Stealth Boy and Girl

five

DEACON

Traveling with Whisper was a bit of a hazard. She never snuck and she liked to walk out in the open. It was a wonder that she still even had her head. But she was a great person. She helped out everyone. She wasn't selfish and she was painfully honest at times. I lied to her, but she caught on to it. She thought I was a synth, that being the first lie I told her. She actually believed it and she didn't read my 'recall code' for a good three days. When she did finally do it, she was pretty angry. My second lie didn't go over so well. She caught me in it and I couldn't help but laugh. She was pretty skeptical on my founding the Railroad.

She traveled all around. She did a lot of things to help people. We went on missions for the MInutemen and the Railroad. I noticed she kind of skirted around the issue of the Institute, but I didn't ask why. She was a woman of many things. She just needed to do things in her own time and I could respect that. Her son was taken by the Institute, and that's all I knew. But some people needed their secrets. I had my own dark secret, and I was considering telling Whisper. I trusted her now, and the whole deal with Babs has really been eating away at me.

I had thought about telling Vex too, but she was still so much of a blank for me. Sure, she was my apprentice, but there was just something different about her. I would have to figure her out before I told her anything. Her green eyes were always in my mind though, and I found I almost missed them. Those eyes that kept me guessing.

We were back at the HQ to pick some things up from Tom. Whisper decided we should stay for the night and she was asleep on one of the mattresses on the floor. I, on the other hand, found it difficult to go to sleep for some reason. I was awake, sitting at one of the chairs, drinking some purified water.

"You falling for her or something?" I nearly jumped at the soft voice I heard. I turned in my chair to see Vex walking to sit across from me. She wore a battered old trench coat and slacks, with her combat shotgun on her back. Her footsteps were almost silent and she walked with even more of an air of confidence than I remember. She seemed more calculated, more elegant as well. How long had I been gone? A month or two? It wasn't like I was ever away from the HQ for long. Whisper and I came back here on almost a weekly basis. This was the first time I had seen Vex since I left.

"I wouldn't say I'm falling for her." My voice was it's usual tone of amusement.

She raised an eyebrow as she sat, silently I might add. That was even the chair that had a squeaky spring in it. I specifically didn't sit in that one because it was noisy. "I've been watching you two traveling together. If I didn't know you better, I would think you have the hots for Whisper."

"She's just a friend. She's trustworthy." I took another drink of my water. "So you were spying? Are you jealous?" I thought I had seen her once or twice, but I wasn't sure if my paranoia was playing tricks on me. I was right to be suspicious. But Vex did one hell of a good job with the disguises.

She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. I was pleased when I heard the chair squeak. "Are you going to keep traveling with her?" Her voice was almost cold.

I chuckled. "Whisper is the boss. I'll leave when she tells me to. Besides, things are boring here."

The look on her face hurt. Her green eyes looked like they would let out tears. The look of sadness was gone in a split second though, and her cool complacency returned. "Traveling with me wouldn't be boring."

I shook my head. "Sure, but Whisper is more of a hot head. Keeps me on my toes."

She furrowed her dark brows and stood. "Fine. I'll stay out of your hair. I suppose I don't need you to teach me anything new, right?" Then she left as silently as she entered. I only heard the hinges of the door protest as she left.

I pulled my sunglasses off and rubbed my eyes. I already wanted to take back the things I had said. I did want to spend the rest of my time with Vex. I was fooling myself. I wasn't able to read her like a book, she was so much different than everyone else. I was on my toes with her. She didn't intimidate me. What intimidated me was what I felt. I was always great at reading people. Even before, when I was with those scumbags who hunted synths. Even after I left them. Until one day, I met Barbara. I couldn't see what she was thinking at all. It wasn't because she was a synth, but it was just because she was herself. She was so much more than anyone I had ever met.

Vex was so drastically different than my Babs, but she made me feel the same. That same thrill and wonder, the same on-my-toes feeling. I wanted so desperately to cling to the feeling, but I pushed it away. I didn't deserve to love someone again. I didn't even deserve to be in the Railroad.

I replaced my glasses and sat back up. Everyone was asleep other than a person typing away at a terminal and Des pouring herself over her table. I stood and left without any of them noticing. They had Vex now. I didn't need to be here in the first place. I should have never even joined them.

I wouldn't let them see me again.