#elder maxson headcanons

[fallout-drabbles-n-stuff]

I have this little headcanon that Elder Maxson, being the big secret nerd he is, likes to make little poems about his loved one. Problem is, he began writing them long before their relationship became official. If his precious future Sentinel Maxson were to ever find those old pieces of work..well let’s just say it’ll be right up there in embarrassment as when he shot Sarah on accident.

[ainthatakickinthehead]

curious.. what are some of your fallout 4 character hc’s? (silly, sad, funny, etc.)

[everydayyoulovemeless]

Hello!

I always wondered honestly how FO4 faction leaders (and maybe some companions that also belong to sayd faction, like Danse) whould react finding out the Sole Survivor is with the Enclave? (Maybe via a tattoo they have or dogtag)

Im guessing most whould be very unhappy and instantly accuse them of being a spy.

I'm interested what you think, since for fo4 the only Enclave option you really have is the Enclave rising mod but companions don't comment on it of corse.

Fo4 Factions React To Sole Being With The Enclave

➼ Word Count » 1.7k ➼ Warnings » None ➼ Genre » Platonic/Romantic, Angst? ➼ A/N » This is such an interesting idea! Also, I hope you don’t mind but, I added a few more faction characters 🤭

Preston was horrified when he found out. There have been a few stories from settlers migrating from the Capital Wasteland, but he never imagined that you, of all people, would be with them. The entire idea of 'cleansing the land' is precisely what the Minutemen are trying to fight against. He feels as if you've just been using him this entire time for your own personal gain. Why else would you agree to be general if you didn't believe in their cause? Did you ever think they'd be able to make a change? Or were you just playing along for the fun of it? It's an understatement to say he's angry, though, more at himself than you. Out of everyone he could've stumbled upon to make into the Minutemen's new leader, you're who it was. And he was the one who supported you. Preston's won't be in the mood for compromising, he'll just turn you away. Similar to how he does when you side with the Nuka-World raiders. He's over it. He'll start over - find someone new, and you can go back and do whatever it is that you do. He's disgusted with himself for sticking with you for so long, but also because of how he can't bring himself to kill you. He just wishes you didn't try so hard to be friends with him. Then your betrayal wouldn't hurt him so badly.

Sturges noticed the Enclave marking early on but didn't know what it symbolized and never mentioned it. It wasn't until he overheard your argument with Preston that he decided to approach you about it. He stopped you while you were leaving Sanctuary and softly asked what happened between you and Preston. A part of him hoped he could mend your relationship with him, even if he knew it was far past that point. He cares for the both of you. The Minutemen were the best thing to ever happen to him, and he'd be damned if he let it break apart without trying to fix anything. That's what he's known for, isn't it? Fixing things? Even after he talks to you, he's still not sure what the Enclave is. All he knows is that he desperately wants both you and Preston to come to an agreement. He feels like a kid in the middle of a messy divorce and it stresses him out.

Any tough exterior that Elder Maxson puts up is immediately shattered when he sees that painfully familiar mark. He's seen firsthand what they've done to the world - what they're capable of, and he refuses to condone that behavior, especially when it comes to a supposed member of his cause. He'll stare you down with both a mix of fear and anger for stepping aboard the Prydwen. Who do you think you are? Surely, your joining the Brotherhood wasn't an accident, and he's not willing to wait and find out what your purpose for infiltrating them is. You're off the ship. No discussion necessary. He refuses to fight alongside anyone of your stature, and if he ever sees you again, he won't hesitate in ordering your death. The Commonwealth won't be a repeat of the Capital Wasteland. He'll make sure of it.

Danse doesn't have many memories of the Enclave, but if it evoked a reaction like that out of Elder Maxson, then he's sure you can't be anyone good. The decision on what should happen to you is out of his control, but whatever is decided, he'll stick with and enforce. His loyalty to the Brotherhood outweighs his relationship with you. Even if you were considerably close to him, he'd still be firm in his stance. You either need to leave for another state or be exterminated. Heartbroken as he might be, this isn't the first time he's had to do something he found hard for the betterment of the Brotherhood. He was close to Cutler, and look where he is. Danse doesn't sympathize with enemies, and you're no exception.

Haylen might not have been a scribe during the Brotherhood-Enclave War, but she still remembers those moments vividly. It was concerning as a civilian, and she can't even imagine what it felt like for those who were on duty. Despite the threat you could be to the Brotherhood, she feels conflicted about completely dismissing you. You've done a lot to support their cause and, to her, that means something, no matter if you've got an Enclave marking or not. Whatever Maxson decides is what he decides, but know that if you ever happened to be in the same area, she'd gladly bring you a bit of supplies.

Desdemona notices it, and would've turned you away when you first discovered the Railroad if it weren't for Deacon vouching for you. She's suspicious of you from day 1 and nothing ever changes about that. Even if you helped them out from start to finish she'd be suspicious. The Enclave is a massive and very dangerous organization that the Railroad does not support in any capacity. The fascism alone makes her feel critically toward you and you'll have spies observing your every move until she decides that she finally trusts you, which probably won't happen until you show you've fully quit working with them altogether.

Deacon’s aware of who you're affiliated with early on, but he hopes his shpeal about looking at what the organizations are doing rather than what they're telling you will change your mind. He really likes you and thinks that you'd be a great asset to the Railroad, especially since you've had military training at some point from being with the Enclave. Maybe it's idealistic of him, but he's really hoping that he can get you to change sides. He knows what it's like to have a past you're not proud of, and he genuinely believes he can get through to you and convince you to quit the Enclave at some point. Even if no one else in the Railroad agrees with him on that. There's just something about you that he's always been drawn to, and he doesn't want to give up on you so fast.

Tinker Tom's with Dez on this. He doesn't trust you either and would build you a gun just so he can track where you go. Every time you come near him, his eyes go wide with fear and his shoulders tense up. You don't know it, but he's got a pocket knife on him that he's itching to use the second you do something to fast. The only thing that'd make him feel a little better about having you around is if you agree to be injected with his battery acid. It'll make him calm down a little bit, but he still won't exactly like having you around so often. You're just not one of them. The Enclave and the Railroad both have complete opposite goals and it's hypocritical for you to argue you're loyal to both.

Glory might actually start firing on you if you even slightly raise you're voice at anyone in HQ. She's with everyone else in that she doesn't think you're someone who can be relied on and she does everything she can to get that across to you. In fact, if you do anything she deems suspicious or possibly traitorous, she'll attempt to assassinate you on your next outing. You're going to have to prove a lot to her, and many other Railroad members that you're not going to sell them out the second the opportunity arises. She's rude to you, sure, but you've got to understand that this is her family she's trying to protect, and you being there is a threat in it of itself.

Father doesn’t care as much as he probably should. He doesn’t see the Enclave, or any group for that matter, as a threat. At most, they’re just a nuisance that might slow down the Institute, but it’s something that’s easy to fix. He's a bit cocky in that way. Unless your relationship with the faction interferes with any of the Institute's plans, he won’t pay much mind to it. Just keep them in DC, won’t you? There's enough organizations to deal with in the Commonwealth as it is, no point in adding another.

X6-88 doesn't like it, and he's very vocal about wanting you to quit, but it's ultimately your decision. In his mind, the Institute is the only faction you should be focused on, especially if you're planning on being the leader, so quitting the Enclave would be in your best interest. He also has a cocky outlook concerning the Enclave and fully believes that, if anything were to occur, the Institute would be able to defuse it instantly. Despite his disagreement with who you're affiliated with, he'll still follow you. You're still his boss, and until you give him a reason to suspect that you're not as committed to the cause as you claim, it's none of his business who you decide to work with.

