Nuka Girl, Nuka'd World

Cowboy Blues

"I don't know how you survived this long, sleepin' that soundly."

Sunlight streamed through the torn curtains that were crudely strung up over the Fizztop windows opposite, and to the left of, the Overboss' bed. To the right was a screen which typically blocked most of the light which managed to get to that side of the bed; Vanessa's side. Her PipBoy alarm hadn't been switched on, so she was a little bemused when awaking that the sweet sounds of pre-war musicians hadn't been serenading her sleep deprived ears.

But this morning she didn't need to be awoken by sunlight, or a radio.

This morning she had Gage.

Vanessa's face contorted into a frown, as she searched the room with tired eyes. Her dreams had been... not so great, and this morning she woke up unsure of where she was. She raised her head a little, to see Gage with a somewhat amused expression on his face. He attempted to tuck a curl behind her ear, but failed, he'd forgotten how wild her morning bed-head could be. The cold visibly showing on her face thawed immediately, and she even smiled. He claimed he wasn't affectionate, or used to these kinds of things, but in her opinion, that said differently.

She raised a hand and tenderly rested it against his cheek, still partially unsure of whether this whole situation between them was real, or even permanent. And she was certain she saw a glimmer of a smile on his face, until his finger-tips slid along her shoulder and settled on the bruise on her arm (the little biology she remembered told her it was on the skin and muscle above her humerus). He looked like he wanted to say something, Gage was never good with words anyway, "it's fine," she murmured, "can barely feel it."

It was there alright. Purple as a melon blossom, and just as delicate. She knew she had something to help with that, but she was still on the fence about wildy pumping her body full of chems. "I forget how damn fragile you are, even the sun kills you," she frowned gently, "wrong, I am not fragile." He shook his head, and definitely smiled that time, "alrigh' Boss, what's the game plan for today?" Vanessa sat up and stretched, the blanket falling from her body, showing her bare back to the raider. "Well, Cowboy," she cleared her throat, and put on a terrible southern accent, "we're gonna head on down t'Dry Rock Gulch!" Gage winced, this American accent was way worse than her Nuka Girl voice. "Cowboy?" "You're my cowboy, and Dry Rock Gulch is the wild west town, come on, get dressed, I'll grab something for us to eat before we leave."

Gage silently watched as she grabbed a large shirt he assumed was Colter's, and pulled it on over her bare body, she then picked up her pack, pulled a small silk purse out, grabbed her rocketsuit from the floor and disappeared round the corner. He decided to stay where he was, it was damn comfortable, and even though he'd called her out for it, he hadn't slept that well in years. Him staying where he was turned out to be a bad idea though, as she poked her head around the corner about ten minutes later, a hairbrush hanging from her hair. "Porter, up, now." He scowled at her, and she pulled the brush from her hair and held it up, threateningly. "Alrigh', alrigh', ahm comin'."

He dragged himself out of the bed. He didn't know how she'd woken up so significantly from how she had been merely minutes ago, but he added it to the growing list of things he admired about her. He found himself another tank and pulled it on, before looking around the patio for the jeans he'd cast aside the night before. When he glanced at Vanessa again, she was brushing her teeth with a bottle of vodka. This was added to the growing list of things he had to be concerned about. His focus returned to looking for his pants.

By the time he was dressed, and had splashed some water on his face, Vanessa had made up two bowls of Blamco Brand Mac and Cheese and had tossed in some fried Rad Rat. Rad Rat was an animal she really hadn't wanted to eat, but Nuka World was lacking in tasty fauna. She felt bad about killing the Gazelles. Hey, gotta keep morals somewhere. He sat in front of her at the bar, watching as she sprinkled in some hot sauce, before pushing the bowl towards him. She picked up her own and leant against the back of the bar, smiling across at him. She took a bite and, "oh... Oh gosh," made a mental note not to eat Rad Rat again.