Fallout: Fury Blood

Chapter 136: Welcome To My World

"Look at him, Honey. He's perfect. You wanna know why? He has his mother's eyes."

"But with his father's eye color."

"No, no, they're bluer than mine. Look. See. They're yours."

"But he has your ring of brown and green. They're hazel, look closer. I told you you needed glasses."

"Huh, well, I guess you're right. Your mother's always right, Shaun, remember that. Don't ever forget it."

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Her son's eyes held Kelly aloft as he stood so near. She could see every detail like the first time he had opened his eyes to her, every fleck and chip of color. They were a swirl of hazel marble, just like his father's. Only now, they were hugged by crimps and wrinkles, etheric in the wisdom of time.

"Hello, Shaun." Her throat knotted and ached with emotion, squeezing on her words.

His responding smile was brief, wan. Accommodating more than warm. "It has been some time. While I always knew you would eventually return, I wasn't sure of the manner of your return. You seem... distressed, Mother. This must be important."

Curiosity underscored the concern swimming his tone. For a moment, she was lulled by the paternal mildness of his voice, the warm hues and soft edges. There's so much of your father in you, son. But I also see my father in you, my grandfather, even.

Disorientation strained at her ability to think. Memories of old ambushed her until her balance wavered and her eyes fogged. She could see the emotions moving under Shaun's face, but she couldn't discern them.

"I feel..."

Haggard.

Unstable.

Sick.

So, fucking, sick.

But her face was numb, her mouth, tongue. Tingling and fuzzy. Something deep in her belly cramped and flipped inside out; her womb was weeping.

Aged hands caught her fall. His voice, her old son's voice, was muffled in her ear. "I've got you. You really went through a lot to get here, didn't you. You feel so thin, when was the last time you ate? That's it, on your feet."

"Sorry," she mumbled into his untarnished white coat, now smeared with her wasteland grime. "I'm alright. Just a faint spell. Probably the painkillers your doc put me on."

"No, you really don't look alright. You've been irresponsible of yourself," he said, harshening his words.

Kelly took the fatherly scold from her son in a state of discarnate apathy. She remembered the bookmark in their exchange, knew he didn't want to waste time on sentimentalities or the trading of pleasantries; the man before her was Father, Director of the Institute. He wanted to know why she was here, now, in such a mess. Did he know about her scuffle with the Brotherhood to get here? Had X6-88 reported on her wandering eye for chems?

She dipped her head in submission, allowing her son the dominant role. "Is there some place we can talk?"

"Of course, right this way. K9-69, please serve us some coffee and a bite to eat. Some fresh toasted bagels will do. Do you take cream and sugar, Mother?"

Kelly had all but forgotten the blond synth who had accosted her in the hall. "K9-69. Seriously, Shaun? Come on. That's disgusting."

Taken aback, he froze in place, half-turned and blinking rapidly as his brain processed the bipolar shift in her demeanor. "Disgusting?" He seemed to come to some conclusion as his expression softened, rounding to face her again. "All synths are referred to by their original designation. You have to understand, Mother. Giving them names would only humanize them, not to mention the time and bother of conjuring up original names. The renaming process would be... wasteful."