Jealousy in the Wasteland

Chapter 6 - Heading Back

*word count : 1077*

~Nick's POV~

I look back before exiting the bar, only to see Y/N still sitting with her head buried in her hands. Usually, I would feel bad and go console her. Tonight? Not happening.

I make it outside before Hancock, taking the time to mindlessly puff on a cigarette. "Alright, Nick. The fuck is going on?" Hancock says, almost startling me. I turn on my heels to face the ghoul. "What's going on, is that you keep sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. Pun intended, of course." I mentally laugh at my joke before he speaks again.

"Me? Seriously? Nick, you don't even let her come to the damn bar by herself." "Yeah, because she needs to be in a place like this alone. Sure." I retort, gesturing to the town with my hands. Hancock strides towards me, "I was here first, Valentine. I don't share, and I sure as hell don't play fair." He says, basically spitting his words at me.

"Good thing I don't either. Now, you can either try to beat my ass, or we can shut the fuck up. We have to leave in the morning, and I'll be damned if she isn't ready to go because of you." Hancock laughs at my words, clenching his fists at his sides. "So let me get this straight. You'd be upset because she won't be ready? Not that she's in there, embarrassed, because you can't leave her alone?"

I can hear my fans kick into overdrive. "If anything, she's embarrassed because you have to barge your way in every time we're here." I argue. "Can you both please just shut the fuck up?" I hear Y/N call, spinning on my heels once again to see her.

"You two are acting like fucking children. Cut it out, now. It's been what, three days? I'm already sick of it. Both of you, chill out." She yells, turning away from us and leaving Goodneighbor. I look to Hancock who seems surprised that she can even yell, then begin following her.

~Y/N's POV~

I feel like there may as well be steam coming out of my ears. I walk away from the two, hoping they'll both leave me alone, but knowing Nick will follow.

As if he could hear my thoughts, he falls into step beside me. "Y/N, look-" He tries to speak but I cut him off. "Nick, no. Don't start this tonight. We're going to the office, I'm going to sleep, and we're going to Far Harbor. Understand?" I snap at him, quickening my pace.

Nick looks down at his feet, then back up to the road and continues walking, a few paces behind me now.

We finally arrive at the office, and I can't help but to basically throw myself into the bed upstairs in the loft.

"Goodnight, doll. I'm sorry." Nick calls from downstairs, and I can hear him striking a match to light a cigarette.

I actually sleep through the night, only waking up to Nick gently nudging me. "C'mon, Y/N. We gotta get ready to go." He coos quietly, eliciting a sleepy groan from me.

I reluctantly get up and head downstairs to make sure I'm ready and have everything I need, before hearing a knock at the door. "I'll get it." I call to the synth, who is upstairs doing god knows what.

I open the door to see none other than Hancock wearing a gas mask. I quickly pull him inside, slamming the door behind him. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You're going to get shot." I scold as he removes his mask. "We need to talk before you leave, sweetheart." I sigh, and lead him to my desk to sit.

"What do you want? I have to leave soon." I say bluntly, crossing my arms. "I just wanted to tell you to be careful, I guess. And not to do anything with Nick." I laugh at the ghoul before realizing he's serious.

"Okay, it's time to go. I'll see you when I get back." I say, ushering him towards the door. "I-I'll miss you, Y/N." He says as he lowers the mask back onto his face and leaving. Was he actually sober just now?

I brush it off, shifting my focus back to work. I step into my power armor, making sure I've got plenty of fusion cores before we leave. "Alright, Nick. I'm ready." I call up to the synth, hearing his footsteps bound down the stairs shortly after.

He gives me a brief once over, then leads me to the door before locking up and leaving.

~Nick's POV~

Y/N and I are officially on our way back to the Nakano residence. I dread the long ass walk simply because it's boring, but I know it kills her. At least I don't have to deal with joint pain.

The walk is silent, other than the radio playing on her PipBoy. We walk for 5 hours and 19 minutes before she asks for a break, to which I oblige. We stop at a Red Rocket station, allowing her to step out of her power armor and sit on a tattered couch for a bit.

"Y'know, I should go solo. Then I wouldn't have to do all this walking." She says, a hint of pain and irritation in her voice. "Yeah, sorry about that, doll." I say. We sit there for 34 minutes and 12 seconds before she insists she's ready to keep going.

We make it a good distance before she's ready to settle down for the night. We find a decent, though worn down, house and decide to set up camp there.

She steps out of her power armor once more, quickly making a cot on the floor to sleep in. She walks into a different room to change, coming out in an oddly intact sleep set. I scan her body up and down before finding a chair to set up for the night.

She's restless again and it lasts a while before she speaks. "Nick, fuck the watch. Can you come lay with me?" My coolant stops pumping for a second.

"Yeah, doll. I'll be right there." I stand up from my chair, kick off my shoes and slide off my trench coat before laying down beside her. Before long, I hear her lightly snoring, and decide to just lay in this bliss for a while. "Goodnight, Y/N." I whisper.