#fo4curie

[zirawrites]

companions react to a reader who is always there for them and comforts them whenever they're feeling vulnerable/hurt/sad.

To quote Taylor Swift… “Honey I rose up from the grave, I do it all the time.” Ya fave fic writer Zira is back with another reaction! I finished my last summer classes, I’m home from England and ready to start being active again. I apologize if I’m rusty, I haven’t done a proper reaction in nearly six months. But I’m tryn’ for y’all!!!!

What really got me back in to reactions is reading some awesome fanfics recently. So as always, my inbox is open and I’ll be working away on my AO3 account for my first full-length fic!

TRIGGER WARNING: This post briefly mentions suicide in Preston’s reaction.

Cait: Before Cait met Sole, she only saw herself as someone who deserved the shite hand she was dealt. Almost immediately after they left the combat zone, it became apparent that Sole didn’t just see Cait as a companion: they really cared about her. Whenever Cait threw a bottle against the bar to pick a fight, Sole was there to defuse the situation. After Cait got them thrown out of Diamond City for calling Myrna “a right ol’ synth fucker,” Sole didn’t get frustrated (probably they were just relieved neither were arrested). Even in her darkest hours of getting sober, Sole was there to stroke her hair and keep her hydrated while she shook in bed.

It took time, but eventually Cait got used to Sole’s gentle touch and soft words. In fact, sometimes Cait acted out just to feel Sole brush the coarse hair from her sweating forehead to place a chaste kiss on it. Cait learned to bite her tongue over minor things like a drifter from Goodneighbor rudely asking for a shag, which pleased Sole. It made the moments Sole embraced her bruised and bloody body after a fight that much sweeter.

Codsworth: Being a Mr. Handy didn’t exempt Codsworth from the woes of life. In fact, the poor robot was probably the most likely companion to be frazzled in Sole’s company. Every time Sole ran too fast or used their fist over a silver tongue in tough situations, Codsworth blew a fuse. Well, not really. He was General Atomic’s finest, thank you very much. The reason Codsworth let Sole get away with so much mayhem was because he knew they always soothed his aching metallic heart after the fighting was over.

When Codsworth was stressed over being dragged along on a dangerous quest, Sole would stop in the shadows of the city and place their hand on his metal side. They let him rant about how foolish they were being. Weren’t they afraid of raiders? Radscorpions? Rogue synths? He would ramble on, his shaky words eventually trailing off as Sole’s thumb ran over the rust stains on his paint. They would tell Codsworth that they always came back unscathed, didn’t they? Codsworth would sigh and say that was debatable, but he trusted their judgement. How could he stay cross with his master/mistress?

Curie: Since becoming a synth, Curie would get overwhelmed with the new emotions she felt. The others in Sanctuary would poke fun at her for constantly overreacting, but Sole knew she just needed a little more tender love and care. When Curie was mad, she was beyond consolable. She would stomp around Sanctuary with balled fists and snap at the slightest transgression (a moment of silence for Sturges asking Curie to help paint the workbench). If Curie was wrapped up in a romance novel Sole had snatched her from a mission, she would curl up under the blankets and sob in to a box of pre-war tissues. For someone with such grace and poise, Curie was a wicked hurricane of emotion.

Sole could always get her to calm down with a voice of reason. They would remind Curie that the characters in her novels weren’t real. That you can’t solve every injustice in the world. And sometimes an innocent Sturges really did need help painting. Curie would take some deep breaths, and occasionally asked Sole to hold her hand. After thinking the situation over, Curie was back to her normal (albeit odd) self, and Sole would prepare for her next confusing emotion to surface.

Danse: Unfortunately for Danse, he really thought he could hide away his emotions. He had a terrible habit of scrunching his unkempt eyebrows when frustrated. If Danse was hurt by someone’s words, he ducked his head down for a few moments to fight back tears. For someone who guarded their heart so closely, Danse was in some ways an open book.

Whenever Danse needed to be vulnerable around Sole, he would try his damnedest to use words. Instead of shrugging his pain off, Danse would grit his teeth and talk about a depressing failed mission or recent nightmare. His favorite response from Sole was when they leaned in to listen closer and he could feel their breath on his neck. He wasn’t the cuddliest in the Commonwealth, but just seeing Sole being attentive to his needs put him in lighter spirits.

Deacon: Everybody’s favorite Egg Man was the hardest companion to crack. Deacon went out of his way to make sure Sole didn’t notice his sour mood. There were times a situation exasperated him, and he’d slip up to make a soft sigh. But those moments were rare. Usually if Deacon felt upset, his first instinct was to crack a joke. He needed other people to laugh as if his life depended on it. Maybe then they wouldn’t see his lips quiver. His posture stiffen. The grey cloud forming over his head.

However, that didn’t mean he didn’t always let Sole in. When his partner pried enough, Deacon would sit them down to vent. Sole would keep a respectable distance, but occasionally placed a reaffirming hand on his shoulder. Minor physical contact, but all of their attention on his story. Just knowing that Sole gave a shit was enough for him to collect his thoughts, boop his partners nose, and tell them it was time to get back to work. He was truly an enigma.

Dogmeat: The lucky German Shepherd had the most attentive master in the world. Sole knew what every individual bark or whimper out of Dogmeat’s mouth meant. When he couldn’t find an irradiated animal to chase on their walk? Sole would start sprinting to Red Rocket truck station for him to go after them. A crack of lightning during a rad storm? Sole was already on the ground supplying an ample amount of bully rubs. There was never a moment the dog felt unloved. After all, Sole was constantly reminding him that he was a good boy.

Gage: The first few times Sole tried to calm Gage down they were met with a prompt, “Aw, fuck off, boss!” Gage really only had one emotion, and it was anger. He took the longest to warm up to Sole, especially because whenever he did show his softer side it made him feel… vulnerable. Gage couldn’t punch his way through a heavy heart.

Whenever he did tell Sole about his childhood, he would stop every few minutes to make sure they were listening. Despite Sole’s initial assumption, Gage did like the occasional physical touch. When Gage was in a mood, Sole would run their hand down his arm or give his hip a light bump. He would blush, and Sole tried their best not to smile like an absolute idiot at their triumph. Gage always scoffed at his Overboss going soft on him, but it did keep him out of a few unnecessary bar fights.

Hancock: Mayor John “Puppy Dog Eyes” Hancock. Hancock never wanted to bring down the mood, but he felt completely comfortable sharing his feelings with Sole. His favorite tactic Sole used was when they ran their finger tips up and down his arm while he wore his coat. Hancock never relished in Sole having to touch his scarred flesh, but the feeling of Sole’s fingernails over the fabric of his favorite outfit was strangely calming. 

Hancock always had a flair for the dramatic, and Sole used this to their advantage to calm him down. Whatever exaggerated story he had to complain about, Sole always offered a crazy solution. Were raiders trying to extort money from the Goodneighbor drifters? The two of them should sic the entire Minutemen army on them. When Hancock was insecure about his ghoulish appearance, why didn’t Curie just whip up an anti-ghoulification serum? Sole’s antics always made Hancock chuckle, and then purr when Sole gave him an affectionate squeeze. They reminded him the two of them had time to sit down and think of a plan, and worrying didn’t exactly help his “King of the Zombies” reputation.

MacCready: Unbeknownst to MacCready, his boss had seen through the tough guy act at The Third Rail immediately. But over the course of their friendship, MacCready learned to let his guard down. He was more emotional than he let on. Every time MacCready broke down in front of Sole, he was reminded that he wasn’t alone. Most of MacCready’s rough nights were losing sleep over Duncan. Sole would lay down next to him and talk about their plans for pre-war Shaun. About how Nate/Nora insisted on homeschooling, but they wanted to send him off to private school. How they hoped he inherited their light freckles and sense of humor. MacCready would start to talk about how Duncan had his eyes, and then the conversation would go off from there. As long as Sole kept MacCready calm and distracted, he was able to relax his rugged shoulders and drift off to sleep. 

Preston: Despite his soft demeanor, Preston is battling an arsenal of demons. When Sole learned about his suicidal past, they made sure that they always approached his low mood swings with care. Sole knew those types of feelings don’t always immediately go away, so they made sure whenever they talked to Preston about his depression in a safe space. It sometimes was the chambers of the Castle, or even at the picnic bench behind Sanctuary. Whenever Sole wanted Preston to feel loved, they took the time to get him alone and really listen to his troubles. Whenever Sole squeezed his hand and told him they were proud, Preston couldn’t hide his swelling chest.

Piper: It was no secret that Piper was high-strung. Not only did she have a business to run, but there was a little sister always nipping at her heels. Sometimes the responsibility got overwhelming, even for Diamond City’s greatest reporter. During the times Piper felt like the world was crashing down, Sole got Nick or Ellie to babysit Nat. They would turn on the radio, grab a bottle of (albeit cheap) wine, and let Piper unload on them. The reporter would pace around her office screaming about a false lead or uncooperative interviewee, then take a gulp of her drink. This would go on until Piper felt a little buzzed, and she was forced to retire to the couch.

That was when Sole would soften the mood. Sole would play with Piper’s hair or hum a pre-war song that made Piper sigh in to her friend’s shoulder. “Damn, Blue,” Piper sometimes whispered. “Life’s always a little lighter with my favorite popsicle around.” Her jests didn’t phase Sole, who returned their friend’s joke with an elbow to the arm.

Nick: Nick only likes to show his ruffled feathers around Sole when they’re alone in the office. He’d lean back in his chair, hang his hat on the nearby rack, and blink up at his partner with concerned yellow eyes. Sole knew that was Nick’s way of saying he needed some reassurance that the world wasn’t going to blow up (again).

During Nick’s vulnerable moments, Sole would try to talk about anything positive. Literally anything. Maybe Dogmeat had sat still for his weekly bath, or Shaun drew them a fridge-worthy picture. Nick’s posture would visibly relax, and he would get lost in some happy news for once. Sometimes he wouldn’t notice Sole was trying to calm him down. When he occasionally did catch on, Nick would never call Sole out. Instead, he’d add an anecdote of his own, like how he caught Ellie humming his favorite song as she cleaned the office.

Strong: Strong was easy to piss off, but just as simple to calm down if you knew the right thing to say. Whenever Strong got upset it was obvious to even the dumbest supermutant. He would try to get a rise out of Sole by calling them weak, or charging out ahead of them during a fight. To settle Strong down, Sole just needed to tell him in layman’s terms he wasn’t completing his mission. They couldn’t find the milk of human kindness if he kept acting out.

Strong never actually sought real emotional advice or showed any signs of being discouraged, but if he did Sole would be ready with open arms.

X6-88: Just because X6 is reserved doesn’t mean he doesn’t share his feelings. In fact, X6 is blunt about everything, including his current state of mind. Whenever X6 comes to Sole and says his morale is low, Sole reminds him of what an asset he is to the Commonwealth. How strong his passion for making the future safer helps Sole’s own optimism. When X6 feels useful, he almost always feels better. There was even an occasion where Sole almost heard X6 thank them for a pep talk.

