MacCready's pov
"I don't know," Sara responded, pretending to be deep in thought. "Hadn't really noticed."
I groaned. "Oh, come on. You've got some skills, I'm sure you know talent when you see it."
She laughed. "I'm joking, MacCready. Of course I'm impressed."
"Wasn't that hard to admit, was it?" I smiled and looked down at my sniper. "Ever since I was 10, I always thought it was smarter to hit my targets at long range. Why take chances, right? Besides, I had to come up with every trick in the book to survive the Capital Wasteland."
We started walking again. "Gunfights at 10? That sounds kind of... dumb."
"It's not like I was alone. I lived underground in a place called Little Lamplight with a bunch of other kids, and left when I was about 16. That was our policy- no adults. I know it sounds crazy, but having adults around was something we couldn't trust."
"No, that makes sense."
"To some people it might sound ridiculous, but it kept the colony alive for a couple hundred years. Anyway, when I hit 16, I ended up wandering around the Wasteland for a while. Eventually I hitched a ride with a caravan and headed north until I ended up here.
I sighed. "And you know the rest; how joining the gunners was the biggest mistake of my life, and how much like animals they were. And that pretty much brings us to now."
"Sounds like the road can be a pretty lonely place- until you meet someone to share it with."
I felt my face start to heat up. "I, uh- I never really thought of it that way. Maybe that's why I feel comfortable telling you all this." I hesitated before saying something else. "Look, I know sometimes I can be a total pain in the ass- I mean, I know I can be arrogant and sometimes come off like I want to be alone. Nothing could be further from the truth; being alone scares the heck out of me."
"Same here," she responded, grabbing her left wrist with her right hand as we walked. "It's a nice change having someone I can trust."
"Yeah, I agree." I was about to say something else, but she spoke up.
"Actually, change of plans. There's something I need to do elsewhere."
"Alright, lead the way, boss."
~~~~~~~~~~
Sara's pov
"Hey, have you heard this one? It's about a super mutant who wondered why a rock kept getting bigger. Haha, then it hit him!"
"You're an idiot," I said as we approached a small field south of DB Tech. As we walked over the small hill that was all too familiar, I spotted the patch of soft dirt surrounded by fist-sized rocks.
I picked a hubflower from the bush it was going on and held it between two fingers, lightly smelling it's surprisingly sweet aroma. We came to a stop behind the large rock at the head of the patch.
My dad's grave.
I placed the hubflower at the head of the makeshift grave, being careful not to step on the part inside the rocks. I let out a shaky sigh. MacCready was silent.
"Hey... dad," I stuttered out, the words barely escaping my throat. "I know I p- promised you I'd visit you more often. Sorry I haven't been here as much as I'd like to. I- I miss you, dad. I'm sorry you had to leave like this. I love you."
MacCready picked another hubflower and gently placed it on the grave head. Without looking up from the grave, he said, "God, boss, I'm sorry. Look, if you wanna get out of here..."
"Thank you," I breathed quietly, turning around and starting to walk back over the hill.
He trudged behind me slowly, almost making no noise. I was lost in my thoughts until I felt him place his warm duster over my shoulders. I looked at him, confused, as my cheeks turned a rosy red.
"It's... it's cold out. You need it more than I do."
I smiled, looking down. "Thanks. Again." I looked up at the sun, it's last rays fading as dark skies and stars took it's place. A cold gust of wind blew by, blowing a bit of dirt at me and MacCready. I used one hand to cover my eyes and the other to hold the duster in it's place on my shoulders.
MacCready took out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one up with his lighter and sticking the half-empty pack back into his pocket. One hand held the cigarette, and the other was tucked away in the pocket opposite of the one holding the pack.
I shivered a little, pulling the duster so it was keeping me even warmer, then smiled to myself, feeling my face turn even redder.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, MacCready's pov
I woke up early, before the sun was up.
I pressed the back of my hand to my forehead, staring up at the ceiling blankly.
Just ask her, MacCready. It's not that hard. You can't do it on your own.
I groaned and sat up, then swung my feet over the side of the bed and stood up. I looked in the chipped mirror briefly, noticing how long my hair had gotten, and how long it had been since I'd shaved. I rolled my eyes as I turned around, walking towards the doorway. I used my right hand to swing around into the hallway.
I walked quietly down the hallway, trying to make as little noise as possible so I wouldn't wake Sara up. I turned into the kitchen to see Sara sitting awake at the table.
"Sara? What are you doing awake?"
"I could ask you the same question." She rested her head on the knuckles of a closed fist, leaning gently on the table.
"It's like, five in the morning- did you even sleep?"
She hesitated before speaking quietly, "So what if I didn't?" I groaned, to which she responded, "Everyone's done it, MacCready."
"I know, but- nevermind."
She looked up at me, then looked down, using her free hand to trace the lines in the wood of her table.
I opened my mouth to ask her, then closed it, unable to form any words.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice small and sweet.
My face flustered. "Uh, I-" I choked.
"Is something wrong?"
"Yes. I mean, no. I mean- I need your help, Sara."