Dr Li is on edge the moment that you’re introduced. She can’t help but think back on everything the Enclave's done to the world - done to her. She does her best to hide her face from you, and whenever she has to talk to you, she's noticeably more nervous and tense. All she can think about is the assassination of James and the abduction of the Lone Wanderer. She's never trusted them and doesn't intend on doing it now. She's fully convinced that part of why you're here is to finish the job in exterminating her. She doesn't believe for a second that you'll do the Institute right and will leave to rejoin the Brotherhood if you happen to stay. It stresses her out that none of the other scientists seem to feel as concerned as she is with the thought of you being in the heart of their bunker. No amount of pleading will get anyone else to agree with her about being suspicious and that makes her incredibly fearful.

[callmewisteria]

when i first read Maxson's terminal entries in the Citadel when he was ten, and saw he had written "yesterday, Sarah taught me how to kill a man by stabbing him in the kidneys...i think i'm in love," my first thought was —

Dr. Li has strong opinions on the Brotherhood and reasonably so considering what they've done to her over the years. What would she think of that?

and that was when i realised she'd probably (sarcastically) tell Elder Lyons "what a wholesome and appropriate way to raise a child"

[willinglyghoulified]

Danse only has one arm in my HC/FF due to a fight involving Maxson and a gauss rifle. He is still a very strong, capable man, but he suffers from self-doubt often and finds solace in my SS telling him that he isn't useless and giving him jobs to do for the Minutemen involving his invaluable military knowledge. After meeting Curie, she helps him with the rest of his physical therapy and makes a full recovery. Fun fact: Danse now knows how to fly a Vertibird one-handed.

[danseinthefallout]

You asked for it, and I am here to deliver. Danse is pretty big-boned and stout and wide, and I am a big believer in proportions, so I think his cock is maybe average length but pretty thick, probably about 5 in in circumference (~1+3/4in wide) at the widest point, with a tapered but still pretty wide tip. I think having sex with Danse feels like being turned inside out by that one Turkish guy I fucked once upon a time. You're welcome.

(This is @dono-harm-totonystark btw. I'm just sending it on anon so you have to post this)

PS. Do I have a headcanon or two about every companions' cock? Yes, absolutely.

my live reaction;

FINALLY SOME DANSE COCK DISCOURSE! Also, I love the personal antidote about the Turkish guy you fucked... once upon a time, of course.

And please send all your cock head cannons. It's much appreciated here. 😏

(everyone say thank you to @dono-harm-totnystark for finally answering the question in my bio)

[hrefna-the-raven]

Fallout masterlist

Link to main masterlist

Feel free to reblog if you enjoyed the story :)

Deacon x sole survivor

Bona Fides

a few drabbles about Deacon and his desperate attempt to hide his growing love for you

Part 1

Robert MacCready x Sole survivor

Heart for hire

It has been some time ago since MacCready and you found each other when you first stepped into the Third Rail. On the same day, after a year, you met again, same spot, same time to cherish in the memory of your first encounter.

Part 1

Elder Arthur Maxson x Knight reader

Heart of Steel

You are a former soldier before the Great War, frozen in the vault only to wake in a world you didn't recognise anymore with your husband killed and your son kidnapped. You stumble through the Commonwealth, having searched far and wide with Detective Valentine for your son until you stumble upon Paladin Danse at the Police station. His Brotherhood wakens your desire to belong somewhere again and so you join them, but upon meeting Elder Maxson you weren't sure anymore if it really was the right decision....

Chapter 1 - Welcome to the Brotherhood of Steel

Chapter 2 - Tour of Duty

Chapter 3 - Show no mercy

Chapter 4 - Something's gotta give (18+)

Chapter 5 - Don't let me be misunderstood

Chapter 6 - Dream a little dream

Chapter 7 - Dangerous minds

Chapter 8 - Why do fools fall in love?

Chapter 9 - The morning-after-date (18+)

Chapter 10 - Institutionalized

Chapter 11 - Blind Betrayal

Chapter 12 - A flame in your heart

Chapter 13 (final chapter) - A new dawn

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maxson as Sole Survivor playthrough:

Screenshots

Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x reader

The hunt

You were sent to retrieve a precious item, but so was the most notorious bounty hunter in the Wasteland...

(set before he ends up in that grave)

Chapter 1 - The plan

Chapter 2 - The bounty

Chapter 3 - The spoils (18+)

Chapter 4 - The betrayal

Porter Gage x female sole survivor

The dress (18+)

(Marcosito) Cito x sole survivor

Headcanons - Falling in love

Mason x reader

Favourite

[stoat-party]

Canon/Headcanon ages for Fallout characters (potential spoilers)

I’m standardizing the ages to 2281, which is when New Vegas begins. (Fallout 3 is 2277 and 4 is 2287 but I haven’t played it yet). These are kind of estimations because obviously everyone doesn’t have the same birthday.

ED-E: 6. Literal toddler. Darling infant child baby.

Dogmeat (from Fallout 3): 12. (Not canon.) It’s on the elderly side for his breed (fanon pretty much agrees he’s a blue heeler), but I choose to believe that Fallout dogs have mutated to live longer. My version of Dogmeat either got too old or took too many hits by this point, so he’s retired to become Three Dog’s co-host.

Arthur Maxson: 14. I think it’s also canon that he became elder at 16, which I adore. Boy is way too young to look like that.

R.J. MacCready: 16. Mungo 😔

Follows-Chalk: 19. (Not canon.) Honestly, I’d be surprised if he weren’t a teenager. He’s very much finding himself and choosing who he wants to be, which you can still do at any age, but it’s a hallmark of your teen years. And he’s adorable.

Amata Almodovar: 23. (Pretty much canon.) Younger than the Lone Wanderer because she has no Pip-Boy when LW turns 10. Can’t be too many months apart, though, because they go to play with her when they’re 12 months.

Lone Wanderer: 23. They were born on July 13 and left the Vault at 19.

(my) Courier Six: Also 23. (Not canon.) I like having them be the same age. In terms of canon information, all we know is that they were well-established as a courier in 2277, so they probably wouldn’t be younger than about 21. It’s implied in one Lady Killer dialogue that they’re at least 36 (apparently had some sort of fling in Montana 18 years ago), but the dialogue is optional, so you can have them be whatever age you want.

Butch DeLoria: 24. (Not canon.) IDK where I got the idea that he’s a year older than the Lone Wanderer, because the only canon evidence I can find is that he already had his Pip-Boy at their 10th birthday, but I like it. Either he got held back a year, or Vault 101 combines classrooms due to low population.

Craig Boone: 26. Let the man be young pls.

Veronica Santangelo: 27. Older than she seems IMO.

Sarah Lyons: 27-28. Would be 30 if she were still alive.

Christine Royce: 28. (Not canon.) Because if you grew up with someone, I feel like it would be weird to date them if there had been a substantial age gap.

Nova: 29. A successful innkeeper living life and not being exploited, bless.

Charon: 30. (Extremely not canon.) I feel like most people would cast him as way older than that, but I’ve written his whole backstory and it requires him to not have been hanging out in Underworld for the past century. There’s no concrete information on this, so go wild.

Waking Cloud: 32. (Not canon.) Her third child is six, but she still seems pretty young. I imagine marriage age is a little lower in the tribes.

Vulpes Inculta: 34-38. (Canon is a passing shadow at this point.) Try as I might, I can’t figure out why people place the destruction of the Twisted Hairs as happening 25 years prior. Not only would Vulpes have to have been an adult then, he was a decanus before that. Which would put him in his fifties. He’s described in canon as a young man, though, and I’m also attached to this interpretation of him. It’s a mess, and I’m going with my gut.

Arcade Gannon: 35. Probably on the tail end of 35 since he says he’s in his late thirties. Happy birthday, Arcade, your prize is bandaging me up on our stupid adventures.

Daniel: 36. (Not canon.) In my timeline, he’s Joshua’s nephew, and he was a toddler when Josh left. I know that’s completely unsupported by canon, but I wanted to add personal drama to their ideological drama.

Rose of Sharon Cassidy: 37. Which makes sense because her father was in Fallout 2.

