But He Stopped Pt 2

Tears You Knew You'd Cry

The shock ran through me as she lowered her rifle, letting is dangle across her chest. Three big steps and she leapt off the rock cropping and onto the rad-scorpions back. Deliciously dirty thoughts made their way through my mind as she plunged her dagger into the back of the creature's head. It twitched spasmodically as she leapt from it's back.

"Jesus." I closed my eyes tight, clenching my hands.

"Oof!" A soft thud made me look up, and laugh.

"The fearless warrior taken out by a little snow." I grinned, holding out my hand.

She stood on her own, wiping herself off glaring at me. I withdrew my hand. Ever since the night at Sanctuary she had avoided touching me. I knew why, there was something electric between us. She had been right when she claimed we had a unique bond. It was one I'd like to make even more unique if she'd ever touch me again. She climbed back up on the rad-scorpion, its body no longer twitching. Steam poured out of her mouth as she exhaled, straddling the exoskeleton as she plunged her knife between the plates, cutting up the meat underneath. The plate popped off and rolled in the snow a few feet.

She raised her eyes to me. They were a deep brown, green just barely flecking them, hooded by short red lashes. She looked away almost immediately.

"Afraid of getting your hands dirty, Mayor?" She teased, popping another slab of meat onto the snow.

I snorted, rolling up my sleeves, "I've dressed up my fair share of game." I paused as I drove my own blade past the armored bug, "Never seen someone get a scorpion in just a couple blows like that before."

I worked quickly in the silence, stripping as much flesh as I could in seconds, ripping the exoskeleton off with my bare hands to save time. I cast a sideways glance at Rosie, shivering beneath her armor and leather. Her fingers were bright red and clumsy as they moved to the creatures tail and ripped out the poison sack.

"What you saving that for?"

"Stay in your own lane." She gruffed, blowing into her wet, cold fingers, "No, it's great for building with. And making chems."

"You make chems?" I knew I sounded incredulous. I didn't mean to. Part of what I admired about Rosie was her willingness to try anything once.

"Yes I do." She got a sly look on her face, turning to wink at me in her awkward way, "Jack of all trades you know. I do a bit of it all. Welding, carpentry, lock-picking, so on."

I watched as she carefully, gingerly wrapped the sack in an old wax lined cloth. Her fingers were white now. I strode over in a hurry, throwing my meat down on top of her pile and wrapping them up in a larger, similar wax coated cloth to avoid seepage. I watched from the edges of my vision as she shuddered, bracing herself before plunging her hands into the snow to clean them from bug blood and goo.

I stood, wiping my own hands off on my leather pants. "Ready?"

She was chewing on her lip again, the sore was vibrant red against her pale skin. She nodded, breathing deeply.

~*~*~

I ripped my dagger through the soft flesh of the mirelurks head before stomping on the hatchlings at my feet. My hands were thick with viscous liquid, my knife kept sliding out of my grip. The acid clung to my leathers, eating through my armor, burning my already scarred skin. I could only imagine how Rosie was feeling, blasting the demon with her rocket launcher right at the front lines.

A minute man was thrown against the fortress wall, the mirelurk digging at him with its claws and legs, consuming the tender flesh it ripped away. I spun on my heel, slipping in the wet dirt. I caught myself on a hand, springing into action. I grabbed the monster by the shell, yanking it away, leveling my shotgun. I emptied the chamber into its face. The man behind me moaned softly. I knew without seeing he was a goner. I braced myself, turning to see the damage, to reassure him. It was too lat.e The smell of his bowels releasing themselves wafted to my nose, his entrails poked through the fatty tissue exposed on his stomach. another spray of acid coated my backside. I grimaced knowing the pain would hit me soon.