Fallout of the Heart

Chapter Thirty

Every time he looked away from the stove to glance over at me, I found myself blushing, which made his smile grow wider. Despite spending most of the previous day exploring our differences and feelings – verbal and otherwise – I still was in a state of shock about how everything had ended up going down. Since I had been Maya Dunn to everyone for so long, that's how we decided things would stay – allowing me to still have the freedom I'd been looking for the whole time, when I did the wipe to begin with.

We were the only two that knew the truth, and unless I let too much slip that's the way it would stay. I wasn't expecting to find the Preacher waiting for me when I finished showering and getting dressed this morning, and the look I shot at Hancock wasn't exactly the friendliest. When he pulled me to the side and started whispering apologies in my ear for not asking me first, but wanting to officially cement things in a way that no one else could rip them apart, before anything else went sideways, I sighed and realized I couldn't say no. I could see what he wasn't saying – he wanted me to know without a doubt just how he felt about me, and that he wanted me right by his side for the rest of our lives.

That also meant I was going to start taking a bigger role in the day-to-day running of the city – people were going to find out eventually, might as well actually be Mrs. Mayor in truth and not just on paper. Finally, the food was done, and he walked over to the couch with one bowl, pulling me into his lap as we proceeded to share it. It was so weird to be curled up in his lap like this, giggling and acting like teenagers one minute, being tender and gentle with each other the next, when just a week ago I was ready to pull up stakes and just walk the fuck away from everything.

The food was long finished by the time Nick interrupted our reverie, since we had both been simply sitting there in the same position, enjoying the warmth and touch of each other's presence. There was a knock on the door and a clearing of a throat, then a noise of exclamation as Nick entered before we could tell him that it was okay. He had not been informed of our new status, simply having been told that Hancock needed a day or two off, and to 'hold his calls', so to speak.

"Uh... I know you said to hold your calls – and believe me, I wished you'd take breaks like this more often – but the Paladin insists on a face to face meeting right now, as Chief of your Security. End Quote." Nick's tone was both dry and annoyed, and I sighed, closing my eyes.

"The Paladin can eat me." I remarked flatly, causing Hancock's arms to convulse around me. "Tell him he'll get his meeting once he's refreshed himself on all possible definitions of the phrase 'do not disturb'." I said, without looking at Nick. I wasn't sure I would be able to stay composed if I saw whatever look he had on his face right now.

Nick made a noise like he was about to say something, then I heard a thunk and the thud of power armor stomping across the floor. "If the scrap has something to say, Valentine, she can say to my face or not at all." I heard Danse growl, and I closed my eyes.

"Paladin, unless the city is on fire and for some reason I can't see it myself, when I ask Nick to field my calls and meetings, I mean just that. I'd appreciate it if in the future you'd actually respect that. I'd also appreciate it if you'd bury whatever imaginary beef you have with my wife and get over it – she's not going anywhere." Hancock said, his voice rumbling under me.

"Wife?" Danse spat, and I could hear the distaste in his voice. "You let this thing touch you?" He asked, and I turned my head slowly in shock. Did he really just call my husband a thing? I tapped Hancock's hands and he released me, though I did hear him mutter something about 'cambridge all over again' as he let me up off his lap. Something about that comment hit me, as I remembered when I lost my shit on this asshole the first time before we went up in the airship. That was when Hancock had first gone cold on me, when I thought about it. I'd have to bring that up with him later.