Benny: 40. (Not canon.) I’m a Benny-in-his-forties truther. He’s led the tribe for seven years, and he really doesn’t strike me as young. It’s also just funny that cosplay is his literal whole personality when he’s edging into middle age.

Lucius: 43. (Not canon.) Appears to be graying, still quite capable in a very physical job. He’s considered old in the Legion, but since it’s a young nation, most men are taken from their tribes as children, and death comes early and violent, I think old is a relative term. Caesar purposefully isolates men from their families so they’ll focus any filial loyalty on him, so I feel like he must be significantly younger than Caesar.

Ulysses: 47-50. (Not canon.) I’m even comfortable with casting him a little older. He exudes knowledge and experience with everything he does. He seems to have been an adult when he entered the Legion — which, as discussed, gets placed 25 years ago but IDK why.

Gob: 51. (Not canon.) Acts very young (could just be learned helplessness), so I’ve got his age frozen at like 20. He’d been a slave for fifteen years as of 2277, so I gave him about 12 years of being happy in Underworld with Carol.

James: 51-52, depending when you got around to the main storyline. He would be 55, but… yeah.

Joshua Graham: 54. (Not canon.) He says he was “young” 35 years ago when the Legion began. 19 is the standard age for Mormon men to go on their mission trips, and it’s also an important age in my version of the Fallout universe (i.e. the age I ruin my characters’ lives). I also like the idea of Joshua being a little younger and more sheltered than Edward, it makes his path to darkness more interesting.

Edward Sallow: 55. Again, this guy was my little brother’s age when one day he just decided to take over the world.

Star Paladin Cross: 60. (Not canon.) She’s a cyborg, so I think her cybernetics kept her in fighting shape a little longer.

Lily Bowen: 203. They turned her into a nightkin at 75! :((((((

Rex: 209. Ultimate immortal doggie.

Fawkes: 227. (Not canon.) I’m basing this on the cut Sheldon Delacroix logs, which would imply he moved into Vault 87 as a married adult.

Carol: 230. There’s some debate on this because she claims to have been a little girl when the bombs fell, but from her perspective I imagine everyone is a little child.

(my) Sole Survivor: 233. (Not canon.) Nora is a lawyer, and most American lawyers are 25 or older when they pass the bar. She also probably didn’t get married or have a child during law school (if she did… queen), so she’d have to be at least 26 or 27 during the prologue. I have her at 29 to make her the same age as my other two protagonists. Besties!

Raul Tejada: 234. By his dialogue, I had assumed he was a teenager during the Great War, but it turns out he was about 30. Multigenerational households FTW. Which probably means his age is frozen somewhere in his thirties and he’s not actually elderly. (Not that ghoul lore is actually consistent. Also, I’m not going to be the one to tell him it’s all in his head.)

Robert House: 261. Bro was born in 2020. Why, why would you do that to yourself?

Some of these are completely unsubstantiated so feel free to correct me or give your own opinion. I’ll probably edit if I think of more.

[maccreadysbaby]

Fem!Sole and Deacon Best Friends Headcanons

deacon immediately hopped right on board when Sole first walked into the Railroad HQ

he’d been watching and to be honest, he just liked her

she was exactly like him in so many ways, he didn’t even know it was possible

they clicked like puzzle pieces

they do every mission together

desdemona even started telling them incorrect time frames for missions because she knows they’re going to take 3x longer from laughing the whole walk

supreme sniper rifle / shotgun duo

seriously, she will charge and shoot for the face, and the whole time sniper rounds are flying over her shoulders from the shadows

sole often knows when he’s lying and she’ll add things to it like “oh yeah I remember that, it was right before I killed elder maxson and taped him to the moon” or “yeah, I was there. you were totally hot when you were younger, by the way”

it doesn’t take very long for deacon to get strangely comfortable around her

they like to go to diamond city and walk right past people and say bizarre things with straight faces just for the stranger’s reactions

“yeah, my dads decapitation went well, he just doesn’t know what kind of head he wants yet: deathclaw or yao gui”

”no, no, no, you don’t put a leash on a feral to walk it, you have to use a muzzle! like for a bad dog! you should know this by now!”

they have taken on so many different identities for missions that they basically don’t know who they are anymore

they slowly become more and more of why the other looks forward to the day ahead

once deacon did a prank on sole to make them think he was dying, and it worked so well that sole became a gigantic mess and it really shocked him to know that she cared that much

they quote shakespeare and old literature together and suddenly everyone in the room thinks they’re distinguished and cultured but really they’d only seen it once in the library

they have a particular fondness for quoting hamlet when desdemona asks them to do something for her

they end up bonding over their dead spouses

deacon gets really antsy when sole goes anywhere without him

their sleep schedules are so messed up that they will spontaneously disappear and other people in the settlement will find them clonked out somewhere

they become two peas in a pod

the peanut butter to the others jelly

the spider to their web

and they would literally die for one another, and even though deacon is closed off when it comes to his past, sole gets to know all of it because they deserve jt

(oh yeah, and he totally falls for them)

[libertybri]

MASTERLIST #2

Started: 6/9/2024

Updated: 6/9/2024

Total Works: 1

Author’s Pick: 🌟

Fallout 4

preferences

one shots

ELDER MAXSON X GN!SOLE, “calm before the storm” (x)

filthy smut

blurbs / drabbles

headcanons

Fallout 3

preferences

one shots

filthy smut

blurbs / drabbles

headcanons

Fallout: New Vegas

preferences

one shots

filthy smut

blurbs / drabbles

headcanons

[fallout-drabbles-n-stuff]

I would absolutely LOVE to hear any headcanons or reactions on Maxson × Female Sole as a happy married couple. Maybe this one will challenge you so I'm super curious on your take!

Ps, you're still the best of the best at these! 🥰

(This genuinely made me smile, thank you so much!)

• Although it would be pretty easy to tell early on in a dating relationship with Maxson, the business between both of your duties can be a little bit of a struggle. There will be quite a few nights going to bed alone, quiet dinners doing paperwork..the whole works but him being a romantic deep down, he makes sure to make it up in small gestures as well as big.

•It might be a bit cheesy but he smiles every time your name comes up in a file or he overhears another soldier addressing you as “sentinel Maxson”.

•Very sentimental in the way that he preserves little things from your wedding ceremony- pictures, holotapes of congratulatory speeches and even pressed aster flowers from the bouquet you insisted on having.

•So long as you are able/wanting to, he can NOT wait to get a head start on extending the family line. If I’m being perfectly honest, he’ll commence this process by first adopting a kitten and considering it your little shared bundle of fur. Consider it practice for the real thing 😉

•Definitely more nervous about marriage than he lets on but wants nothing more than it. Once he made that connection with you, his peace with being a lone Maxson vanished.

•Lots and lots of late night talks about anything and everything, sometime you might wanna hold a pillow over his head it gets so bad. Seriously though, you are his best friend, spouse, and council all rolled into one. Any important decision he makes from here on out must be considered and hopefully approved by YOU.

[fusionnukacola]

👻 🏷 🎁

👻 What is your wildest headcanon?

hmm, honestly I have no clue. Maybe the fact that I think Boone would like Starbucks Pink Drinks.

🏷 Is there a tag you like to search for when looking for fanfics to read?

Angst! Hurt No Comfort! Sad Ending! Major Character Death! I like crying

🎁 Have a piece of a WIP you want to share?

Absolutely. This is from my Fo4 Sole Survivor, Adriene Carmine.

[But Maxson… Arthur Maxson was too stuck in his ways.

Adriene had known their predecessor, Roger Maxson. He was a good man. He never would’ve wanted the Brotherhood to turn into a symbol of racism, of hate. The current Elder, on the other hands, shared almost no similarities to him. His views, his goals. 

It was times like this when she wished for her old world. But then she never would’ve met some of the better people, like Haylen and Preston, Nick and Piper, and God, Danse.

Paladin Danse.]

Thank you!