[wa-st3d]

C.V.R.I.E

Here's an increadibly horrible drawing of curie !

[zirawrites]

how would sole's romanced/non-romanced companions react to pre-war sole being an actress? (like they find a magazine with them in it, etc)

Cait: She doesn’t understand the big deal about celebrities. Pre-war people seemed to worship them. And why? Cait tells Sole that movie stars didn’t put food on anyone’s table or pay the bills. When Sole seems upset, she adds that Sole’s charisma has saved them both from a lot of trouble.

Cait (Romanced): Cait starts calling Sole “your highness” and “princess” a lot. She doesn’t understand the significance of movies and the celebrities involved, but if it made Sole happy, she’s happy. Insists Sole bring some of her roles in to their bedroom life.

Codsworth: How had he never seen a movie his mistress was in? Codsworth insists Sole tell him all about their life on the silver screen. When Sole goes off on missions, he scours their Sanctuary house for any salvageable holotapes with them on it.

Codsworth (Synth/Romanced): He almost doesn’t believe it until Sole shows him a picture of them in costume. She was wearing a tight red dress for a spy film. Codsworth is unable to hide his blush, and insists Sole is still just as beautiful as her movie star-clad past.

Curie: Curie had read plenty of books on pre-war entertainment. However, she had no idea Sole spent a lot of time in the limelight. She asks what roles Sole played so she could read up on them. As fate would have it, Sole was the leading lady in Curie’s favorite book adaption.

Curie (Romanced): “No wonder you are so graceful, madame!” Curie is enamored with Sole’s celebrity past, but mostly about the content of her movies. She listens to Sole tell behind the scenes stories for hours. When Sole says Curie reminds her of a woman she shared a romance with on-screen, Curie is thrilled. She insists Sole find the movie for them both to watch at Starlight Drive-In.

Danse: Danse remembered watching pre-war movies on a projector in the Prydwen on special nights to boost morale. He briefly wonders if he’s seen anything Sole was in. Danse is more impressed with Sole’s talent than her status in society. Whenever they have free time between missions he asks her to read to him in that soothing, Transatlantic accent she spoke in during films.

Danse (Romanced): “That explains why you’re so beautiful, then.” Danse knew Sole was extraordinarily attractive even for pre-war standards. He feels a twinge of jealousy knowing millions of movie-goers probably lusted over Sole’s more… raunchy scenes. The feeling quickly passes when Sole offers to recreate them in the bedroom.

Deacon: Immediately wants to play her roles on a stealth mission. Deacon makes Sole tell him all about her favorite character; every excruciating detail of the character study. When Desdemona asks them to go undercover at a nightclub to meet an escaped synth, Deacon emerges from HQ in a flowing gown and blonde wig. It disturbed Sole because he honestly looked just like her.

Deacon (Romanced): He’s absolutely turned on. His entire life revolves around pretending to be someone he isn’t. And Sole made their pre-war living off that? Deacon starts flirting with Sole using their own movie quotes. She has no idea where he found the old tapes, but he knows all the words to their musicals and big lines. When it sends Sole in a fit of giggles, he feels on top of the world.

Gage: Being an actress doesn’t make them a better fighter, but Sole could contain her emotions better than most. Gage supposed that was a benefit, but really the only one. Honestly, it’s pretty underwhelming how much he cares.

Gage (Romanced): “I thought all you were good for was kicking ass.” Gage pokes fun at Sole’s past profession until she tells him the plots of her favorite films. He pretends to be disinterested, but the excitement in Sole’s eyes when she talks warms his heart. When they are lying in bed before sleep, Gage rolls on his side and pokes Sole’s arm. He starts spouting off fan theories of Sole’s biggest work. He can’t even pretend not to be interested anymore.

Hancock: Sole could have told Hancock they used to be a janitor and he still would have found it to be totally badass. He asks Sole how many people they got to kill on screen. Did they play a mayor? Any famous historical figure? Sole tells him about a zombie film they were in, and quickly thinks they offended Hancock. Instead, he leans forward, limping and moaning. “Like this?” he asks. “That’s my zombie impression. A ghoul would be more like…” He pulls out his pocket knife as if he’s about to attack. “Hardcore. Like me, obviously.”

Hancock (Romanced): Hancock is adorable about expressing his appreciation towards Sole’s love for the cinema. He takes interest in the parts they played, and the plot behind the movies. Of course, he asks Sole to explain their costumes in excruciating detail. When Sole talks about a particular red dress they wore in a romance film, he absolutely combusts. Where can he find these tapes and would Sole be willing to do any *ehem* sequels.

MacCready: MacCready is rather disinterested until he finds out Sole was in the first film-adaption of a Grognak comic. After that, it’s all he talks about. He wants to know what Grognak was like in person (yes, he uses the characters’ names instead of the actors’). He nearly drags Sole home and pulls out his secret stash of comic books. Sole shows MacCready every scene they were in based on the pictures, and even speaks some of her lines. He sits excitedly on the bed and watches her act out his favorite scene. It was like Sole was talking to a five year old boy, but she figured MacCready deserved a break from reality.

MacCready (Romanced): “Guess I’ve got to start calling you my little starlet, huh?” MacCready falls head-over-heels at Sole’s pre-war photoshoot pictures. He particularly likes the one where she is gussied up for galas and charity balls. Her skin was so soft, and her thick hair was curled just like he pictured a movie star would be. He hoped if they ever had children together, they inherited Sole’s pre-war grace.

Preston: Sole never ceased to impress him. No wonder she retained an unparalleled amount of pre-war grace. Preston romanticized much of the pre-war world, so he loved hearing about the plots of her movies. When they had free time in Sanctuary, the two even set up a little play for the settlers. Sole played the part of a fearless general, and Preston was the greedy raider trying to take down the Commonwealth. Synth-Shaun thought it was absolutely hilarious.

Preston (Romanced): Preston already felt Sole was out of his league based on merit and kindness alone. Now he was dating a celebrity? It made him a little insecure, but he was also enamored by Sole’s traditional femininity in the roles she played. When Sole quoted some of his favorite lines, he immediately blushed.

Piper: She immediately wants to write an article on it. Sole never stopped getting interesting. Piper sat Sole on the other side of her desk and asked every question she could think of. What was it like as a working woman in the pre-war world? How big of a celebrity were you? Are you planning on bringing cinema back to the Commonwealth? The article is a huge hit among the Diamond City snobs.

Piper (Romanced): “Can I… keep these pictures? For the paper, of course!” Yeah, Piper wasn’t fooling anyone. She thinks Sole’s talent with words is definitely hot. Sole teaches Piper her most famous monologues which the girls reenact over a bottle of wine in the office. It’s a giggling, adorable mess.

Nick: Nick Valentine the human was more of a book man, but Jenny adored the movies so he took her to most of them. Nick Valentine the synth was obviously the same way. He rather read in solace and quietly gather inspiration, but wasn’t opposed to the cinema. Sole starred in a spy film, so Nick mostly asks her questions about that experience.

Nick (Romanced): “High society-type, eh? You still want to run around with the lowly likes of me?” Nick was only kidding with Sole. He found their passion for theater to be inspiring. It was important to care about something. Sole cared about entertaining and standing up for people. Nick cared about justice and Sole. It worked out nicely for them both.

Strong: “Human read stories like Mac-beth and milk of human kindness?” Sole just agreed so they didn’t have to explain themselves. Their answer satisfied Strong, who only admired them more.

X6-88: Acting was only another talent in a laundry list of shit Sole excelled in. He knew the charisma would come in handy when running the Institute. Overall, X6 was impressed. He didn’t ask her many questions about the experience, but when Sole offered him some tapes with her movies on them, he watched them in private.

X6-88 (Romanced): X6 insisted Sole watch her movies with him whenever they had free time. He wanted to know everything about his partner; even the parts he didn’t really understand. X6 thought there were better ways pre-war people could entertain themselves, like watching sports or sparring themselves. But when he sees how graceful Sole is on screen… Well, they barely made it through the first film before he was all over her.

[zirawrites]

Ok, ok, so companions react to finding Sole spent ALL NIGHT hanging up Christmas lights on every single house and tree in Sanctuary. (Even going so far as to build a separate generator exclusively to power said lights)

I wrote this as Sole showing companions this at night. I hope that still captures your vision when you sent this reaction! Wish I could have posted this closer to Christmas. Sorry for the wait

Cait: Sometimes when Cait drifted off to sleep in the cages, the lights would blur together as she closed her eyes. It was the only time she felt calm in those days. For those brief seconds before blissful sleep, the world was nothing but twinkling white lights, and she was safe. That was what the decorations in Sanctuary reminded her of. When Sole asked how she liked them, Cait cursed under her breath. She realized how much Sole really cared for her. When words failed, Cait gave them a hard slap on the back. “You outdone yerself, darln’. I’ve never seen anythn’ more beautiful. Besides me-self in the mirror, ya know?”

Codsworth: His metal body shook with glee, and Sole had to hold him steady. The last thing either of them wanted was for him to blow a fuse. “This is just like before the war!” Codsworth exclaimed. He could picture Sole and their spouse holding baby-Shaun as the naughtier children of the town ran up and down the street. The Rosa family would be playing Christmas music through their new record player, which would wake up half the neighborhood. Codsworth would fix Sole hot chocolate, and listen to them tell him what a great help he was. 

When Sole noticed Codsworth had fallen silent, they placed their hand on his side reassuringly. “Me too, pal,” Sole said. “I see it too.”

Curie: Curie had read about this tradition back as a Miss Nanny, and it was something she assumed Sanctuary couldn’t afford. She was mostly impressed that Sole made an entire new generator. Her friend was both kind and savvy. Curie walked under the twinkling lights, and ran her fingers over the warm bulbs. She wanted to feel every sensation. She wanted to see every light.

“This is… so wonderful, Sole.” When Sole frowned, Curie tilted her head inquisitively.  Sole reached out to brush away the tears that fell down Curie’s cheeks. “Oh, not to worry, madame/monsieur. These are happy tears. You have given Sanctuary a wonderful Christmas present. All I got you was a textbook. I hope it will still suffice, yes?”

Danse: Maxon occasionally allowed soldiers to decorate the Prydwen. The festivities were usually confined to their share quarters, and consisted mostly of a small fake tree and a few fairy lights. When Danse took in the old magazine-worthy spectacle, even his stoic demeanor couldn’t hold back a beaming smile. “Outstanding, Sole,” he said. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from the lights, so he placed his hand on Sole’s shoulder to let them know they had his attention. “I can’t believe you did all of this by yourself. I’m impressed.” The handful of settlers in Sanctuary were just stepping outside to take in the view, and pride swelled in Danse’s chest. Their faces were so joyous; eyes widening and smiles tightly stretching. “So is everyone else. You seem to find a new way to make the Commonwealth a little brighter every day. Um… literally.” Sole snorted at his unintentional joke.

