Wildfire - Elder Maxson x reader - Part 1

4

Because of her little stunt, they don't get out of Goodneighbor until mid-afternoon. He hates going to a ghoul for help, but he has no choice considering they have no chems for hangovers. Daisy is short with him, but she sells him some x-cell and addictol for 150 caps... He isn't certain that she is telling the truth when she says she has nothing cheaper that can help, but at this point he will take what he can get.

If Uri remembers what happened last night, she doesn't say anything. The atmosphere is still tense, but neither of them are yelling at each other. He still hasn't forgiven her, but as they reach the gate he gently clasps her elbow.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, "the way I spoke to you - it was inexcusable. I won't pretend I'm not upset, but I don't want to argue. It's pointless. And, quite frankly, your life is none of my business."

"Arthur--"

"You don't need to say anything," He says, offering her a lazy smile, "I apologise wholeheartedly."

Uri distracts herself by checking their route on her pip-boy. They need to get to Bunker Hill - preferably before sunset... She's not sure that's possible, in her current state. The x-cell has helped tremendously, but it has also added to her sense of nausea. They walk in silence. Uri hates every second. She wants to say something that will fix this bridge between them, but she's not capable of articulating what it is. The frustration makes her jumpy - she even squeaks when a radroach scurries out of an old pile of trash, and flushes when he chuckles.

She doesn't get it - how can he be so calm? She wants to crawl out of her damn skin. She regrets the sex with MacCready, now. He's a great guy, and it was fun, but they both knew why she went ahead with it... She feels ashamed. And she's not sure if she dreamt his response. But the feeling of his lips fluttering above her neck felt too real, and it had sent her body into a frenzy.

The sky darkens much earlier than they had anticipated as the strange, new thunder of their irradiated world begins to crash around them. Arthur curses gently, and Uri hunts through her map to find the safest place to hold out. It's the Cabot house - she groans gently.

"What is it?"

"The safest place for us is going to be somewhere you probably won't like," She mumbles, but leads them on anyway. Half an hour later, she is beginning to feel painfully sick - she's not sure if it's because of the hangover or the radstorm.

"Are we almost there?" He asks. Arthur has been glancing over at her frequently - and has noticed how the colour has slowly drained from her cheeks. She nods weakly.

"Just around this corner."

The house they gravitate towards is the cleanest that Arthur has ever seen, as far as civilians are concerned. It reaches a grand four stories, and is guarded by both a Mr Handy and a Sentry Bot. He admires the war machine as they reach the front door; a familiar sense of excitement bubbles in his stomach as he finds himself reminiscing. He had always loved robots as a child - even got in trouble for trying to befriend one, once. He doesn't know how the Lyons put up with him... Strangely enough, Uri has a key. Watching her fumble with the lock pulls him from his thoughts.

"Do you know everyone in the Commonwealth?"

"I worked for these guys, way back when..." He pulls a face, and she gives him a pointed look, "I told you that you wouldn't like it."

"Sanchez!" an egg-headed sort of guy calls, popping his head around a doorway leading to a grand living area. Arthur is busy trying to prevent his jaw from dropping... This place looks like something out of one of his childhood history books. The outside looked good from where he had been standing, but it has nothing on this. It's all as good as new - from their carpets to their mahogany dining table, everything is pristine.