[profligate-whore]

HCs about Arthur Maxson?

TW: Mentions SA

Arthur Maxson Headcanons

He tries his best to interact with the brotherhood soldiers, often eating lunch in the mess hall with them. However, he is strictly professional, he will not engage in conversation outside the topic of the brotherhood and their work.

He didn't get his scar from a deathclaw fight, it was actually something really pathetic and embarrassing and he just tells everyone he fought a deathclaw to not seem weak.

He cares for the civilians in his own fucked up way, but he is not tolerant of anyone that doesn't have his same beliefs. He won't hesitate to wipe out those he deems as scum.

Outside of the brotherhood he is a surprisingly good man. He's caring and tries to be romantic to you

He likes writing and is working on his own novel

In one of my fanfictions, Elder Maxson was portrayed as a total asshole. He sexually harassed a knight to sleep with him in order for them to 'earn' the rank of paladin

He's the type of man that would build you a house with his bare hands

He has some older beliefs, such as men being superior than women, but he also thinks everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses

I really want to see a redemption arc for Maxson. Maybe he starts viewing ghouls and synths as actual people with feelings. It'd obviously take a miracle, but maybe later on in the story, after he falls in love with you, he finds out you're a synth. At first he's angry but he slowly accepts it and realized how human you actually are, more human than most. Or maybe you're exposed to lots of radiation, and despite his desperate attempts at giving you bottles and bottles of Rad-X you slowly turn into a ghoul. Non-feral though. He slowly accepts that you're appearance is changed but you're still the love of his life.

I imagine he really wants a big scary looking dog, like a pitbull or a doberman. But when he finally gets one of these 'aggressive'' dog breeds they're actually just a big baby that thinks they're a lap dog.

He's big on alcohol. He's always on the look out for expensive and rare alcoholic beverages.

He first confessed his love to you after you returned from the institute. He admits he was terrified the teleportation would mess up and kill you and he's beyond happy to see you in one piece.

He's jealous of your relationship with Danse, you guys are too close and he can't help but to believe it's more than friendship

[radreactions]

Companions favorite prewar item

Ada - old texbooks on literally anything mechanics, technology or otherwise science-y related. The amount of times Curie has busted her raiding her private library...

Cait - boots. The kind built for curb stomping a guy's head all the while feeling the comfort of baby seal leather boots. Do not, I repeat, do NOT let her catch you wearing thongs/flip flops. Deacon found out the hard way that the slapping sound reeeally gets on her nerves.

Curie - Prewar dresses, mostly the kind with pretty floral patterns and the poofy skirts. Whenever she's in one, her smile lights up every room she enters.

Danse - military holotapes from before the war. He has always been fascinated by the tactics used and the question of what, if anything, could have changed the outcome of the great war.

Deacon - you know those yellow chicken toys with the squeakers in their bellies that scream AAAAAEEEEERRRPPPP when pressed? Yeah. That!

Dogmeat - AAAAAAEEEEERRRRRRPPPPP *happy barking*

Gage - he's actually pretty fond of the idea of cars. Walking everywhere gets damn tiring, especially when he's forced to trek across the damn desert, sweatin' from every crack and crevice imaginable. Sole has lost count of the times he has tried to bribe them into fixing one up for him.

Hancock - chems of course! Nothing beats an aged to perfection, 200 year old dose of pure, unadulterated happiness.

MacCready - comic books! Preferably Grognak, but the Unstoppables and Silver Shroud are also close to his heart.

Maxson - cigars, both for smoking and for collecting. The rarer the better, but don't make the mistake of giving him San Francisco Sunlights.

Nick Valentine - Jenny. Always, always her. Or at least, his memories of her.

Old Longfellow - dogs, for sure. You just can't beat a non-horribly irradiated furry little best friend who is always happy to see you.

Piper Wright - candy. Hands down, full stop, no thinking necessary, nuh uh. In fact, it's worth asking what kind of pre war candy she doesn't like. Nat will be the first to say she hasn't found a single one - the day that happens is likely to be the day Brahmin fly.

Preston Garvey - Old Western movies that Sole has managed to scavange and hook up to the drive in theatre's projector. He enjoys feeling the small glimpse of what could have been his childhood if things had've worked out just a bit different for the world.

Strong - he hates most things from before the war, but you can't go wrong with the way they used to cook meat. In fact, it's Sole's most redeeming quality!

X6-88 - strangely enough, alcohol. Not to drink, but he likes the aesthetic of having pristine, still full alcohol bottles on display in his home. One of each type, but he knows to keep some spare since some have suspiciously gone missing.

[amazinglyegg]

Fallout 4 Companions Injuries and Scars Headcanons

(TW for mentions of self harm and emotional abuse/neglect)

Cait

She has a lot of very old scars from her childhood and teen years

Most of them are generally unrecognizable, just very faint patches of warped or lighter skin

Gets a lot of injuries when fighting melee, endless amounts of bruised knuckles and black eyes

A big part of it is self harm via getting injured in ways she could have avoided and refusing proper medical help in favor of her own techniques (AKA pouring alcohol on cuts and wrapping injuries with a dirty cloth)

She feels like having visible injuries is proof that her pain (physical or emotional) is "valid" in a way

She actually gets antsy when her wounds are covered with bandages or she has to use things like scar cream that will heal things faster and leave smaller scars

Curie

She's very clumsy and gets minor injuries a LOT

Bruises on her legs from running into things, scrapes on her arms from falling into bushes or hitting her hand against a wall while gesturing

I think popular consensus is that she has a low pain tolerance but I'd like to imagine her with a high one

She'll do things like hold a too-hot cup or bite her lips until she bleeds without even noticing she's hurt

She has a few scars on her body that are from the synth before her

She likes looking at them and trying to guess where they came from

Codsworth

He's a bit self conscious when it comes to his looks

He obviously doesn't have scars, but all the scratches and dents on his body makes him feel like a piece of discarded metal

He tries hard to take care of his own looks but some rust can just never come out

He feels more comfortable when Sole points out that they're just as scarred as him, and it makes him fit in more with the wasteland

Eventually he'll worry less about his own flaws, especially once he gets to know a trustworthy mechanic for when he gets seriously hurt

Danse

He spent his adolescence scavenging in the wasteland and his adulthood playing martyr for the Brotherhood, of course he's scarred

Technically he wouldn't have scars from his childhood, but he got a fair share hanging out in Rivet City with Cutler

Kinda fucked up thought: would the Railroad scar the synths that are getting mind wipes so they fit in?

Or maybe they choose the synths backstory based on how many scars they got from escaping the Institute

Danse got injured in the Institute (maybe he's a courser?) and/or got in some close calls with the Railroad

Add or minus some with reconstructive surgery and they gave Danse a dangerous past of scavenging for survival so all the gunshot/knife/burn scars make sense

He tends to ignore pain but takes caring for his injuries very seriously

It's a "you can only help others once you help yourself" type of thing, he needs to stay healthy and fit to be able to do his work as a paladin properly

Deacon

The idea of Deacon hiding a noticable scar behind his sunglasses is cool

Maybe a scar on the bridge of his nose or near his eyebrow where he got gun bashed by a UP Deathclaw

Other than that tries to limit his scars into "normal" territory

Gunshot here and there, maybe a few scratches

He'll use makeup to make any ones too noticable look smaller and has even hurt himself further in the past to change the look of a wound to something more normal

Like he was tortured and had a symbol or letter(s) carved into him and afterwards he mutilated it to look like a ghoul swipe/big burn scar/etc

His face is scarred from his face changes but generally it's very hard to see, he'll use scar cream and cover any noticable ones with makeup

Face changes can also hide any noticable scars he gets on his face

Tends to smile/grimace when he's in pain most of the time, laughs a lot out of nervousness when someone tries to help him

If he's in a ton of pain (and adrenaline isn't doing anything to help) he'll go quiet, but if he's around someone he really trusts he'll let himself curse

Hancock

He actually lives a pretty safe lifestyle, surprisingly

Nobody dares fuck with him in Goodneighbor and he always gets free healthcare and plenty of chems for even the smallest injuries

I don't like to think his skin hurts when touched because that'd be sad, I'm leaning more towards it being rough and made out of mostly scar tissue

Got plenty of scars from his childhood and doesn't mind fighting and getting hurt now, but it all tends to blend in with his skin

He has a very high pain tolerance and usually doesn't react to most things unless they're relatively serious

Tends to get curious when it comes to injuries, will show off a nasty wound to Fahrenheit like a kid showing off a squished worm

"Look, my pee's red!" "Hancock holy shit go to a doctor"

Longfellow

I like to think he has a lot of scars on his hands

From working with hooks and idk fish biting him?