Deacon: Sole managed to evade Deacon’s watchful eyes long enough to give him a surprise? He didn’t believe it until he saw Sanctuary lit up in every color imaginable. He had seen what Diamond City put out on Christmas Day, and a few pre-war holiday catalogs. But a neighborhood covered in festive lights? This was uncharted territory. He was conflicted with the urge to run down the street like a little kid, or badger Sole about how they sneaked out of HQ for an entire night without him knowing.

“Okay, for once in my life, I got nothing.” Deacon’s fingers lingered hesitantly at the edge of his sunglasses. He wanted to take them off and get the full effect, but couldn’t risk someone seeing his eyes. Couldn’t risk being vulnerable. “You outdid yourself, Sole. I’m in awe of your awesomeness. Aghast at your flabberghastedness. Amazed at your ama-” Sole cut him off with a soft punch to his arm. Deacon winced, and went to reach for the tender spot. When Sole had turned their head away, he instead used his hand to grab their shoulder. “When everyone goes to bed, let’s go back out here, okay?” Deacon furrowed his brow. He seemed so serious he might actually be sad. “I wanna come out here without my shades, you dig?” Sole definitely did, and responded with a quick side-hug that Deacon actually reciprocated.

Dogmeat: The puppy absolutely lost his shit. Dogmeat barked over and over again as he ran up and down the streets. Sole gave up on trying to corral him, and let the pooch run out his energy. The twinkling lights along the houses and in the trees both confused and excited Dogmeat.  He knew it couldn’t be the work of enemies. Look at how happy Sole was. Since Sole was happy, so was Dogmeat. He tried to nip at the strings in the bushes, but Codsworth shooed him away. What a great night to be a dog.

Gage: When Sole eagerly led him in to Sanctuary, he got the same feeling when they had restored power to Nuka World. The sudden explosion of light across the park made each bulb twinkle. He hadn’t expected such a warm feeling in his chest as the rides started up and raiders explored their bases with childlike wonder. And as he watched the other settlers gaze up at the houses with amazement, he couldn’t be more impressed with Sole if he tried. “Well shit, boss. I dunno what to say. Every time I think you’ve outdone yerself you pull something like fucking… like… well, like this, I guess.” Sole noticed Gage was blushing. Their raider friend wasn’t usually flustered. The fact that he trailed off to explore the settlement reaffirmed how comfortable he felt around his Overboss. Too proud to show Sole he cared, but contented enough to flash them a smile before he walked away.

Hancock: “You did all this by yourself? Shit. All I got you were some socks.” Hancock stood in the middle of the road to get the best view of all the houses. He had tried to decorate Goodneighbor before, but the lights usually were stolen by the end of the evening. It was hard housing the kinds of ruffians he ran with; especially when they were particularly ungrateful guests. Seeing Sole smile under a soft spotlight of red and green made his chest swell. Hancock didn’t know what he did to deserve a friend as selfless as them. “I’m putting you in charge of our little Christmas party in The Third Rail. Unless…” Sole cut him off with a curt wave of their hand. They were not moving the drifters of Goodneighbor in to Sanctuary for the night. Even if it was Christmas.

MacCready: MacCready squealed like a kid on Christmas Day as he ran across the bridge to Sanctuary to look at the lights. When he did work for the Gunners, he sometimes found himself perched up high on a building. He could see Diamond City sparkling in the distance, and thought that had to be the brightest thing left on Earth. As he walked through the streets and gaped at Sole’s handiwork, MacCready knew he was wrong.

“This is amazing!” MacCready was so excited that his voice cracked at the end; his pitch so squeaky Sole thought he was having a panic attack. “God, what I would have given to see this as a kid. Can we show this to the tykes in Diamond City? I know a handful of ‘em that could really use this. Actually, just last week -” MacCready was telling Sole something important, but they had stopped listening. It was the first time Sole saw him want to give something back. They knew he had a soft spot for children, but to sacrifice their settlement just to show some strangers holiday cheer? It was the best present MacCready could have given Sole for Christmas. 

Preston: Preston had wondered why Sole wanted as many Minutemen to report to Sanctuary up until the moment he saw the colorful lights. Every house and tree was decorated in holiday cheer; something only Sole could ever pull off. Since the first time they met, Sole did nothing but give and give to the people of the Commonwealth. When they asked Preston if he liked their work, he took off his hat in awe. His reaction was humble; Preston’s gaze softly fell on Sole to show tears running down his flushed cheeks.

“You’re really something, you know that?” he whispered. “I didn’t think I’d be this choked up. I just…” Sole pulled Preston in to a hug as the accompanying Minutemen left to explore the town. “Thank you, Sole. For everything.” Preston didn’t know how to make it up to his General, but he knew he would do anything to prove his loyalty.

Piper: “Jesus…” Piper didn’t know what else to say. As soon as Nat saw the bright lights, the little girl ran off to explore. Piper was left behind with Sole to express their gratitude, but for the first time in her life the wordsmith had nothing to say. Sole watched Piper spin around several times to take it all in. When she finally soaked up the gravity of just how far Sole was willing to go to spread Christmas cheer, her expression changed from stoic to elated. “This is the coolest thing ever!” Was Piper actually giggling? The reporter threw up her arms and twirled in a circle; her red coat fluttering and picking up an array of Christmas colors. “So what do you want the article to be called? Ooh! How about: Blue saves Sanctuary from a Blue Christmas. Get it? No? Okay, I’ll work on it.”

Nick: The old synth had memories of Christmases he never took part in. Not really, anyway. Pre-war Nick opened presents. He drank hot toddies and nuzzled with his wife by the fireplace. His new self usually spent Christmas alone in his office because Nick always gave Ellie the day off. When everyone went to bed, Nick walked around Diamond City to admire the lights. It was peaceful. Tranquil. Lonely.

Sole had covered his eyes to unveil their decorations. As soon as Nick caught the first sheen of light on the roof in front of him, he knew Sole had decorated for Christmas. For the first minute, Nick was utterly speechless. Sole poked at his arm and asked if everything was okay.

“I finally have my own Christmas tradition,” he said. Sole wasn’t sure if the flicker in his yellow eyes was supposed to represent a tear. “And it’s with you. My partner.” Nick snaked his arm around Sole’s waist as they watched a handful of Sanctuary children run past them. “My best friend.”

Strong: Strong didn’t know what Christmas was, even though Sole explained the tradition multiple times. They figured the best way for Strong to grasp it was to show him just how festive the holiday could be. Surprisingly, Strong’s face lit up at the colorful decorations. It was the most expression he had ever shown. Sole almost wanted to cry.

“Human cover shelter in bright lights. Easy for bad guys to find human’s home.” Before Sole could interject, Strong added: “But Strong has never seen such color. Everything is glowing. Very bright. Makes human happy. That makes Strong happy.” It was a compliment Sole was more than willing to take.

X6-88: Electricity wasn’t hard to come by in the Institute. X6 couldn’t imagine the massive amount of drifters that went without it in the Commonwealth. Every room underground had their own lighting, and every person had basic necessities like running water. It took a lot to impress him outside of combat skills. And Sole seemed to always be pushing his limits.

As Sole watched X6′s expression, they almost thought he didn’t care for the bright lights. It took a trained eye to notice his mouth slightly agape. Sole knew if he really disliked it, he would have immediately voiced his dissatisfaction. Instead, X6 stayed silent for a long time.

“It’s beautiful,” he finally said. And X6 meant it. Part of him was curious enough to venture away from Sole and take in all the decorations, but the part loyal to them wanted to stay close. “May we look at all of them? I’ve never seen Christmas decorations before.” His voice was so eager that Sole just couldn’t resist.

[zirawrites]

(Romanced or not,up to you) How do the companions react after being reunited with the sole survivor after they relay to the Institute for the first time,them not being sure if sole even survived the trip?

I decided to do romanced because it’s always a little more fun! Thanks for sending in this reaction and I’m sorry it’s taken me over two weeks to get to it, nonny!

Cait: Cheeks flushed red. Eyes wide open. Chest rising and falling. Fists balled up so tight her fingernails drew blood. Cait had never been more angry; not even when she was prostituted out to the cages. Sole had left her to save the world, not realizing Cait’s entire universe was her beloved survivor. The Minutemen let her observe Sole’s relay, mostly because Sole made her promise she wouldn’t start trouble. However, Sole was supposed to be back by now. Her lover was strong, but the Institute might be stronger… No one knew, and Cait assumed that was the point.

There was a flash of light. Cait was so anxious she couldn’t tear her eyes away. When Sole’s silhouette appeared, Cait was by their side before the Minutemen even registered what happened. “Sole!” she cried; wrapping Sole in her strong arms and spinning them off the ground. “You fuckin’ idiot! Don’t ever scare me like that again!” Some of the Minutemen readied their guns. Cait’s voice was so unstable it seemed like she wanted to pick a fight. When Sole wiped away the tears Cait didn’t realize she was crying, her shoulders relaxed. In a softer voice, Cait added: “I love you. You’re so damn stubborn and fiery and I love you.” She didn’t understand why Sole would risk what they had to save complete strangers, but it was part of the reason she knew Sole was the best damn person in the Commonwealth.

Codsworth (synth): Since Codsworth was a naturally nervous-wreck, Sole instructed him to stay in Sanctuary and look after the settlers. It took his mind off Sole’s exploration, but only for the first several hours. He feared a lot in the godforsaken Commonwealth - things like raiders and deathclaws and good glassware getting smudged - but nothing compared to losing Sole. It took him over 200 years to reunite with his master/mistress, and Codsworth didn’t know if he could bear another two decades. 

When Sole walked over the Sanctuary bridge, his knees nearly gave out. The usually neat and composed synth sprinted down the road - arms outstretched - until he nearly toppled Sole over. Codsworth completely forgot his gentlemanly manners. His hands rubbed up and down Sole’s back, and his mouth pressed warmly to their temple. “I was so scared,” he mumbled in to Sole’s hair. They had never felt him shake like that; not since his Mr. Handy days when Sole forgot to oil him. They ran their hands through Codsworth’s hair to calm him, but he didn’t register their touch. “You’re so much braver than I, sir/ma’am. Sometimes I can hardly stomach it.” Sole knew they would have to return to the Institute soon, but seeing Codsworth so worked up over their first departure would always leave a sour taste in their mouth while they were away.

Curie: Curie understood Sole’s need to discover the Institute. Knowledge was a noble pursuit; especially in these trying times where education was almost nonexistent. The morning Curie bid Sole adieu, her heart was full of hope. Her Sole was going to discover what being had terrorized the Commonwealth for so long. They would bring back secrets and science to share with their settlers. And in the end, Sole was going to save humanity. Curie could just sense it, even though her studies discouraged the idea of destiny. That was how much Curie believed in her partner.

