the sounds of it the water plant pressure is doin' great, thanks to you."
Rosalinn gave a curt nod and Billy stood, offering a hand. She took it and let him help her up.
"You gonna be okay walkin'?"
"Yeah. There's walls. And rails."
He laughed and shook his head.
"Stubborn girl."
"I am." She responded, not bothering to deny it.
"I'll get set up then, so you take yer time coming down."
Some time later, Rosalinn sat with a mug of hot tea on her couch in clean shorts and a tank, a blanket on her lap. She was staring into space, her eyes glazed and faraway. Billy came in the room, coffee in hand, and sat next to her.
"I think I know that look by now. Headin' out tomorrow?"
"Yeah. I need to go to GNR." Her eyes remained fixated where they were.
Billy felt his stomach drop. He wanted to ask if she was sure she couldn't stay in town another day or two; but he did not want to stop her from completing her task. He didn't even want make her feel obligated to stop, so he pushed the thought from his mind.
"I'm gonna miss you, Sugar."
Her gaze shifted then, her blue eyes focusing on his face. She gave him a smile that melted his heart.
"I won't be gone forever. I'll come back after I've finished with GNR. I'll need to restock, take a break. Spend some time with some important people."
Billy smiled at that.
"So who's important to the Lone Wanderer?"
Rosalinn gave an abrupt chuckle.
"A certain former mercenary and his little girl have caught my eye - that's for certain." She said softly.
"And my heart." She added, even more softly. He put an arm around her and kissed the side of her head. She looked at him.
"I want to make dinner for you guys when I come back."
"Yeah? That'd be swell, Sweetheart. I think Maggie would love that, too. She really admires ya."
A small laugh sounded, followed by a sip of tea.
"Then it's settled." Rosie leaned her head on his shoulder, catching the scent of leather. Her heart dropped to her stomach and Butch's face flashed in her mind again, instantly lassoing her stomach into a knot of guilt so strong, she near dropped her mug. She closed her eyes.
No. I need some sort of happiness to get me through being out here. Butch isn't out here. And if he was, he wouldn't be with me.
Billy took his last sip of coffee and was about to shift when he noticed Rosalinn had fallen asleep, her breathing deep and even.
"Aww, Darlin'." He whispered as he took her mug from her, placing both on the coffee table. He then shifted so her head was on his chest and picked her up.
She didn't wake, and that made his heart soar. She felt safe enough to sleep near him.
"You got my heart in a vice grip, Sweetheart." Came his breathy mutter as he took her upstairs and tucked her in.
When he came back down, the mugs were gone, and Wadsworth was by the door.
"Hey Wadsworth. Look after 'er for me, eh?"
"Of course, Sir. Are you heading home?"
"Yeah, I wanna get there before Maggie wakes up, catch some Z's."
"Well goodnight, then, Sir."
"G'night to you too, Wads. Oh and, tell her not t' leave without sayin' goodbye?"
"I will, Sir."
"Cheers."
Billy walked out into the night air, waiting to hear the door lock behind him. He looked up at the night sky and smiled. The stars sparkled blue like her eyes.
He took his time walking home, and when he got in, he checked on his little girl. She was still passed out cold.
Suddenly feeling his own exhaustion, he tucked her in too before disappearing into his own room and falling into bed.
He was out cold himself moments later, a small smile still on his lips.