Fishing's probably a lot more dangerous now in days

*accidentally fishes up a mirelurk* oops

He's old so he's been in a bunch of fights

Although now in days he can't even get into a barfight, people like him too much and will just send him to bed like the old man he is

Acts all tough when he gets shot or something but will do the Dad Groan and complain about his back whenever he gets out of his chair

Maccready

I imagine him to have fairly calloused hands and probably knees and elbows too from being a sniper

His life as a gunner was rough and he was often treated carelessly, so a lot of noticable gun shot or stab wounds that didn't get medical attention immediately

Once he started working for himself he took better care of himself

He doesn't necessarily fret over himself but he'll get into a lot fewer fights and mostly focus on staying in the shadows and out of trouble

He has a high pain tolerance but around someone he's comfortable with he WILL whine and complain the entire time

He can get shot or stabbed without a care in the world but if a bee stings him He Will Not Shut Up

Nick

On one hand, we can use our basic biology knowledge to know that metal is not made out of cells and thus cannot reproduce to create scar tissue, and this is proven by Nick's bare hand and face gash

On the other hand, this is a sci-fi game with teleportation so fuck biology

Nick can be healed with stimpacks, and given the Institutes interest in cells and using FEV to mutate them, it'd be an interesting idea that Nick can heal similar to a human

Maybe not as effectively, and maybe it only works for his outer layer of skin and does nothing for wires or metal

Obviously stimpacks aren't miracle machines and won't fix an entire hand just being gone but smaller scrapes (especially ones that don't pierce all the way through his flesh) can be healed with stimpacks

He has a pretty normal if not a bit low of a pain tolerance, but he's good at pushing through and acting tough

He feels like since he can't really bleed out that he isn't as worthy of being in pain, so he tends to go quiet when he's hurt

(Fic rec 1) and (fic rec 2) btw I love these

Piper

She's probably got fewer injuries than the average wastelander, given her comfortable life in Diamond City, and being taken good care of by her father before her and Nat moved

Her and Nat take care of each other when it comes to this sort of thing, she makes sure Nat is taken care of and Nat makes sure she takes care of herself

Nat always comes first, naturally, but Piper doesn't want to be a bad influence by purposfully leaving her own wounds uncared for

She's really chill with stitches and needles but hates the idea of infections or dirty wounds

The idea of something foreign or gross inside her body makes her cringe and she'll always make sure to keep any injuries well covered to prevent it

Preston

He has a scar on his cheek but I'm not entirely sure what it could be from

It's hard to get a good look at it just from a google search

Deathclaw or yao guai would be cool or it could be from Quincy

Running straight into battle to protect someone being terrorized and getting sliced/bayonetted by a gunner

Handful of gunshot wounds here and there, minutemen mostly deal with attacks from raiders or supermutants which have generally weak and poorly aimed guns

He's used to patching himself up and will have a hard time accepting medical help if others need it as well, especially when it comes to pain meds or such

Might have self harmed at some point in the past

Probably not an ongoing thing especially after he noticed the scars on his arm weren't fading and that he would be "wasting" medical supplies by getting himself hurt

X6-88

It started out as a morbid curiosity thing, maybe after seeing someone he cared about get hurt/tortured and wanting to feel what they felt

Then it turned into a punishment when he felt like he could have saved someone or done better in some way

Do coursers have no scars or do they have a bunch of scars?

I kinda view coursers as neglected children

Like if they get hurt or sick they can't ask for help because they'll just be ridiculed or ignored (or killed if deemed bad enough)

If they get hurt it's their job to take care of it themselves

X6 will ignore any injuries he gets partially because according to the Institute he is Lowest Priority Ever when it comes to that and partially because he's afraid of people's reactions

Deep down he's terrified of just being killed one day because some higher up thinks it would be cheaper to make a new synth than to use the medical supplies on him

Anyone treating him gently or healing his wounds gives him so much anxiety

If he has scars he keeps them well hidden

Maxson

As funny as it is to think that the cheek scar is drawn on, it probably isn't

Although I wouldn't be surprised if rumors have been circulating for so long the entire story has shifted

"Maxson fought a deathclaw with a switchblade" okay maybe it wasn't a fight and maybe it wasn't a deathclaw and maybe he just sliced his own face open trying to do cool knife tricks "just in case" he ran into a deathclaw "one day"

Other than that he was generally protected as a kid so he's never really been allowed to get hurt

He was so doted on that he'd get reprimanded for "normal" childhood injuries like scraping his knee or falling out of a tree

Making a mistake (even if it was just tripping over a rock while playing) meant he could never do that activity again, so he became cautious and hid any injuries he did get

Probably got really sick as a kid from trying to hide things like a cut that got infected or stomach pains that ended up being appendicitis

Father

Very few scars

The Institute basically locked him away for most of his life

He never left, never had to work with guns or knives (not even to cook, since all the food is supplements)

Great medicine means any small wounds get healed quickly and rarely leave noticable scars

The worst he gets is like, papercuts

And those get bandaged immediately

He's probably pretty squeamish and steers clear of the medical wing so he doesn't have to see injured people

Very horrified when he hears some of Sole's stories about injuries he never thought people could survive

Desdemona

She seems very non hostile in general, either she's never fought very much or she has retired

She seems like she could be charismatic if she tries (and she has to have social smarts to keep up with Deacon) so she probably talks her way out of fights

A very smart kid, knew where to go and how to avoid dangerous situations

Can recognize a bar fight brewing minutes before it actually starts

Playing with the idea of a serious injury leaving her with a disability (chronic pain?) which is why she stays in HQ

I actually imagine most people in HQ are ones that can't fight as well for one reason or another, which only makes the Brotherhood's attack even worse

Rhys

I don't know why I decided this but he has burn scars all down one side of his body

Something something molotive or maybe explosion from a car or gas leak??

He was out of duty for a while and Recon Squad Gladius was his first job back

When he gets frusturated he gets careless which leads to him doing things like cutting his hand while cleaning his knife or shutting the door on his thumb

Likes showing off his scars and telling stories, will find any excuse to take off his shirt while working (especially around Haylen)

Haylen

Either stays on top of all her wounds because she has medical knowledge or neglects herself in favor of her patients

I'm leaning towards her taking care of herself

She doesn't want to "slow down the team" by staying wounded for long so she tries to draw as minimal attention to herself as possible when she gets injured and bandages it ASAP

Everyone's focused on the fighters of the group so they don't notice her as much and she prefers it that way

She doesn't like having others take care of her because it feels too infantalizing

But she'll let Danse check her over if he notices she's wounded

Tends to have minimal scars because she's good at taking care of them and smart enough to not run into danger blindly

It actually makes her feel a bit self conscious around everyone in the Brotherhood who has amazing battle scars and wild stories in compared to her

[danses-with-dogmeat]

Crushing Companions Headcannons Part 5

I know it's been a hot minute, but holy crap! There are 5 of these now, omg. And yet, I STILL don't think I'm done. So look out for a part 6 as well 😅 (which, as of now, is only Charon and Boone, so if you want to see anyone else, just lmk :)

For now though, here are these folks: Gage, MacCready, and Maxson

(Also, just a heads up, I got a request for Maxson with F!Sole, so that's why it's written that way below!)