But as the hours ticked on, that once-sweltering feeling of hope dwindled like the setting sun. Curie sat by the transmitter and used a stick to draw patterns in the sand. There was nothing else she could do. Unlike the other Minutemen who were feebly arguing how to relay Sole back, Curie knew none of them understood the Institute’s technology.

Then that beautiful blue flash of light. Curie jumped off the ground to greet Sole with a tight hug around their neck. “I am so glad you’ve returned!” Curie said in to Sole’s neck. “You must have many stories to share with all of us. But first, I insist on giving you a medical exam. I do not no what contaminates you may have encountered during the relay. I think…” Curie continued to fret over Sole until they allowed her to give them a thorough check-up in the Castle’s clinic.

Danse: When Danse introduced Sole to the Brotherhood, he never imagined it would have led them straight to the Institute. He often dreamed of finding the bastards who made synthetic humans and terrorized innocent families as a joyous moment. He would burst in to their secret lair with guns blazing and take no survivors. But when they discovered Sole had to relay there, his dreams of violence vanished. All Danse cared about was Sole returning safely.

He thought of every negative scenario possible. What if Sole was replaced by a synth? What if the Institute tortured his lover for information on the Brotherhood? As Danse paced in front of the transporter, his anxiety heightened. Sole could be strapped to a table. They could have wired hooked to their head. It would be all his fault…

The blue explosion took all the soldiers by surprise. Sole stumbled off the platform and straight in to Danse’s arms. His first instinct was to kiss them, but he resisted. No one knew they were dating, and exposing their love at that exact moment could jeopardize Sole’s place in taking down the Institute. Instead, Danse settled on brushing their hair from their face and holding Sole to his chest. “Ad Victoriam, soldier,” he said. His voice was shaky, and his embrace was uncomfortably tight. He didn’t need to say anything else. Sole could feel his relief by the way he softly sighed in to the top of their head.

Deacon: The whole reason he brought Sole in to The Railroad was to hunt down the Institute and find their son. So why did saying goodbye feel so… wrong? Desdemona sensed Deacon’s apprehension, and reassured him that Sole was the most qualified to go through the relay. Her words barely registered. Instead, Deacon spent the next several hours pacing. He ran his hands through his hair. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Whenever someone tried to ease the tension with a well-meaning joke, he didn’t even look up. Sole was in danger because of HIM. If they died, it was more blood on his hands. 

He should have ran away with Sole. They could have changed their names. Gotten a face swap. The two would build a house by the ocean and fill it with children who would never be exposed to espionage and danger. It was the life he thought his Sole deserved.

When the transmitter cracked lightning and Sole reappeared, they were hounded by every agent surrounding them. Desdemona wanted to know who they met. Tinker Tom asked if they stole any weapons he could play with. When Sole finally pushed their way to Deacon, he melted in to their hand that snaked up his chest to his shoulder. “I found him,” Sole said. “I found Shaun.”

Instead of reminding them that he promised that all along, Deacon pulled Sole in for a rare public kiss. He had never been at such a loss for words, but feeling Sole in his arms gave him just enough strength not to whisk them away to a new life. 

Gage: Even though Gage knew he had no right, he wished he hadn’t let Sole go to the actual fucking Institute. If anyone could protect themselves, it was them. But that didn’t matter. It was the principle of putting Sole in harm’s way. They had given up their dignity and reputation with the raiders to take him on as a lover. And how did he repay them? But giving them a shy kiss and telling them to stay alert before a ball of light evaporated them. For all he knew, that explosion killed Sole instantly.

He became violent. Whenever he was asked to step away from the transmitter, he shoved that person to the ground. His anger was channeled through expletives and irritability. After a while no one dared to speak to him. Gage thought that if Sole was gone for another minute he would completely go insane.

The zap! of the relay caught his attention just as he was about to backhand a Minuteman. Sole stood proud and beautiful on the launch pad. Gage took a moment to gape at how strong they looked just having discovered the Institute. He had never been more proud.

“Boss!” Gage ran up to Sole and placed his forehead on theirs. “You’re crazy, you know that? Had me worried to death you weren’t gonna come back.” Instead of their usually witty comeback, Sole pulled Gage in to a hug. He hadn’t expected the sudden contact, and hesitantly pulled them closer. “You just love attention, don’t you? There are safer ways to get your thrills. Ones that don’t give me a heart attack, damn it.”

Hancock: Hancock wanted to be strong for Sole, but they reminded him how much Goodneighbor needed him. Reluctantly, Hancock waited for Sole back at the Old State House. His fingers nervously twitched every time he thought of just shooting up with chems to pass the time, but what if Sole got hurt during their return? He would be useless if he was completely inebriated. It was a hard decision, but Hancock was going to wait for Sole completely sober. And it was actually killing him.

The knock at his door nearly made his heart stop. For a moment he wondered if it was a synth army come to take him away. He frowned thinking about Sole ratting out his mischievous haven for synths and ghouls in return for their life. It would be the ultimate betrayal, and Hancock felt guilty that it even crossed his mind.

He opened the door without checking who was there. Why should he? If it was the Institute coming for him, he wouldn’t be able to fight his way out. He grit his teeth when the door creaked open, but everything came crashing down at once when it was his smiling Sole. So much guilt. Relief. Love.

“Sunshine!” he breathed, and wrapped Sole in to a tight hug. His voice didn’t sound like his own. The word came out higher; like a child meeting their favorite superhero and realizing miracles were real. “I was thinkn’ about hopping in that big machine and speeding up the process. You’ve been gone for ages.”

“You’re a ghoul,” Sole laughed. Their tears warmed his chest. When had they started crying? “A few hours should be nothing to you.”

“Not when it involves my man/girl,” Hancock replied. “Not when it involves the one I love.”

MacCready: “They should be back by now, right?” MacCready discarded his cigarette and stomped it in to the pavement. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up stiff, and he scratched feebly at the unnerving sensation. When no one answered, his cheeks flushed. He knew no one had any answers. The reason Sole got in the transporter was to be the first one to find the Institute. Keyword: first.

MacCready wanted to lash out, but that’s the last thing Sole would have wanted. He could stay composed when Lucy died. He was strong when Duncan fell ill. If Sole needed him to be just as reliant, so be it. Though it felt like a lot to ask a man who rested all his hopes on someone with a goal to save the entire world.

As soon as Sole returned through the teleporter, MacCready was overwhelmed with emotion. He felt tears edge their way over his eyes, and quickly wiped them with the back of his sleeve. By the time he looked up, Sole already had his scruffy cheeks cupped in their hands. “You missed me that bad, huh?” they asked. MacCready couldn’t do anything but nod. He buried his face in Sole’s neck and started crying. He knew he would be able to move on if Sole died, but only as a shell of a man. After Sole stroked his hair for another minute, he promised himself he would never put Sole in harm’s way. If they insisted on risking their neck for a bunch of synths, he was going to be right there by their side.

Preston: Sole wasn’t going to come back. He knew how dumb his luck was when they first said they loved him. Preston fell ass-backwards in to a relationship with the most wholesome person in the Commonwealth. Right from the start he knew he didn’t deserve them. Sole was everything right with the world. They never gave up. Hell, they were sacrificing their literal body just to find the entrance to the Institute.

Outwardly, Preston kept up a calm demeanor. He didn’t want to worry any of the Minutemen who were pining for their General’s return. Sole’s last command was to keep up the Castle’s morale. If they returned, Preston wanted to look them in the eyes and confidentially say he didn’t let them down. It was the least he could do.

The others were just about to set up a watch schedule when the teleporter shook and Sole reappeared. Everyone cheered as Sole descended off the platform. They noticed Sole’s beaming smile, but Preston could see Sole’s bloodshot eyes. He knew Sole had been crying.

After Preston instructed the Minutemen to prepare Sole some food and a cot to rest, he placed a long kiss on their cheek. “You had me worried you wouldn’t come back,” he said. “I know you told me to be strong. And I think I was. But I can’t help myself worrying about your safety. Are you alright?” As soon as Preston asked Sole that, they pulled him in for a deep kiss. Sole stayed locked in Preston’s embrace until they absolutely needed to come up for air. He wasn’t sure if Sole needed that to ground themselves, or maybe they really were in love. Either way, Preston knew this was just the beginning of everything.

Piper: “This is such bullshit!” Piper didn’t like swearing in front of Nat, but this was a special circumstance. Sole still hadn’t returned to Diamond City after their quest to find the Institute. Piper kidded that she wanted the exclusive on the story, but was more worried about her partner’s well-being. Nat had tried to calm her down all day, but it made Piper more irritated. When Nat motioned to the floor, Piper realized she had knocked over a stack of papers.

Piper insisted Nat go outside and play. She said she would clean up because it was her fault the office was a mess. When Nat shut the door, Piper’s shoulders shuddered with sobs as she scooped up the newspapers. For the first time Piper scanned her own work, it didn’t made her chest swell with pride. She should have stopped Sole. Told them not to leave the safety of Diamond City. Hell, she would have gone in Sole’s place. They were priceless in this world. Piper felt smell and expendable.

“Need some help?” 

Piper looked up from her crying to see Sole crouched down with a stack of papers in their hands. She hadn’t heard them come in. Piper squealed and jumped on Sole; knocking them on their back and smothering them with kisses.��“You’re a maniac!” Piper laughed between shaky breaths. Sole finally relaxed and let Piper continue to nuzzle their face. “You did it, didn’t you? Oh my god, you did it! I knew if anyone could it would have been you, Blue. I’m so… I’m so proud of you!” She continued her barrage of compliments; the exclusive story the last thing on her mind. Sole was all that mattered in that tiny, messy little slice of home.

Nick: Sole would be the first missing person he could absolutely prove the Institute stole. When he heard they were leaving to relay straight to the boogeymen, Nick nearly powered down. He begged Sole to reconsider; to find someone to take their place. The settlers throughout the Commonwealth needed Sole’s guidance. His cases needed Sole’s watchful eyes to find missing families. Nick needed Sole because he loved them.

It was the first time he said that, and Sole was eager to say it back. They departed with slow, meaningful kisses. Nick promised to wait for them at the agency, but Sole had been gone for over a day. If they were gone, should he put up missing posters? He could just see it now. Missing: The most beautiful creature in the Commonwealth. Bright eyes that still see the good in others. Lips good for kissing and talking shit. Hands that want to build back up this broken world and still caress an old synth’s face.

“Your sign isn’t on.” It was Sole. They leaned against the doorway and tried to hide their amusement when Nick shot up from his desk. “I thought you’d stay open even if I left. What would you do without me? I guess you’d be able to still dress yourself. You never take off that coat.”

