Short, but starting to get some feels and a little more background, I'll try to make the next one longer.
The way to Diamond City was surprisingly the most boring two days of travel that Nate had had since Paladin–
Nate stopped the thought and looked sideways at Hancock who was no more than ten feet away, but his eyes were far beyond the buildings. Without thinking about it, Nate stepped closer to him, and bumped his elbow against the ghoul's. Snapping to attention, he looked at him and smirked, "How long was I out?"
"No telling, I think I zoned out too," Nate gestured with the butt of his gun to the green walls of the Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth. "Least we made it in one piece."
"I don't think I've ever been able to say I was 'bored' on a trip to Diamond City," Hancock laughed, then looked back. "Ah, squirt looks like she's about to wet herself."
"I heard that," the squire barked, but when Nate looked back at her she was gazing up at the walls with an overwhelmed wonder. He couldn't help but smile; to her this was so impressive, but that was ruined for him by the memory of what it had looked like before the war. Everything looked like shit now, but seeing her fall in love with the sights was enough for him to take a second look and appreciate what was happening. People were rebuilding, not quickly, but they were, despite everything.
"You two get me some jet and shells, yeah?" Hancock grabbed Nate's shoulder as he stopped. The taller man paused long enough to nod and give the ghoul a longing stare, his eyes flickering from his lips to his shark-like eyes. "Later, big guy," he chuckled softly.
"'Course we'll get you some shells," Nate promised, and gave Hancock's shoulder a squeeze back.
"And jet…" he insisted, but Madelyn was standing there now.
"You're not coming with us?"
"Ghouls aren't allowed in Diamond City, squirt," the ghoul smirked. "Don't worry, I'll miss you, too."
She looked like she wanted to say something, but she just stared at him. Hancock wiggled his brow at her, marking his win, and then turned to leave. "I'll be where I normally am, Natie." We waved a hand over his shoulder to them. He would be waiting by the pod, near Hardware Town, where someone had set up a little place to sit. He had found it when he was on Kellogg's trail, a quaint place just outside the buildings. Hancock had adopted the place since it was still in sight of Diamond city, but far enough away that the guards wouldn't say anything. Nate started toward the front gate with Madelyn at his side
"I thought… like, I knew ghouls weren't allowed but he's…" she looked back at the red frock coat.
"A ghoul," Nate finished her sentence. He paused, looking down at her.
"But…" she frowned. Nate came back and stood in front of the squire. She hadn't completely accepted Hancock, but she was starting to see him as a person, which was more than he thought would happen in the week that he'd had her. She was a good person at heart, which was why it was such an easy change for her.
"I know," he smiled down at her. Then she blinked and looked at her hands. She had to convince herself her feelings were wrong, and that's what he planned on changing. "Come on, you need some noodles." She walked next to him and he rested his hand between her shoulder blades. She didn't move away from the contact like she did whenever Hancock would touch her, and she even seemed to lean into it some.
Nate ignored the guards when they greeted him, he didn't feel the need for small talk or really any talk with them. None of them had ever done anything for him, either by their choice or not, even when he had to get Mel out of prison to help him and Bobbi take a strong room (not the strong room she had originally promised, but that was a story for a camp fire) the guard had required far too many caps to be considered helpful.
When they entered the city, Madelyn paused, "Wow," slipped out from her lips and he smiled.
"Here, wait there, I'll buy you noodles and something to drink and I'll get the supplies." He urged her forward.
"Oh, I can help you," she said, looking up at him.
"You can relax, squire," he promised. "I can handle some supplies alone."
"Okay," she whispered, smiling a little. Nate bought two bowls of noodles from Takahashi and a Nuka Cola from Crazy Myrna. Madelyn took off her hat and sat at the noodle stand happily eating her first meal of the day. He was proud of her for her strength, not once had she complained about being tired or hungry, and she followed orders much better than Hancock. But, Hancock wouldn't be Hancock if he followed orders to a tee.
"Hail, squire!" a voice called behind Nate while he was looking at Arturo's wares at Commonwealth Weaponry. He looked over his shoulder to see a Brotherhood Initiate stopped to talk to Madelyn with a small group of soldiers leaving him behind.
"Oh my God! Dustin!" Nate smiled a little, then Madelyn leapt up to hug the boy. He welcomed it with open arms and Nate's smile faded when she pulled away, but the boy kept his hands on her hips. Suddenly everything Arturo was saying was going through one ear and out the other. What if she needed to defend herself? All she had was that little knife?
"Arturo, do you have anything smaller? Something for… a first timer?" Nate listened as carefully as he could to Madelyn's conversation with the boy.
"…You look great, Madelyn."
"Thanks, you too," she laughed. Nate looked over his shoulder while the shop keep looked for a gun. The boy had to be two years or less older than her, looking to be around eighteen, he forgot that she was fifteen often, but now he saw it. The way that boy looked at her, it gave Nate mixed feelings. She was too young for a boy like that, he only wanted one thing…. But she was a young woman, and he wasn't her dad….
"Here you go, Señor Walker, a 10 mm, perfect for first timers," the clatter of a weapon on the counter made Nate look back. It was a fine weapon with as many mods as it had parts. "Only the best, yes?"
"Only the best," he agreed. His attention went back over his shoulder.
"Are you squiring again?" the boy looked around, his eyes not staying on Nate even to see that he was looking at him as he tried to find a Brotherhood soldier that she could be with. Yet another reason Nate loved to wear this uniform.
"Yeah, we're just here for a pit stop," she stepped back away from the boy, but he seemed disappointed.
"Same, we were just leaving," he threw a glance at his unit, and then straightened back on Madelyn.
"You should catch up, they might leave without you."
"Hope I don't get a black eye for giving you another hug," he scooped her into an embrace and she smiled, but seemed to push against his chest, trying to end it quicker than their first.
"You remember that?" she seemed shocked.
"Getting jumped by three guys in your bunk in the middle of the night for kissing a girl once, leaves an impression," he stated, glancing around with newfound paranoia. Nate turned back and started counting out caps for Arturo, and decided to trade a couple of things instead of spending all his caps at once.
"I didn't know how he'd done it…"
"Who was it? I just assumed you sent them after me," the boy asked.
"My brother." This was the first time Nate had heard that she had family. Now that he thought about it, he didn't really know that much about her.
"Oh, who's that? I didn't know you had a brother."
"Initiate Cane! We have to move on!" a scribe yelled so loud most of the Marketplace, including Nate, turned to look, and the Initiate turned red.
"Bye, Dustin," Madelyn smiled and waved at him as she backed to her stool.
"Bye, Madelyn," he replied and walked away. Nate watched he boy rejoin his unit, and then looked at his squire who now was staring at her noodles deep in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about, but knew he had to get a couple more things, so he made his way around, quickly buying the ammo and purified water he would need for the trip. Finally he was finished and stepped up to Madelyn.
"Hey, Dangerfield." She turned around quickly, snapping to attention as he swung his refilled duffle bag over his shoulder. "Grab your left overs, Hancock will give us both shit if he doesn't get any." She nodded and grabbed her extra bowl and the Nuka Cola she had yet to finish. "Did you not like it?" he asked, nodding to the glass.
"Oh, no, it's just… I don't drink them often so I decided I would make this one last." He made a mental note to offer her Nuka Colas more often. With that in mind, they made their way back toward the entrance. They would grab Hancock and then swing by to check on Hangman's Ally to make sure their raider problem had been cleaned up.