Wildfire - Elder Maxson x reader - Part 1

5

They arrive at Bunker Hill within an hour, and they trade the caps the Cabots provided them with for more ammo. Arthur is hopeful that they may bump into patrolling soldiers before they reach the airport, but it is best to be on the safe side by ensuring they have plenty of fusion cells. They agree they will not stop today - the only thing that will bring them to a halt is extreme injury or situations too dangerous to get into.

"Don't act all high-and-fearless," Uri scoffs, "I saw how you froze up when you saw that mute-hound."

"I had never seen one before," He snaps defensively, "I took down a mutant brute at fifteen, I'll have you know. I think I can handle overgrown dogs."

"More of those fairytales you wrote?" She teases, laughing at the glare he sends her way.

He's more than a little relieved to slip his flight suit back on. And, when she hands him his greatcoat, he feels himself relax into the all-too-familiar textures he missed so much.

Their first extermination involves a pack of ferals living in an abandoned diner. Next, a gang of raiders at some sort of vile-looking drug den. Uri acts like she's hit the jackpot as she stacks her bags with all the jet, psycho and mentats she can carry.

"Don't look at me like that. We can't all be born into well-to-do families. Especially when we're two-hundred years out of time."

He rolls his eyes but lets her continue, perusing the perimeter as she goes. She doesn't take too long - and, soon, they are crossing the first of two bridges to get them to the airport.

They may make this trip in good time. And, with this knowledge, Uri's heart begins to sink. She watches him whenever she gets the chance, now. Trying to commit every detail to memory. She feels the beginning of a panic attack coming on whenever she thinks that this could be it, and hates herself for it. She got through months exploring the Commonwealth on her own. Her slight frame, stealth and sniping kept her safe enough to go at it by herself. She didn't favour it, or anything - she just knew that, if she were to travel with someone, she'd end up caring for them too much. What had been her greatest strength in the past has become her greatest weakness, it seems.

"Down," he hisses suddenly, and she instantly ducks behind a rusted car. She holds her breath, heart thudding in her ears as she catches onto the tail ends of a supermutant conversation.

Ok. She can feel sorry for herself later. For now, she needs to focus on staying alive.

She uses her scope to scan the area. There's three of them, overall. No mute-hounds in sight, but she doesn't trust one to not fly out of nowhere when the gunfire starts. The nearest is alone - they seem to be securing the perimeter, whilst the other two battle with rocks twice the size of Uri's head to start a campfire.

"How are we playing this?" Uri asks once she's safely back behind the car. Arthur already has his pistol in hand and a vicious grin on his face.

"I, my dear, am going to prove to you that my stories are not fairy tales."

And then, he leaps over the car for the nearest mutant.

He is on its back before it has time to register his presence, and with a gurgling howl it drops to the ground - throat slit with his combat knife. The others notice him and ready their weapons.

With a look of horror, Uri notices the bomb bleeping in one of their hands.

She aims as Arthur curses. He had been too keen to show off, and now he has placed himself in danger. The second mutant is picked off with a little more difficulty - he eventually blasts its brains out. And then there was one - but it's taken out with a headshot before he has time to plan his next move.