Nick wanted to laugh, but the sound got stuck in his circuits. If he could cry, he would be covering his face to hide it. Instead, Nick met Sole at the door to run his thumb across their cheek. “Perish the thought, kid,” he said. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”

[zirawrites]

Okay, companions + Gage, who are mad in love with smol fem sole get stuck in a closet together chest to chest to hide out from a group of Gunners, what happens!?!?!?

The two companions were pinned down inside the building. Gunners were positioned at every vantage point atop the adjacent buildings. Sole grabbed their partner’s hand and led them through the dim hallways. The gunners kicked down the front door and began sweeping every floor. Hearing them approach faster, Sole and their companion both jump in the same room. Unbeknownst to both of them, it was a small janitor’s closet. Both their chests were pressed against each other. Luckily, Sole was small enough for them both to fit, but just barely.

Cait: “Y’know there are easier ways to get closer to me,” Cait snide. She kept her voice to a low whisper, but her inflection was beyond flirtatious. It was downright lustful. Cait knew she intimidated Sole, especially since she towered over her. When Sole gulped in the darkness, it took all of Cait’s might to stifle a laugh. “All ya had to do was ask, love.”

Codsworth (synth): The most physical contact Sole and Codsworth ever had was when he was either tending to her wounds or tucking her in to bed (which Sole insisted every night he didn’t need to do). Codsworth wanted to be a gentleman and pull away, but there was nowhere for him to go. They were pressed against each other, and he was glad the darkness hid his blush. Codsworth stumbled out some nonsense about always finding themselves in peculiar predicaments, and Sole brought her slender finger to his lips to shush him. Codsworth’s voice raised with every nervous stammer. “I’m sorry, mum,” he finally said. “These gunners should be leaving soon. Not that I don’t like spending time with you. I just find -” Once again, Sole shushed him.

Curie: Curie didn’t find bodily contact as overtly sexual as most people in the Commonwealth. She obviously found Sole attractive, but there was no reason to change the situation to flirtatious when the two were hiding for their lives. When Curie was sure the gunners were gone, she gave Sole’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “That was a close one, was it not?” Curie was thankful both women were small enough to fit in the room together, otherwise the larger one would have had to hold the other on their shoulders. That would have been uncomfortable.

Danse: Danse had changed out of his armor multiple times in front of sisters of The Brotherhood. Hell, Scribe Haylen had probably seen him naked more times than he could count. So why did Danse find himself literally sweating as his small friend pressed herself against the front of him? He wanted to curse the gunners for putting them both in such a compromising situation. “Just stay still,” Danse soothed. They could hear the gunners getting closer to the door. “Any sudden movement could jeopardize the success of our mission.” In truth, Danse just didn’t want Sole to feel how clammy he had become.

Deacon: The two friends gave each other a tight, awkward smile the moment their chests touched each other. Deacon wanted to squirm in to a more comfortable position, but there wasn’t any room and the gunners might hear him. Sole noticed his discomfort, and squeezed his bicep. “I don’t smell that bad, do I?” she asked. Deacon felt bad he made Sole feel self-conscious, so he allowed himself to relax and fully lean in to her. They didn’t talk the rest of their time in the closet, but Deacon would tell everyone back at HQ that Sole totally made a pass at him. 

Hancock: Holy shit, was it his birthday? Hancock couldn’t imagine a better scenario than to be pressed up against his petite Sole at the height of danger. He used the opportunity to pull Sole in to him like he was shielding her from danger. She rolled her eyes, knowing full well he was just trying to hold her. “Don’t worry, Sunshine. I’ll be brave for the both of us,” he laughed in to her hair. How could she be mad at him? Hancock was beaming when he felt Sole smile against his chest.

MacCready: “Just freaking great.” MacCready was a baby about the whole thing. He didn’t know how to approach the situation. Being pressed against Sole like that was the same shock as being thrown in a pool of ice water. He would have liked to mentally prepare himself for a cute comeback instead of finding himself against the woman he was wild about. When Sole looked up at him with concern, his expression softened. “We’re okay,” he reassured. MacCready swallowed his pride and ran a thumb across Sole’s chin. “Just stay quiet. Sorry if I smell kinda bad.” He really did.

Preston: “Oh, uhm. I didn’t know this would be such a tight squeeze.” Preston’s voice was a little concerned. He didn’t want Sole to think he had led her to the closet just to be physical with her. Sole obviously knew Preston wasn’t that much of a dog. She crinkled her nose and reassured him that she completely trust his intentions. That was good, Preston thought, because he was shaking like a leaf and was going to blame it on the fear of being caught.

Piper: Piper was the most fidgety of the two women. She was trying to pull her chest away from Sole’s, but there was barely room for just one of them. “I’m tryn’ to make it not awkward,” Piper insisted. “But by saying that I probably just made it even weirder, huh?” Sole laughed, and then gunners caught them. “Oh no, now it’s awkward.”

Nick: Nick felt absolutely mortified. He didn’t want his first close encounter with Sole to be so… forward. Sole saw Nick nervously look around the room as if he could escape out of the ceiling, so she tapped his chest and reassured him that they wouldn’t be trapped long. He placed his hat on Sole’s head so he wouldn’t have to keep looking down at her big, doey eyes. They were both total dorks about it.

X6-88: X6 was programmed for stealth, so the situation they found themselves in didn’t bother him. He actually snaked an arm around Sole’s back to make sure he didn’t lose her in the dark, and could adequately protect her if the gunners broke in. His stoic expression calmed Sole down, but his heart beating wildly in his chest was a dead give-away that X6 was actually pretty flustered.

Bonus!Gage: Gage had been trying to avoid physical contact with Sole ever since he caught feelings for her. They were lucky she was small enough to squeeze against his muscly chest, but unlucky because Gage was about to make things uncomfortable. “Don’t you fart in here or nothn’,” he grumbled. “Otherwise I’m thrown’ yer ass out for the gunners. I don’t care if yer the Overboss or not.” What a bully.

[zirawrites]

Companions and Gage, if you don’t mind, with crushes on sole!! Who kisses who first!

Cait: Contrary to popular belief, Cait lowers her guard around Sole. You’d think she’d get extra broody and defensive, but Cait is secretly aching to let someone in her life. She’s always up for an adventure, so once Sole proves they can be trusted, they have Cait wrapped around their finger. Well, not ALWAYS. Cait likes to tease and is a relentless flirt. She points out every time Sole checks her out. Calls Sole pet names like “lover” and “darling.” Their first kiss is at a bar. Cait had too much to drink and decided to just go for it. The kiss was rough despite Cait’s experience. Sole goes in for the second kiss, and this time it’s Cait who’s the blubbering mess.

Codsworth (synth): Codsworth’s love language is definitely acts of service. He would drop whatever he’s doing at a moment’s notice to assist Sole. Do they need an extra pair of hands on a mission? His bags are packed. Is their home in Sanctuary getting rusty? Codsworth has been up since the crack of dawn dusting. He still calls Sole mum/sir, but not as often. He’s extremely flustered whenever Sole compliments him. And physical touch? Forget it. Sole once rested their hand on his and he nearly passed out. Without a doubt Sole initiates the first kiss. The two were dancing to the radio in their Sanctuary home during a thunder storm. An unbearably loud crack of lightning made them cling to each other where they stood. Sole just leaned in and kissed him. When they pulled back, he was nearly in tears. He was madly in love and it only took 200 years to show it.

Curie: Curie’s curiosity makes her unusually blunt about… well, everything. Sole specifically remembers the night she woke them up to say she couldn’t wait to get her first period. Honestly, Curie will tell Sole anything and everything. When she’s crushing on Sole, her questions go from innocent to probing. What was Sole’s dream date? Did they ever want to get married again? Could the recommend any romance novels? It was obvious Curie wanted to know what attracted her favorite companion. Whenever Sole was blunt back, especially in a flirtatious way, she became flustered. Curie kisses Sole first. She politely asked if Sole would be her first kiss instead of having that memorable experience with a stranger. Of course Sole didn’t want Curie kissing random men throughout the Commonwealth to gain experience. The kiss was timid, but Curie was the first one to deepen it.

Danse: Sole doesn’t know how many times they begged Danse to stop modifying their power armor. It seemed like he had an endless amount of excuses to spend time with Sole. The only downside was that when Sole and Danse did spend quality time together, he was overprotective. Danse used to admire Sole’s headstrong approaches to missions and unfiltered bravery, he was asking them to fall back and let him take the lead. He just didn’t want Sole to get hurt. Most of his nightmares were about losing Sole to gunners or ghouls. Sole kisses Danse first. They’re on a mission in the middle of gross bog water arguing about which direction to take. Sole’s Pip-Boy was acting up, and they were lost. Danse was panicking, Sole knew that worried look. They were already in power armor, so it wasn’t difficult to reach his face. The kiss was soft and chaste. Danse pulled away first, and Sole assumed they offended him. Before Sole can apologize, he comes back for a more desperate, deeper kiss.

Deacon: Deacon has the most unusual reaction to crushing on Sole. Part of him wants to immerse himself fully in a relationship. He has a side of him that wants to settle down. Marriage. Kids. Lounging on rocking chairs and eating Fancy Lads until they’re fat. Barbara got to see that side of him. The other part of Deacon wants to run away. If he lost Sole, there would be nothing left of him. So the flirtation is always present, but he never lets it get out of hand. He’ll comment on Sole’s appearance when they dress up for a mission, but if Sole responds with something equally as teasing? Deacon clams up fast. He’s also constantly trying to teach them new things. Accents for different characters. How to tie elaborate knots. Anything that allows him to take control and talk. 

Sole kisses him first. When they destroy the Institute, the first thing Sole does is pull him in for a kiss. He doesn’t move. The entirety of the kiss is Sole moving their lips against his. When they finish, the entire HQ can hear his heart beating. He laughs it off. But when he gets Sole alone later that night? He’s got them pressed against the brick wall; moving his hands greedily along their torso and tangled in their hair as his tongue swirls inside their mouth. That’ll teach ‘em to stop being so damn perfect.

Hancock: This ghoul is relentless. Hancock has been flirting with Sole since the moment he met them. It’s obvious he finds Sole physically attractive. He comments on their looks every time they meet up for a mission or infamous “chem break.” The more he gets to know them, the more Hancock falls for their charm. Sole has as much of a silver tongue as he does. Hancock watches in awe whenever Sole talks them out of a desperate situation so no one has to die. It’s beyond admirable; he’s fucking falling in love. His comments become less perverse and more heartfelt. He thinks they’re the smartest smoothskin in the Commonwealth. They have the brightest eyes. He’s so lucky to have them in his life.

Hancock kisses Sole first. They were taking a stroll through Goodneighbor when Hancock spun Sole around; gripping their shoulders and forcing an awkward smile. Was the notorious mayor actually nervous? Sole senses his apprehension and asks if everything’s okay. He leans down timidly and presses his lips to theirs. The kiss is more gentle than Sole expected. His rough skin tickles their lips. And when Hancock pulls away, he’s shaking from nerves and excitement. What a trip.

