Finally Saying It Out Loud

"Cait?" Piper asked one day in the middle of Diamond City's marketplace.

The brawler lazily turned her head from watching Blue – who was bargaining with Arturo over some guns they'd salvaged – to greet the reporter with an easy smile.

"Yeah Pipes?"

Piper found herself blushing a little unwillingly. "Cait, do you, err, do you have a moment?"

The redhead turned to face her fully. She smiled. "Course, what's on your mind?"

Piper swallowed thickly, her nerves threatening to get the best of her. She'd resolved to do it there, in the heaty of the city and among its crowded market, but now she was actually standing there, the task seemed all the more daunting somehow.

Cait cocked her head at her slightly. "You ok there, Pipes?"

"Ye- Yeah, course, I just- Just give me a minute …"

"Don't often see you lost for words." Cait chuckled lightly. "Should put it your paper to mark the occasion or something."

Piper opted to chuckle in reply. She knew she must look the fool, to Cait, to Nora, and to everyone else who happened to be around. At least Nat wasn't about to see her like this.

"Pipes?" Cait asked again, gaze growing concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no. I just … I really need to tell you something."

"Ok, now you're worrying me a little bit."

"No! Sorry. It's nothing you need to worry about, it's just …" She took a deep breath. She mumbled it under her breath.

"Huh?" Cait blinked and leaned in a little closer. "What was that?"

"I said: I love you!" Piper blurted out loud, very loud.

It was more than loud enough for Cait to hear, and loud enough for everyone nearby to hear clearly as well. In fact, the longer the moment crawled on and on, the more Piper realised she'd just shouted it out for the whole damn city to hear.

Cheeks flushing red, Piper chanced a glance around. Absolutely everyone in and around the marketplace had stopped what they were doing, and were now staring at the reporter. Even the Diamond City guards were peering at her curiously.

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?" Takahashi helpfully filled the silence.

Piper looked to Nora, and saw the blonde had turned towards her as well. She was biting down on the knuckle of one of her fingers in a failing effort to supress her broad grin. When she saw the reporter look her way, Nora gestured urgently at her. Piper took that as a sign of encouragement.

Gritting her teeth lightly, Piper slowly looked back to Cait, almost fearful of what she might find. Cait was still there where Piper had left her. She had a dumbfounded expression along with the rest of them.

"What?" Cait finally drawled.

Piper sighed. She took her cap off with one hand and trawled her other through her hair. She took a deep breath and stepped right up to Cait.

"I- I love you, Cait." Piper repeated herself, not as abrupt as before but still loud enough for all to hear. Though embarrassment touched her cheeks, she was determined to carry on. Cait deserved that much at least. "I love you, and I'm so sorry I've not said it before now."

"You're … You're serious?" Cait blinked.

"Yes!" Piper chuckled. She took both of Cait's hands in hers. "I'm in love with you, Cait, and I think I have been for a long, long time now."

"You really mean it." Cait murmured in something like wonder. Then, she scowled and spun her head round to find Nora. "Did you know about this?!" She demanded.

Nora held her hands up innocently. "Not a clue! I mean, I've suspected it for a while now, but I didn't know."

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to realise how I feel about you, Cait." Piper murmured again, gently pulling Cait's face around to face her once more. "But I do love you, I really do. So, do you think there's any chance you could love me back?"

Somehow, Piper knew roughly what Cait was going to say, even before she narrowed her gaze and scrunched her lips up in deep thought.

"I dunno, Pipes." Cait sighed overly theatrically. "I guess I'll have to think about it for a while first. Get back to me in a few months or so, maybe even a year."

"I guess I deserve that, don't I?" Piper sighed, though she couldn't resist smiling wide even so.

"Come on, babe!" Nora strode up beside them, putting a hand on Cait's shoulder and shaking her a little urgently. "Don't ruin this moment now, you'll never forgive yourself! Just kiss the girl already!"

"Blue!" Piper laughed.

"Well, if you insist." Cait drawled at Nora.

Then, she switched to a delightful smirk as she gazed at Piper. She swept in and claimed Piper's lips for her own. Piper could have happily melted into the contact for an eternity, and she almost cried when it was over.

"I love you too, Pipes." Cait whispered when they parted. She pressed a soft kiss to the reporter's forehead. "I love you so damn much."

"I love you too." Piper promised with the broadest smile. She reached out to draw Nora into their embrace. "Both of you. I love you both more than I can rightly say."

"Eh, you're both alright, I guess." Nora sniggered.

"Oh look, now who's ruining it?!" Cait scowled at the blonde.

"I'm joking! I'm joking!" Nora laughed. "I'm just so damn happy for you both!"

Piper sighed but she didn't argue.

She also remembered that they were all very much not alone. The reporter's cheeks flushed again as she glanced about at all the people watching their embrace. There was a half hearted smattering of applause from a couple of people. Though there was still more of an awkward silence in the air. Then, everyone gradually returned to their business. One of the guards seemed more than happy to just stand there and stare forever, that is until he received a punch in the shoulder from one of his colleagues and was dragged away.

"Why don't we celebrate Piper realising the obvious somewhere a little more private?" Nora suggested with a smirk.

"Hey!" Piper complained with a chuckle. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea."

"Sure, whatever you both want." Cait smiled the widest of them all. She threw her arms around their shoulders as they walked away together. "I'm happy with whatever, as long as I'm with the two of you."