The previous parts are all linked below as well, if you missed them. I hope you enjoy! ❤

Gage x Sole:

The plucky little spitfuck caught his attention right from the start. Waltzing into raider territory almost without a second thought; the crassness of it, the guts it took, Gage scoffed at it all. But hell, the little vault dweller wasn’t near as helpless as he’d thought they’d be. Turned out they could be pretty damn useful. What with all that Colter business, and accepting the role as Overboss without a lick of experience with his kinda people. He had to admire their courage… And that damn vault suit of theirs… made it pretty difficult not to admire some of their, uh, other assets.

Gage wasn’t the only one hot on the new boss though, and he wouldn’t let it get to his head. ‘Least that’s what he’d told himself, but eh, maybe if he didn’t let it get complicated, he and Sole could have a bit of fun, maybe. Just keep it simple.

Yeah, like that’s ever worked out in my favor. ‘Specially with an Overboss. Gage would groan at the thought. As Sole consistently asked him to tag along with him all across Nuka World, and the whole goddamn Commonwealth, it got harder and harder for the raider to keep his feelings leashed. No, not feelings. Thoughts, just thoughts. That’s all it is. Gage didn’t catch feelings, you care about anything more than yourself out here, ‘n yer dead. You’ve gotta come first, always. That’s what he’s learned all these years, it’s why he’s stayed alive so damn long, why he’s never let any feelings catch in his heart, and control his actions. Well, that, and no one else has come so close to making him as foolish as Sole does.

It really seemed to start when they thanked him one night by the fire he’d made, thanked him for watching their back, and for trusting that they’d make a good Overboss, when they’d brushed their hand over his arm and given him that little smile of theirs that made his heart leap in his chest. He'd been so close to blushing, he had to turn his damn head away from them, had to wrench his arm back and just grunt in response, as his clenching jaw prevented him from gettin’ a single fuckin’ word out. Damn them.

Sole had even managed, somehow or another, to get him to be candid, to admit how good this thing was that they had goin’, to talk about his goddamn feelings and tell ‘em that they mean somethin’ to him. It almost made him sick to his stomach. He’d thought that’s what it was, anyway. But he’d noticed that same such nauseous feeling then next time he caught Sole grinning at him, and then again one night when they fell asleep on him as they sat on the sofa up in Fizztop, him sharpening his combat knife, and them sipping on a nuka dark before they'd laid their head against him and stayed there until the light shown through the windows the next morning. It made his stomach flip and his skin crawl, made his heart thump like he was in the middle of a fight, but dammit, if he’d put an end to any of those interactions, Gage knew that his beating heart would sink, and he’d never be able to stop thinkin’ about what might have happened, had he just let it be.

Lord, how he’d wanted to let it be that night after Sole had drank just a bit too much down at the Third Rail. They were in another city, they had a hotel room, Sole was all over him, probably just cuz they were off their ass on booze, but still, they couldn’t keep their hands off him, kept sayin’ how glad they were that they’d met him, how much they liked having him around. Damn, how every part of him screamed to try and find out if they meant it, to take every part of them, to feel the heat of them, to claim them, and hold them, and finally let all his repressed feelings run rampant as he ravished every damn part of them.

Instead, Gage had forced them into their bed, made ‘em down a bottle of purified water, and begrudgingly rubbed their back as they hacked their guts out in that dingy Rexford hotel room. When they were done though, when Gage had cleaned ‘em up, and they finally settled enough to get some sleep, as they laid their head in his lap, and snored softly, he couldn’t keep his calloused hand from rubbing over their shoulder in a touch more tender than he could ever remember giving, or receiving.

It was a good thing they hadn’t remembered much from that night. Gage had been too close. Too close to admitting what became more and more apparent to him every fucking day he spent with his Overboss; so after that night, he tried to keep his distance. At least, as much as he could while still staying at their side. He became short with his words, less inclined to overlook Sole’s touches, to chuckle at their jokes, to sit too near to them, to open up and say some nice shit. That wasn’t who he was, at least, before he met them, anyway. He’s been that way for too long, no point in changing just cuz of them. It’s worked for him this long, so for now, he cut it all out, all that soft shit he was starting to get used to, starting to get comfortable with. It’s not who he is.

Though, distance might not have been the answer either, he found a little bit later. He and Sole were taking a load off over at Cappy’s, just drinking with the rest of the rabble; and the boss had gone up to the bar to get another round, and… Well, it’s not like Sole hadn’t gotten attention before, ‘course they had, just look at ‘em, and as the Overboss? Hell, everyone in Nuka World had come onto ‘em at least once, but this time was different. When Mason sauntered up to them, fierce intent in his piercing gaze and an empty bottle in his hand, Gage had shifted in his seat, prepared to step in, if need be. Though, Sole usually didn’t need his help with this kinda shit, they were more than capable. Still though, this time was different. Mason was adamant that Sole come with him, back to the Bradberton to discuss somethin’ important with him, but his expression, his hands reaching for Sole’s waist, for their ass, his closeness to them, Gage had had enough of this shit, ‘specially with the way Sole was trying to back away from the Pack alpha’s insistent touch.

Gage didn’t usually like to start shit, least of all with the other bosses around, not when Sole could deal with them themself most of the time, but he didn’t think this time 'round, he just acted.

The bar grew silent as Mason’s snarls quieted, as Gage’s fist landed another blow to the Pack leader’s head, as his nose bloodied, as Gage’s knuckles ached, and his shirt was stained with droplets of deep crimson, even as Sole brought their hand to his shoulder, as they squeezed, and ordered him to stop. Gage only really realized what he’d done after standing, peering down at Mason as he lay unconscious at the foot of the bar, his face already growing dark with purple bruises. “Head up to Fizztop, I’ll be there in a bit.” He heard Sole order, and he did as they asked.

Gage waited maybe not so patiently, pacing around the balcony until he spotted Sole finally heading up, after cleaning up his mess, he was sure. Goddamn. What a fucking night. How the hell am I supposed to explain this to ‘em? Gage made his way inside, just as Sole came into the room. “Sit," they told him, and he did, on that same sofa that Sole had sat on when they fell asleep on him that night... Gage shook his head.

Sole returned with a wet rag in their hand, sat down beside him, close enough that their knee bumped into his, and they took his bloodied right hand in theirs, and began to swipe over the wounds on his knuckles, as they wiped away Mason’s blood. “Look,” they said, “I don’t know what was going on with you and Mason back there, but–”

“That shit wasn’t about me an’ Mason, boss.” Gage cut them off, looking ahead and clenching his jaw as he tried to think about a way to tell them the truth without revealing everything he’d been struggling with for the past few months. Without revealing those goddamn feelings of his.

“Gage.” They said, not sounding convinced. “I’m bein’ honest!” He said as he turned to them briefly, “The fight wasn’t about us, that shit was about you, boss.”

“You’re gonna try and pin this on me?” They said, ceasing their soothing movement over his knuckles as they looked up at him, “I had it handled, Gage, you didn’t have to step in. I could’ve taken care of it.” Though he felt their eyes on him, Gage couldn’t bring himself to look over, to meet their fiery gaze.

“I know you could ‘ave.” He said quietly, the roughness of his voice softening as he spoke just above a whisper. “But the way he was lookin' at ya, way he was touchin’ ya… No one should touch you like that.”

“No one?” they asked, tilting their head to try and draw his eyes to meet theirs. He took the bait, and turned his head so he was facing them, his one good eye was obscured by the crease in his brow as his wanton eye met their pleading expression. They know what I’m gonna say. May as well spit it out, then.