MacCready: Being a traditionalist, MacCready approaches his crush in an almost pre-war fashion. He picks Sole up trinkets from his travels. He offers to make dinner when they’re both tired. His flirting is constant, but never sexual. MacCready doesn’t shy away from love, he’s just worried he’ll get Sole killed one day. MacCready also antagonizes Sole like a little kid. He sometimes treats Sole like a schoolyard crush; he’s quick to pick a fight but equally as willing to resolve it with a hug. MaCready is the first to kiss Sole. When they find Duncan’s cure, he grabs either side of Sole’s face and slams his lips in to theirs. The kiss is almost too tight, but the most sincere one Sole ever had. It takes every ounce of MacCready’s willpower not to propose right then and there.

Preston: Preston is the personification of “bashful.” Everything Sole does makes the Minuteman blush. He’s quick to offer his help, and even quicker to pay Sole a compliment. His words are always sweet, and when he gets tongue-tied Preston trips over his words. He should just take a deep breath, but every time he sees Sole he is literally meeting his hero. Sole initiates the first kiss because Preston would have never believed they had feelings for him. The kiss is unexpected. Sole just grabbed him by the collar and laid one on him out of the blue. They giggled when his hat nearly fell off. He tries to tell Sole he’s been waiting for that kiss, but it comes out a jumbled mess. Sole has to kiss him again to shut him up.

Piper: Piper’s flirting is as aggressive as she is. The reporter is absolutely relentless. She doesn’t hide that she finds Sole intoxicating. She compliments Sole on everything from their bravery out in the Commonwealth to perfect quotes for her articles. Nick once pulled her aside to tell her to at least pretend to be hard-to-get. But Piper doesn’t care. Technically she’s the first to kiss Sole. Sole was headed out on a mission when Piper kissed Sole’s cheek for “good luck.” Sole turned around to dip her like a pre-war movie and kiss her lips. When the two stand back up, Piper is so frazzled she can’t remember what she was going to say. Something about remembering to bring her back a present, she thinks.

Nick: Being pursued by Nick Valentine is like being courted by a 1940′s Ryan Gosling. He pulls out all the stops to impress Sole. Nick sends them flowers, he writes Sole poetry, and even takes them out for drinks on the weekends. Nick isn’t forward enough to spell out his intentions, but it is obvious he’s crazy for Sole. Sole is the first to kiss Nick. He walked them back home and at the door Sole gave him a polite little kiss on the lips. “Is that all ya got?” he laughed. It caught Sole off guard, and before they knew it he was cradling the back of their head and giving them a good ol’ dose of smooching.

X6-88: X6 has no idea how to sort out his feelings for Sole. He wasn’t sure coursers could feel love, so every time Sole flips their hair or brushes his shoulder, he recoils in to himself. It sends the message that he’s annoyed. X6 assumes his compliments on Sole’s fighting is enough to express his feelings, but it isn’t. Sole completely friendzones X6 until he works up the courage to kiss them. They were completely alone at Red Rocket modifying power armor when he pecked Sole on the lips. They both stared long and hard at each other. No one made a second move. X6 went back to his work, leaving Sole more confused than ever.

Bonus!Gage: Gage wasn’t sure if he was even allowed to show Sole affection. Truthfully, he didn’t know where to begin. It felt comfortable to comment on Sole’s ass when they wore their vault suit, and even tease them for making a pass on himself. But Gage just didn’t have the experience to move their relationship past occasional banter. He was angry at himself for letting Sole slip through his fingers, and figured another raider boss would eventually steal their heart. Sole kisses Gage first. It wasn’t like he would ever make a move. Sole was his only friend, and losing them would be devastating. Sole waited for Gage at the entrance of Nuka World when everyone was asleep. They liked to walk back home together to keep each other safe. Before Gage could unholster his weapon, Sole used one hand to hold his own and the other to push his face in to theirs. Sole’s lips barely touched Gage’s before he violently pulled Sole closer. He made deep grunts as he covered as much of Sole’s mouth as he could. Gage wanted this kiss to last as long as possible in case Sole was having second thoughts. To his surprise, Sole was equally as aggressive, and was already making moves to fumble with his pants. He knew he saw something in them. He just fucking knew.

[zirawrites]

Compainsions react to accidentally walking in on Sole taking a bath/shower. Because, honestly, we all know Sole would have a hard time in the wasteland and it's nice to get clean every once in a while.

Cait: It’s a rarity when Cait actually bathes, and she likes to make the process go as quickly as possible. While Sole and her were held up in an abandoned neighborhood, they were both shocked to see it still had running water. Cait wasted no time throwing open the curtain to get the shower over with. She let out a scream as Sole hastily tried to cover themselves. “There are better ways to impress me, ya know!” Cait yelled as the closed the curtain. When she caught her breath, she added: “Not that I didn’t like what I saw.” Cait smiled when she heard Sole scoff.

Codsworth: While Sole was away for over 200 years, Codsworth was used to puttering around the house. He would absentmindedly clean the counters and fix the plumbing. Being so caught up in routine, he didn’t realize his master was showering in the bathroom. When he opened the door to see an equally surprised Sole, Codsworth shut his three eyes and backed out of the room. “Oh, mum/sir! I’m terribly sorry for barging in. I should have knocked.” Even as Codsworth sped down the hallway, he was still apologizing. It made Sole chuckle when she could hear him continue to groan outside.

Curie: Curie wasn’t used to regularly bathing. As a Miss Nanny, she could get away with occasionally oiling herself to get rid of excess rust. Sole had to constantly remind her to keep up her hygiene. Curie had planned out her shower meticulously after Sole salvaged her a book on puberty. It advised pre-teens how often they needed to brush their teeth, comb their hair, and change their clothes among other hygienic advice. She had a towel, fresh undergarments, a washcloth… The only thing Curie hadn’t planned on was staring Sole in the face when she opened the shower. Sole tried to cover themselves up while Curie stared back curiously. “Are mine supposed to look like that as well?” Sole wasn’t sure what part of their body Curie was referencing, and they shooed her out before giving themselves a chance to ask.

Danse: The Prydwen was a hub of activity, especially before nightfall. Recruits were returning from training, and officers were in charge of corralling every soldier to their quarters. It was never the ideal time to sneak away for a quick shower, but Danse needed it. He had been stressed all day over various missions. 

When Danse opened the door to the communal showers, a mortified Sole stared back at him. Danse’s eyes widened, and his cheeks turned redder than a tato. It took a few seconds for Danse to finally form words. “I-I apologize s-s-soldier,” he stuttered. Danse turned his back to leave when Sole reminded him that this was a communal shower. He was allowed in there with them. Danse pretended he didn’t hear, and left. They were set to head out together in the morning, and he didn’t want to make things any more awkward.

Deacon: Deacon’s skin was set ablaze; the rash spread up from his fingertips and slowly consumed his chest. As he ran for the shower, the thin fabric of his shirt agonizingly rubbed against him. It hurt so bad Deacon tore it off mid-sprint. He wasn’t sure what the hell he touched rummaging through that dumpster, but he was clearly allergic.

He threw open the shower door and jumped in. In his painful haze, he didn’t stop to wonder why the water was already running. He was still oooh-ing and ahhh-ing as he shred away the last of his clothes. As he tossed his wig off, he silently promised never to help Tinker Tom again. Never, ever, ever, ever -

Sole just blinked back at him. They were both naked in the shower only inches apart. It was hard to read Deacon’s expression from under his shades, so Sole gave him a curt wave. “Howdy, boss,” he said. “Be a dear and hand me that sponge.”

Dogmeat: Getting Dogmeat to bathe was more difficult than taming a Deathclaw. The pooch absolutely HATED water. Most times Danse had to hold him down as Sole scrubbed his fur, which left both soaked and frustrated. Dogmeat hated making Sole tense. He was only a dog, but clearly knew when his master was upset with him. When he heard running water in Sanctuary, he assumed his master was preparing another bath. This time, Dogmeat would not let Sole down. He ran full-speed towards the house, and jumped straight in to the bathtub. It elicited a squeal from Sole, who tried to sit up in the water. Why was his friend also in the bathtub? Sole was so silly.

Hancock: There weren’t a lot of reasons for Hancock to bathe. His leathery skin seemed to repel average dirt and grime. It only took a quick soak to get him completely clean, so bathing to Hancock was more of a method of relaxation. He had the entire evening planned out. Light some candles. Play Diamond City radio. Shoot up a little Jet. Tonight was about pampering himself.

Unfortunately for him, Sole was already using the bathtub. He walked in completely naked - radio and candles in tow - and looked down at an equally bare and confused Sole. “Oh shit, sorry there, Sunshine!” he chuckled. Sole didn’t find it funny, and sunk deeper under the water. “Aw, don’t be shy. You telln’ me I can’t come in and join ya?” Sole said no.

MacCready: Someone should regularly clean this trash panda themselves, because MacCready was the grimiest in the Commonwealth. With his rotting teeth and bad breath, he still considered it a miracle Lucy had ever wanted to marry him. However, when MacCready started to notice his own funk, he figured it was time to man up and get a shower. He knew it wouldn’t do much to eliminate his natural smell, but at least he could breathe easier without being covered in so much dirt.

“Damn, Sole!” MacCready cursed. He childishly covered his face as Sole splashed them with water. Both of them were screaming at each other like bratty kids. Neither would back down. Sole ended up pruned, and MacCready still smelled.

Preston: Nothing made Preston feel more accomplished than hanging his hat up in the Castle at the end of the day after a long day of helping settlements. He had traveled from Taffington boathouse to Croup Manner delivering supplies. He set up several generators in Starlight Drive-In. Hell, he even fixed a recruitment beacon that was still picking up the Institute’s old station (which was unsettling). All Preston wanted to do was take a long, hot bath.

And definitely not walk in on Sole shaving their legs. He screamed. They screamed. He asked why they even needed to shave when they wore pants all the time. Sole rebutted with something to the effects of “because I actually get laid.” It put him in a sour mood the rest of the night.

Piper: Piper’s guilty pleasure was reading her latest issue in the bathtub. There was something about soaking in warm water that made reading more pleasurable. She already had her shirt off when she entered the bathroom; unaware Sole had just ran themselves a bath. Piper shrieked and dropped her newspaper. Sole shook their hand dry and picked it up from where they sat. Piper rushed out of the room - face blushed red - insisting they absolutely did not read their own stories in the bathroom.

Nick: “You don’t even bathe!” Sole shrieked as Nick slammed the door behind him. “How does this even happen?” Honestly, Nick was just trying to investigate the weird moaning coming from behind the door. He never thought it would be Sole singing in the shower. They were awful. He assumed geeky Travis would have a better voice. He let that be known as Sole increased their profanity at him.

