Tainted Love: It's a Wasteland, darlin'

I'm Cooper Howard, and you are?

The Ghoul woke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the cracks in the cabin walls. He rubbed his eyes, the events of the previous night slowly coming back to him. As he sat up, his eyes fell on the salmon-colored dress neatly folded on the table. On top of it was a note.

He picked up the note, his hands trembling slightly with a mix of anger and frustration. The note read:

*"A deposit until I can bring back caps. Thank you for everything. - Babydoll"*

He crumpled the note in his fist, his jaw tightening as a wave of anger washed over him. She was gone, just as she had promised. But her leaving the dress felt like a slap in the face, a reminder of the connection he had thought they were building, now reduced to a transaction.

"That little bitch," he muttered under his breath, the anger bubbling up. He slammed his fist onto the table, the sound echoing through the empty cabin. "She could've just said goodbye."

He stood up, pacing the small space, the anger mixing with a bitter sense of betrayal. He had opened up, allowed himself to care, and now she was gone, leaving behind a piece of fabric as a placeholder for something that would never be.

"Stupid, stupid fucking piece of sun-tanned leather shit," he muttered to himself, kicking at the chair. "Should've known better. Should've kept my guard up. Her and those stupid fucking dresses."

The Ghoul's frustration boiled over as he stormed around the cabin, grabbing his gear. He wouldn't let her get away with this. He wasn't some errand boy to be tossed aside. If she thought she could just walk out and leave him with nothing but an empty promise, she was dead wrong.

He strapped on his weapon and swung his coat over his shoulders. The salmon dress lay crumpled on the floor where he had thrown it. He snatched it up, stuffing it into his pack. "Fine, Babydoll. You wanna play games? Let's play."

He saddled up Ole Billy, his faithful horse, and climbed onto his back. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a harsh light over the desolate landscape. The Ghoul's jaw was set, his mind focused on one thing: finding Babydoll and giving her a piece of his mind.

As they rode, the dusty road stretched out before them, each hoofbeat pounding out his frustration. The nearest outpost wasn't far, and he knew she wouldn't have gotten too far on foot.

He reached the outpost by midday, the sun high in the sky. The place was a ramshackle collection of buildings, a few traders milling about. He dismounted, scanning the area for any sign of her.

"Hey," he called out to a nearby trader, his voice gruff. "You see a girl pass through here? Blonde, blue eyes, dressed real fancy, too cute for her own good."

The trader looked up, squinting against the sun. "Yeah, I seen her. Passed through not long ago. Headed that way," he said, pointing down the main road.

The Ghoul nodded, a grim determination in his eyes. "Thanks, Partner"

He climbed back onto Ole Billy and urged him forward, following the direction the trader had pointed. As they rode, his anger fueled his resolve. He didn't care what she had been through or what she thought she owed him. He wasn't going to let her walk away so easily.

Finally, he spotted her up ahead, walking along the road, her figure small against the vast expanse. He spurred Ole Billy into a gallop, closing the distance between them quickly.

"Babydoll!" he shouted, pulling the horse to a stop beside her.

She turned, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of fear. "Ghoul, what are you doing here?"

He dismounted, his eyes blazing with anger. He pulled the salmon dress from his pack and thrust it towards her. "You forgot this."

She took a step back, her expression a mix of confusion and apprehension. "I, uh... was going to bring you some caps when I thought I had enough. I needed a few more hours and I was going to bring you some. I thought you could read," she asked.