“No one ‘cept me.” He said, and he found himself leaning in, close enough that his nose brushed over Sole’s cheek, close enough that he could feel the heat of their breath pass over his lips, but he halted before he could get any further. “I mean,” He whispered, “If you’ll have me. I know I’m no good… No good for you, boss, but–” Sole closed the distance before he could finish, and Gage felt a jolt through his whole body, like Sole was charged with electricity. Their mouth tingled against his, and their tongue burned his lips as it demanded passage through the threshold and into his mouth. He opened eagerly, letting his eye fall shut, and grinning into the kiss, before nipping and pulling at Sole's bottom lip playfully. They tried to pull back, uttering a small whimper at his action, but he drew his tongue over the tender spot, and brought his injured hand up to tangle in Sole’s hair, to hold their mouth against his, to let him taste them just a bit longer. Gage groaned as they pressed harder into him, so close, they were almost in his lap. He certainly wouldn’t have protested that, but before his arms could encircle them, before he could draw their body up onto his own, they pulled back breathlessly, as a red hue overtook their face.

“I don’t care if you’re no good.” They panted, “I want you.” Their hands found their way to the front of Gage’s shirt, and grasped tightly at the fabric, as he held their intense gaze. “And hell, I’m no good either.”

Gage chuckled at that, letting his hand fall from the back of Sole’s head, down to their jawline, where his thumb could easily stroke over their cheekbone. “Both no good, huh? Hell, maybe that jus’ means we’re good for each other.” His hand tightened, and Gage pulled them in again.

MacCready x Sole:

MacCready knew what this was. The feeling was allllllll too familiar. He remembered the pounding of his heart, the lightness in his gut, the wash of heat that made his tongue tangle in his mouth, destroying any remaining sense of social adaptability, or grace that he might have had. He wasn’t unused to making a fool of himself, especially in the presence of someone like Sole, someone who seemed so infallible and unphased by almost everything (which was infuriating in itself), but he was unused to this other prevalent feeling that persisted in his mind at the thought of falling for someone again. It was fear.

He didn’t know what exactly scared him so much. Perhaps it was the thought of this person beside him, one that he admired so much, that he so deeply cared for, who was so selfless and kind, who had helped him in his most desperate time of need, even when he had nothing to offer them as payment, not being able to return his feelings… No, he didn’t expect that of Sole, didn’t need them to care about him in the same way. But he was still afraid. The only other people he cared about as much as he cares about Sole, have been taken from him in one way or another. Lucy was gone; his love, his wife, the only thing good about him besides his son, had died right in front of him. He couldn’t bear for something like that to happen again, he wouldn’t survive it. He had enough nightmares as it was, enough guilt, enough of a struggle with his own inadequacy. He couldn’t risk caring about anyone the way he cared about Lucy ever again.

Then there was Duncan; he wasn’t dead, thanks to Sole, but he was still so far away from him. Knowing that his child was out there, that his baby was being cared for by someone else, that he was missing him as he grew up before the eyes of those around him... that tore into him too. Another result of MacCready's feelings of incapability. If he couldn’t protect Lucy, how could he protect Duncan? How could he care for his son on his own? He loved being a father, more than anything in the world, but he had no idea how to do it right. It’s not like he had had any kind of a parental figure to base himself off of. So he had left, to help his son, to save his life, by leaving him behind. And he was once again alone. MacCready feared that too. With Sole, he wasn’t alone, not now at least, but if he opened up to them? Told his companion the way he feels and they didn’t reciprocate? That was another blow the sniper didn’t think he could take.

For the time being, he held it in. He had felt those familiar feelings festering within him when his companion had helped him take out Winlock and Barnes, when they stuck with him and saved his hide even knowing he couldn’t pay them anything for their help. And those very same emotions had redoubled in their efforts to make themselves known to Sole after they found the serum for Duncan. God, he could have kissed his partner then, as they held the key to his son’s survival in their hand, beaming as they gave it to him, as they placed it carefully in his trembling grasp; and he very nearly crashed his lips to theirs in sheer relief, thanks, and bliss, at the feeling of hope that they had gifted him. But the fear had stopped him. Instead, he had settled for a tight embrace as sheer emotion overcame him; if nothing else, the hug would have concealed his overwhelmed expression and the tears of relief and gratitude that had gathered at the corners of his eyes.

From there, it only became more difficult. MacCready didn’t even know what he was doing. This damn fear of his was keeping him from ever really confessing to Sole, but it definitely didn’t help with all of the embarrassment that comes with feelings like these. Stumbling over his words, feeling like he always needed to show off, catching himself just gazing at them for long bouts of time that he should’ve been doing almost anything else with. And the paying, the paying was the worst one. Putting down caps at the noodle stand, paying for the hotel room, adding Sole’s drinks to his tab at the Third Rail, ugh! He didn’t know when it started, or why, it certainly wasn’t something he’d ever done before. Sole was capable, they had caps, they were the one to pay him upfront in cash on the day they met, after all. So why did he feel the need to always pay for everything when he was with them?! Not only did it go against his every instinct, every action he had taken up to this point, but it also made Sole remarkably suspicious as to why he would do something so unlike himself just to benefit them, when they really didn't even need the help at all. MacCready would try to mumble out something about paying his debt to them for finding Duncan's cure, but hell, he'd already done that when he returned the caps they'd paid him with. Now he didn't know what the heck he was doing, or how he could possibly explain it.

The feelings were driving him mad, but never in a way that truly hurt him. He hated being so close to them all the time. Walking in step right behind them, without being able to say what was really on his mind, sleeping right beside them without being able to wrap his arms around them, fighting at their side, while being unable to properly celebrate their victory at the end, being unable to pull them in for a relieved embrace, and a tender kiss, letting them know how glad he was that they were okay. It tore him to pieces, but it couldn’t possibly hurt him more than them not returning his feelings, could it? If they left his side, MacCready wasn’t sure what he’d do. He'd be utterly alone, and that's the last thing he wanted. MacCready wanted them in his life, wanted them to be a part of his future. When he finally reunited with his son, he wanted Sole to be there to meet him. When he finally settled down to be the father Duncan deserves, he wanted his partner by his side, filling the void that Lucy left. If that’s what they wanted. But what if it isn’t?

MacCready awoke from his nightmare with a shout. He was shivering, his heart was pounding, and couldn’t seem to slow his breathing, no matter what he tried. Even as Sole put their hand on his arm, and asked him something softly. He hadn’t even heard them, the blood was still roaring in his ears, his vision was still blurred from his groggy confusion. He looked at them again. “Everything’s alright.” He heard his companion say, “You’re safe, MacCready.” He nodded to them, and, without realizing it, he slumped forward, into their arms, his head buried in the crook of their shoulder. As the memory of that same damn nightmare slowly faded from the forefront of his mind, as Lucy’s screams died out, as the glowing eyes of the dozens of ferals dissolved into the darkness behind his closed eyelids, MacCready heard a few words leave his lips unbidden. “I need to tell you something.”

Sole pulled away from his embrace, keeping a hand on either of his shoulders as they looked him in the eye, concern still prevalent in their expression. They nodded. “I can’t– I can’t lose you though,” He was almost choking on his own voice now, forced to deliver on the words he had just unwittingly uttered, “So, if you don’t like the sound of all this, then… Then just forget that I even said anything, alright?” Sole’s eyes narrowed at that, “Then why say anything? If you’re worried about what–”

“I have to.” MacCready cut in, his mind flashing back to the horrific memories that his nightmare had excavated, “I can’t risk… I just mean, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I didn’t tell you, before I lost the chance. You know what that’s like, right?” Sole nodded somberly, and he saw them swallow hard, but their eyes never left his.

“Okay, here goes… ah, ahem. Sole, I’m in love with you.” MacCready let out a breath, and Sole just blinked at him. Their bewilderment gave him a moment, and he took it, continuing with his confession. “I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, and I know, well, we’ve both lost people that we really care about but… Damn, where was I going with this? I really had a point, I mean, we have so much in common, and even though–”

“Robert, it’s okay.” They said gently, as their hands squeezed at his shoulders. “I think I know what you’re trying to say. We… We sort of… complete each other, don’t we?” The smile Sole gave him made MacCready’s entire body radiate with warmth, and he found himself returning their teary-eyed grin. “So, what you’re saying is…?” He raised his eyebrows at them as a deep crimson hue spread over their cheeks. They looked down at his chest, taking their lower lip between their teeth as they thought for a moment, but they raised their eyes to meet his gaze before finally saying, “I love you too.”