Strong: Strong wanted to know why Sole liked to take off all their armor and lay in a bed of water to relax. Didn’t they know it made them extremely exposed? He confronted Sole in the bathroom as they were absentmindedly scrubbing their arms. As much as Sole shouted for him to leave, Strong continued to question them. Were’t they cold?

X6-88: Nakedness wasn’t something to be embarrassed about. X6 was more worried Sole’s lack of armor would put them at a tactical advantage, but he knew hygiene was an important part of survival. Sole asked him to stand watch outside of the bathroom while they took a brief shower. They had entered an abandoned home in Concord, and really needed to get the super mutant blood off of them.

When the water turned off, X6 asked how long it would be until they moved out again. The sun was setting, and he knew Sole’s eyesight was lacking in the dark. To his concern, Sole didn’t answer. He opened the door to make sure they were okay, and saw Sole half-naked; struggling to pull their shirt over their head. He stood in silence, trying to figure out if he should offer help or shut the door. However, there was that one time Sole told him he looked like a rejected extra from “The Matrix,” and a little payback seemed appropriate.

[zirawrites]

Hi! How do companions +Gage with crush on fem sole react when they find out she thinks she isn’t lovable because of her choices both past and present?

This is my first time writing Gage! Let me know what you think. It was harder than I thought it would be since I didn’t travel with the yellow trashcan-wearing bby that much.

Cait: Cait couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She rubbed Sole’s back as her companion blabbered on about every aspect of her life. The two women had been drinking all night, and Sole had always been an emotional drunk. Somehow they got on the topic of their pasts, and Sole immediately burst in to tears. “Nate was always disappointed in me,” she cried. “He was a soldier who worshiped the law. He disapproved of how I was a lawyer. And I know he’d hate the choices I’ve made.”

Cait scratched her head. “I have no idea what you’re talkn’ about, love,” she said. And Cait was being honest. “You’re tryn’ to take down the Institute: a bunch of shadow-assholes who terrorize families and replace people with copies of themselves. Hell, you’re like a superhero in one of those comic books. Cross my heart.”

Her words didn’t soothe Sole much. “I’ve killed, Cait. Even if they deserved it, I know Nate wouldn’t be able to stomach me.” Sole drunkenly hiccuped as she poured another glass. “I don’t deserve another chance at love. I just don’t.”

Exasperated, Cait had heard enough. She stood up to look down at weeping Sole; her arms crossed tightly and mouth in a tight frown. “Now wait just a damn minute!” she yelled. “You’re a hero in the Commonwealth. I know I ain’t one to talk. And hell, I’m not sure how uptight those pre-war assholes were about heroism. But I’ll be damned if I let you talk bad about yourself.” Cait crouched down in front of Sole and moved a strand of tear-soaked hair from her face. “If anythn’, you’re absolutely perfect.”

Codsworth (synth): The two friends were making breakfast in Sole’s Sanctuary home just like the pre-war days. The sun was shining, Diamond City radio was playing, and Codsworth told his usual stiff English jokes. For a moment, Sole forgot all about the nuclear fallout. Life was just as it used to be, but instead of Codsworth being a Mr. Handy, he was a well-dressed man who cared about cleanliness and the art of perfecting toast.

“Oh, mum,” Codsworth said as he handed her a plate, “it’s just like the old days. I do miss having more arms to tidy the ol’ homestead, but I’m definitely not complaining.” He liked having the new responsibilities of keeping himself fashionable. Compared to Sole who sat opposite of him at the table, he was adorned in almost pre-war garb. It was adorable.

“I wish we could recreate those days,” Sole admitted. She absentmindedly stirred the eggs on her plate, and Codsworth immediately noticed her anxiety. “I’m not the woman I used to be. How would I be able to get a date after all I’ve done in this world? There aren’t a lot of eligible bachelors aching for a murderer.”

Codsworth knew she was picturing the Institute in flames. Gunners shot down from where she sniped. Raiders running for their lives. All the injured settlers she couldn’t save. Instead of sitting down with Sole, Codsworth walked around the table to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Oh, mum,” Codsworth soothed. He wanted to cry, but wouldn’t let Sole see him like that. “The Commonwealth is blessed to have you. You aren’t a murderer. You’ve saved countless lives when you placed your own principles over a faction bent on genocide.” When Sole softened her expression, Codsworth’s tightened his grip. “The men in this new world aren’t gentlemen. They’re fixated on caps and mercenary work. It’s absolutely deplorable. You deserve so much more than that. Someone who appreciates your loyalty to justice. Your gentleness and empathy. Your -”

“And you deserve someone who appreciates your amazing eggs and charm.” Sole had cut Codsworth off, and a bright blush spread across his cheeks. He forgot what other compliment he was going to add.

Curie: “I cannot believe what I am hearing,” Curie gasped. The two women had been discussing their perfect utopia. Curie’s was one where science was held to the highest esteem and education was a right for every child. Sole dreamed of a world that aimed for total peace. There would be no racism. No one would be prejudice against ghouls or synths. And people like her wouldn’t exist. Curie was having none of it, and Sole had never seen her so upset. “You are a martyr to peace in the Commonwealth! I have looked up to you ever since you found me a human body and taught me about the real world.” It was true: Curie idolized Sole in every way possible. “If your utopia doesn’t include someone as smart and beautiful as you, then I do not want to live in it.”

Sole pulled back her head in shock. “What do you mean beautiful?”

Curie blushed and tried to stammer her way out of the mess she made. “I just meant that…. I mean… you are so kind and generous to people just eking out a living that I…” She never really did form a complete thought after that.

Danse: Sole had never seen Danse out of his power armor, and he was quite the sight to behold. The Brotherhood had recently taken down a raider operation which freed a large portion of settlements. It was such an impressive feat that Maxon allowed Danse and his men a night off to be civilians. The unanimous vote was to go out drinking. As the soldiers harassed the bartenders and drunkenly danced all over one another, Danse watched from the shadows. He had been nursing the same bottle of beer all night.

When Danse saw Sole walking towards him, he fumbled over his feet to meet her across the bar. He had never seen her in… was that a dress? It was rather conservative for a night out - down to her ankles and fastened with plastic buttons - but she looked beautiful. “Why aren’t you dancing with the others?” he asked her. “You deserve a night off more than anyone else here. If I recall correctly, it was you who found the raiders’ base. You interrogated their leader. I thought you’d be waist deep in free booze by now, soldier.”

“Oh, I’m not a big drinker,” Sole said. Was she blushing? Danse hoped he wasn’t. “And besides, I was just about to head back to the Prydwen. I really just wanted to dance. But everyone at the bar knows why we’re here. I’m sure a lady notorious for slitting raiders’ throats isn’t exactly charming. I’m not fooling anyone with this dress.”

Without even meaning to, Danse extended his hand towards Sole. They both seemed equally surprised. “That’s nonsense, Sole,” he said; a smile spreading across his face. The jukebox flipped on a new song, and everyone at the bar headed to the small dance floor. “I hope this isn’t too forward but… May I have this dance?” 

Deacon: It had been a month since Deacon told Sole about his late wife. He wasn’t entirely sure she believed him, but that was understandable. Sole had been nothing but loyal to Deacon, while he soiled their friendship at every turn with lies and tricks. Baring his all to his partner took some of the burden off his shoulders, but it wasn’t enough. It probably would never be enough. He didn’t deserve a friend like Sole.

“Hey partner.” Deacon was leaning against the desk in HQ when Sole returned from a mission. She knew whatever he had to say must have been serious because he was using the same soft infliction he had when he talked about Barbara. “I’ve been thinking… I sprung a lot on your plate a few weeks ago. Are we okay? Like, I didn’t scare ya off or anything? Because I’m not used to being so honest. You don’t need to be okay with what I’ve done.”

Sole stepped as close as she could to Deacon without physically touching him. The small space between them made him dizzy. Good dizzy? Was that even a thing? “Deac, you don’t ever need to worry about that. I appreciate you being so open about your past. If anything, I think it’s brought us closer together. I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t deserve to be loved. After choosing the Railroad over my son and the amount of blood on my hands… hell, I don’t even deserve having you in my life.”

Sole gasped as Deacon pulled her in to his chest. For not being the hugging type, Deacon held her so tight her tip-toes barely scraped the floor. She mumbled something in to his shirt, but he couldn’t hear. “Shut up,” he whispered. If he came to his senses, he might let go of Sole and run away forever. And he definitely didn’t want that.

Hancock: Hancock placed his hand on the small of Sole’s back as they waved at Billy from the streets. They had just returned the young ghoul to his family, and Hancock couldn’t be more proud of Sole’s selflessness. She was able to calm the child down well enough to find his family, and resist the temptation of selling him in to slavery. He couldn’t hold her to a higher affinity if he tried.

When Billy shut the door, Hancock turned to Sole. He could barely make out her features from the darkness outside; she was dimly lit from the green glow of her Pip-Boy. And, to his surprise, Sole was frowning. “What’s wrong, beautiful?” he asked. Sole could see Hancock was frowning as well. She hadn’t meant to kill his vibe.

“Nothing,” she said. Her voice was soft and unsure. “It’s just… I guess seeing Billy’s family made me realize what I missed out on. That could have been Nate and I. Now who would want to settle down with me? I’m damaged goods.”

“Who the FUCK is sayn’ that?!” Hancock seethed. He seriously wanted to know. “Damaged goods my irradiated ass. Sole, you are everything right with this messed up world. I couldn’t be more proud of you, baby. Anyone who can’t see how perfect you are is either blind or just plain stupid.”

Sole was used to Hancock’s pet names, but never felt him hold on to her that tight. She cleared her throat and chuckled as Hancock sheepishly let go of her waist. He was blushing so hot anyone within fifteen feet of him would need to take some RadAway.

MacCready: Sole had a way with bartering that MacCready deeply admired. She managed to get an entire shipment of ammunition for Sanctuary for a third of what Diamond City charged. As the two of them set out to find a caravan to carry the supplies, he wanted to blow some smoke up Sole’s ass. She deserved it.

“You should have seen yourself back there!” MacCready said. “You’re like a cap-saving goddess. Can you get me a discount on hats? Mine is kinda falling apart.” Sole giggled at his compliments, which made MacCready’s heart skip a beat. He had never heard her laugh like that. It was something he wanted her to do again. “Seriously, Sole. How are you single? You could walk up to any guy at a bar and by the end of the night swindle yourself right in to a wedding ring.”

Sole didn’t laugh at that one. She slowed her pace enough to make a lump in MacCready’s throat. “I’m still single because nobody wants me like that,” Sole admitted. “I’m a good barterer and leader, but partner? Not so much.”