Maxson x F!Sole:

This obviously wasn't the Elder's first crush that he's ever had, but it did surprise him, nonetheless. When that initiate came trotting into his briefing at the last minute, wearing her skin-tight blue suit, and already wielding a modded laser rifle; his eyes had lingered on her longer than he would've liked, given the additional soldiers present at the meeting.

He tries to be discreet, after all; and he was convinced the feelings would pass, that they would slip out of his overworked mind seamlessly as he carried on with his duties as the Elder. That's right. The Elder. He had to remind himself each time he was in Sole's presence. He was Elder Maxson for Christ's sake. He couldn't allow himself to get swept up by these lighthearted, boyish feelings. Crushes were for children, for the squires and initiates. Not for him. He would tell himself time and time again.

It didn't seem to matter though, no matter what Maxson tried, his mind would somehow always come back to her. When he was nearly nodding off in his briefing with Proctor Quinlan, or staring blankly at an unsent message on his terminal, when he was finally blowing off steam in the training yard, trying to stay focused on his regimen, as she kept popping into his mind. Was he hoping she would be in the yard as well? Could the Elder find her training schedule and try to match it to his own so that he could steal a glance at her, or give her an eyeful of him in the midst of his strength training? He shouldn't, but he would find himself doing it anyway. Cursing himself all the while, as he thought about whether what he was doing would be obvious to her.

Maxson would try desperately to put an end to it. He would fight his urges to see her, to pay more attention to her progress and mission schedule than was due, and would mainly hash out his orders to her through Paladin Danse. It was for the best, he would say in his head, as his chest ached in response.

He was beyond pleased when Sole became a Knight. He allowed himself to congratulate her in person, with a word of praise and a hearty handshake, just like all the other knights. But his hand may have lingered a tad longer than the traditional Elder handshake, Maxson only hoped it was subtle enough.

That night, he was a wreck. It was the first time he had actually touched her. Sure, he'd seen her a great number of times, spoken to her often, and at close proximity, but to feel her hand in his, her strong but soft grip on him, her eyes catching his, staying locked in his gaze as she smiled warmly at him, he had held her hand too long, she should’ve pulled away, anyone else would have released his grip, right? But she had held on, even so much as tightening her grip in response to his, causing a distinct flutter in his gut. Am I reading too much into this?

Maxson would try to sort his feelings out himself, try to avoid the new Knight for a time, to avoid showing favoritism, to avoid embarrassing himself, to avoid giving himself any more ideas. She was a Knight, she was from before the war, she was 200 years older than him, and then some, he was raised in the Brotherhood, dedicated to the cause, married to his work; he always had been, and if that changed, the Brotherhood could suffer. It had happened before. The acting Elder becoming distracted, by lovers, by children, by friends, by grief, and the Brotherhood always seemed to pay for their neglect. He wouldn’t let it happen. Not this time. Not because of him.

Yet still… there was a small voice that he couldn’t seem to shut out. One that whispered in the back of his mind as he tossed and turned in his bed at night, or as he looked out over the Commonwealth as the sun rose over the horizon. I’m the last of the Maxson line, so, this sort of relationship, it’s… to be expected of me. He had always assumed that it would be obvious. That some exemplary Brotherhood born and bred woman would come along, that the process would be rather… emotionless. Two people doing their duty to work towards the best future possible for the faction they were loyal to. This though… This was messy. He didn’t want her so he could simply do his duty. He was scared of the way he wanted her. She had the capacity to be his distraction, he wanted her to be his distraction, hell, she already was distracting him from his duty. He couldn't allow it to get any more complicated, allow it to fester into something even more beyond his control.

Arthur rubbed his face with his hands, groaning all the while as he thought through his options. He went about it tactically, thinking through each possible result of every possible decision he could make. It was exhausting. This was precisely what he was trying to avoid, but it was clear to the Elder now; if he didn’t speak to her, these thoughts would continue their rampant assault on his consciousness, holding his ability to find rest hostage, forcing his Elder duties to the back of his mind, where he knew they didn’t belong. Maxson took a deep breath, and he called out to a squire. After issuing his order, he waited.

“You wanted to see me, Elder?” Arthur kept his back to her as Sole stepped into his quarters, swallowing his nerves as best he could. I’ve fought a deathclaw with nothing but a combat knife for Christ's sake. This shouldn’t be so damned difficult. He would struggle through his words, finally turning to face her as he heard her tone grow more uneasy with each ambiguous statement he uttered. Arthur could see it in Sole’s eyes, the way she feared that she was in trouble, the confusion as she thought through what her Elder could be so upset about. What could she have done to make him lose his words, to make his hands shake the way they were, to keep his gaze from fully meeting hers. In the end, he’d force the truth out between his clenched teeth. “There have been rumors of my… affinity towards you from those aboard this ship. They’ve been saying--”

“I know what they’ve been saying, sir.” She’d cut him off, her cheeks flooding with color.

“Yes, well…” He’d continue, “I want you to know that these utterings of theirs, well… They’re not completely unfounded, Knight.” Sole would blink at him for a moment or two, making sure that she’d deciphered his confession correctly before deciding to react.

“Sole, did you hear me?” She would nod, now even more baffled at the sound of her first name leaving the Brotherhood Elder’s lips. “Good. Do you… have an answer for me? As to your own… possible sentiments?” Before she even realized what she was doing, she would nod once again, and take a step towards him. She wouldn’t have to push in far, all it took was for her chest to be a few measly inches from his own, before he’d fix her with his intense, icy gaze; inquisitive, but hungry in the way they searched her for an answer before she could utter a word. But there was something else in them… apprehension? Surely not, Sole would think, knowing full well that her own nervousness must be as plain in her expression as her nose was upon her face.

“Knight?” The words were but a whisper to her, practically begging for an answer, an end to the wait Arthur had been idling in for months. “Yes, sorry.” She uttered, “I… well, sir, I also find myself with a certain sort of affinity for… for a certain Elder.” A ringing seemed to sound in Arthur’s ears at the sound of her confession, a lovely bell signaling the end of his torment, and the beginning of a new sort of challenge. One that required tact, and cunning, that demanded secrecy, but guaranteed that he’d have all that he’d been dreaming of from the moment the initiate had crashed through the doors to the command deck in that fist meeting all those months ago. He was glad she was so close to him in this instance, but he reached his arms out anyways, pulling her even closer, until her body was pressed flush against his. Their frantic hearts beat against each other as he stalled for a moment, looking into her eyes, seeing his own relief reflected back at him, before he pushed forward, in a fearless onslaught, in search of her lips. She met him halfway, of her own accord, and their union sent ripples of heat up his spine as Arthur let his lips melt to Sole’s. Her hands slid up over the expanse of his broad chest, and Arthur found himself stifling a sigh of pleasure as her fingers met and twined around the back of his neck, while his own hands sank to the dip of her waist, pulling her as close as possible, as he spilled his desire for her through each breath he pulled, each kneading movement against her, each grasp of his hands at her sides.

A long road of trials and tribulations awaited the pair, that Maxson knew, but he had faced hardship before. He’d been at war with impossible odds, fought his whole life for respect, for leadership, for his reputation, the Brotherhood’s, his family's; he’d fought for everything he had, and he would fight for this, for her, too.

Part 1 (Benny, Joshua Graham, and Hancock)

Part 2 (Arcade, Butch, Piper, Preston, & Veronica)

Part 3 (Arcade, Benny, Butch, and Danse with M!Lone/Six/Sole)

Part 4 (Danse, Deacon, and X6-88)