“That bullsh- bullcrap!” MacCready yelled. His voice was loud enough to attract the attention of a few drifters. “Who wouldn’t wanna marry you? Sole, don’t talk about yourself that way. I admire the heck outta you. And not just because you saved me a ton on ammo.” He wanted to keep gushing about Sole, but he had word-vomited enough for one day. Sole didn’t giggle, but she blushed. That was close enough for him.

Preston: Well, this was a first for both of them. While checking on a settlement, one of the women went in to labor. Other settlers explained that her husband had died from illness a month ago, and none of them knew how to deliver a baby. Sole immediately jumped in to help. Preston was in charge of calming her down while Sole did the dirty work. Luckily for everyone, the woman wasn’t in labor for even eight hours. The baby girl was delivered healthy, and her middle name was now Sole’s first one. It was touching.

Sole was cleaning herself up when Preston entered the shack to check on her. “You were really brave today, General,” he said. “I couldn’t have done that without you. You probably saved that mother’s life.” Sole smiled, but she didn’t respond. “Aren’t you proud of yourself?” Preston thought Sole would be gleaming, especially since she was also a mother.

“It makes me sad,” Sole admitted. She looked at her feet as she spoke. “I’ll never have another baby. I love Shaun with all my heart, but I always wanted a big family.” Preston asked Sole why she was so certain she’d never be pregnant again. It wasn’t like Sole was that old… well, physically. “No one would want to raise a family with me, Preston. Not after the choices I’ve made. I’m a different person than I used to be. A worse person, really.”

“That’s a lie!” Preston’s voice was louder than he expected. He drew in a deep breath to calm down, and then took a step closer. “Sole, you’re a fantastic mom. You’ve sacrificed everything to find your son. And I know you would make the best wife. No one is as selfless and brave as you. That’s how you gained the trust of the Minutemen. That’s how you earned my admiration.” With that, Preston placed a kiss on Sole’s cheek. It was unexpected, but not unappreciated.

Piper:  Piper had interviewed Sole when she was searching for Shaun, so it only seemed appropriate to do one after the Institute fell. The two women sat in her office and sipped brandy that Nick had generously donated just for the occasion. Piper wanted to know she wasn’t just doing this for publicity. Sole was her best friend, and deserved closure after her horrific discovery.

“Whenever you’re ready, I want to start off by asking you what you want the Commonwealth to know about Shaun. Not as leader of the Institute, but as the son you raised.” Piper readied her pen, but Sole didn’t speak. Instead, she took a long drink, and played with the hem of her shirt. “Is everything okay, Sole?” Piper asked. “We don’t have to do this right now. Or we can skip that question. I have a lot of other ones that have more to do with you than Shaun.”

“I didn’t try hard enough,” Sole mumbled. There were tears threatening to roll down her flushed cheeks. “Shaun deserved a better mother. Nate deserved a better wife. The Commonwealth is too good for me, Piper. I couldn’t save my family, so how am I supposed to save others? I don’t deserve your friendship. I don’t deserve anyone’s love.”

Piper couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her usual reaction was to get dramatic. Sole half-expected her to jump out of her seat in hysterics for the pep-talk of a lifetime. Instead, Piper’s expression softened, and she reached out to hold Sole’s hand. It was softer than she thought it would be. “I have a new question for you. Strictly off the record.” She ran her thumb over Sole’s knuckles and hoped Sole couldn’t hear her heart beating violently in her chest. “Do you know how much I personally admire you? Because I don’t have enough paper to make an article on all that.”

Nick: Living in Diamond City wasn’t always easy, especially being a synth. Even though he found missing loved ones almost every week, the citizens side-eyed him when they thought he couldn’t see. Children pulled on his jacket when they knew they could out-run him. Women laughed behind his back after he paid them a compliment. Sometimes it felt like Sole was the only one who saw him as his own man.

As luck would have it, Sole volunteered to help Nick sort out cases when Ellie caught a cold. She knew he was more than capable of organizing his own work, but the two friends would make any excuse to spend time together. Nick handed Sole a folder about a missing woman. Her husband had come in a week ago asking Nick for help, but the case had eventually gone cold. “He was hysterical when he came in the office,” Nick recollected. “His eyes were red and swollen from crying. I’ve never seen a man more down on his luck. It took hours to calm Ellie down, poor girl. Seein’ a guy that worried made all our stomachs churn.”

“I wish someone cared about me that much,” Sole said. She continued to thumb through the file, not realizing what she said was unusual. 

“What does that mean?” Nick asked. He took the folder from Sole’s hands, and she pretended to pout. “I’m serious, Sole. Why do you think no one would go lookn’ for you?”

“I’m not really worth it, I guess,” she said. “You have a purpose here in Diamond City. You do a lot of good for a lot of people, Nick. But me? All I’ve done is tear people down. Hell, I couldn’t even help my own son. You wouldn’t honestly risk your neck for me.”

Nick was partially insulted, but mostly surprised. He thought Sole knew how wild he was about her. He wanted to spend all his time with her either solving cases or drinking at the Third Rail talking about a better future for the Commonwealth. “Don’t fill your head with silly ideas,” he said. His face was stern, but his words were sweet. “I’d go to the ends of the Earth if I knew I’d keep you safe.” That was unexpected, but Nick didn’t want to take it back. It earned him a soft hand-squeeze from Sole, and an appreciative smile.

X6-88: Sole needed a break outside of the Institute after realizing Shaun was its leader. X6 was sworn to protect her, and didn’t hesitate to follow her back to Sanctuary. He had learned a lot about Sole from the excess time they spent traveling together. She cared about random settlers, even when they had nothing to give her in return. Whenever someone tried to hold her up for caps, she listened to their tragic backstories and was able to convince them to change their ways. Everything spoiled in the Commonwealth seemed to sweeten when she was around.

“FUCK THIS!” Sole’s shaky voice pulled X6 out of his thoughts. He readied his firearm, assuming they were under attack. Instead, he saw Sole kick over a trashcan. She was fuming. “He was the last person I thought I had left and he doesn’t even know me!” Sole was obviously talking about Shaun. Instead of trying to correct her, X6 let her vent. “It’s like he isn’t even my son anymore. He’s not the kind of man Nate and I wanted to raise. He commits genocide. He terrorizes the Commonwealth. And if he… if he doesn’t love me…” Sole used the back of her hand to childishly wipe her tears. “No one does.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” X6′s voice was cool as always, but his words didn’t match his usual demeanor. “You are a beacon of hope in this world. I have never seen you put yourself before anyone else. I am sure that as you and Father grow closer, you will come to realize there are many people who care about you.” A pause. “Including me.”

Bonus!Gage: Bloodied and bruised. It was how Sole always seemed to come back to Fitzztop Grille. Whether she was out scouting for the raiders or just got in a regular ol’ fight, Gage could expect Sole to be beaten to a pulp by the end of the day. As she stumbled in at the end of the night, Gage was already waiting at the top of the elevator. Except this time, Sole was hurt. Bad.

“Well shit, boss!” He was actually pissed off. It was hard enough watching Sole walk off by herself and straight towards danger every day. Gage didn’t know why, but he had this insatiable desire to protect her. Maybe he just admired her skills, right? But instead of greeting his friend with some patronizing words, he watched her hold her eye that was swollen shut. Sole’s clothes were ripped, and he could see bruises across her ribs. As soon as she stepped in to the room she stumbled forward. Gage hoisted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. “Did you let every raider south of Kiddie Kingdom take a crack at you?” He was trying to sound mildly annoyed, but the worry in his eyes was telling. Good thing Sole couldn’t see him with her blurry vision.

“I got jumped coming home,” she wheezed. Her voice sounded fragile. If Gage got too angry, he could shatter her. “Don’t w-waste… your breath on me, Gage. Just go home. I can take care… take… care of m-m-myself.” He noticed she was shivering. And since it was hot as balls outside, it had to be from the pain. “Nobody deserves to pick up my pieces.”

“Aw, shut the hell up,” he growled. “You’re so fuckn’ dramatic, you know that?” Gage pulled out the first-aid kit from behind the bar and rolled out some gauze for Sole’s wounds. “You already know I’m in your corner. So quit your crocodile tears and strip. It’s gonna take this whole roll to bandage your sorry ass up.” That was actually the kindest thing Gage had ever said to her. And even when Sole took off her clothes, he avoided looking her over. It didn’t seem fair since she couldn’t catch him. Where was the fun in not getting smacked by his favorite girl?

[zirawrites]

How do interested companions react to finding out sole has attempted suicide?

This reaction has been sitting in my inbox for awhile and I’ve just now worked up the nerve to tackle it. Self-harm/suicide is literally my ONLY personal trigger, and I’ve always deleted these messages on-sight when roleplaying. However, I think doing a suicidal Sole isn’t far from canon. It’s a side of Sole the game didn’t really explore, so I’m glad I can add that new dimension to our hero.

Obviously the trigger-warning is self-harm and mentions of suicide. I was going to do a generic suicide scenario to start out with, but decided to tailor it more personally to each companion. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, please reach out to a loved one or professional.

Cait: Cait wasn’t a stranger to self-harm. It seemed easier to punish herself over how little her parents (or anyone, for that matter) loved her. But her stoic Sole? Cait’s first reaction was disbelief when she noticed the scars on Sole’s wrists. They were faded and pink, but still noticeable when Sole’s sleeves rode up their arms. The two friends made eye contact from across the table, and Sole immediately tried to make up an excuse for why their wrists were scabbed over.

“Yer not that good of a storyteller,” Cait said. Her voice was soft, but concerned. Sole had never seen her eyes so dark. “Look, I know you’ve been given the short end of tha’ stick lately. What, with yer son turn’n up the leader of the boogeymen and losen’ your husband/wife. But… I remember when I used to do the same thin’.” Cait turned up her wrists to show even lighter scars. “I stopped shortly after ya rescued me. I guess you showed somethn’ in me I didn’t know was there. I was someone worth savn’ once I got those chems outta me.” She took Sole’s hand, and tried not to let her watery eyes spill over. “Sole, I’m clean now. And lookn’ at you… yer someone worth savn’, too. So please, jus’ talk to me if it gets that bad again.” Sole promised, cross their heart.

Codsworth: Codsworth had no idea Sole self-harmed until they let it slip in conversation. According to his master, they hurt themselves when they felt the burden of losing Shaun weigh too heavy. Codsworth was crushed. He would have tended to Sole night and day if they had just told them how bad their mental health was getting. “It’s because you found me such a mess when we reunited in Sanctuary,” Codsworth groaned. “I would have never went blabbering on about my own shortcomings if I had known what a heightened state you were in. Please, mum/sir… forgive me. You needed me and I… I FAILED you!” If Codsworth could cry, he would be inconsolable.

Sole assured her Mr. Handy that their past actions had absolutely nothing to do with him. They were responsible for their self-harm and no one else. It took Sole nearly an hour to convince him they weren’t suicidal anymore, especially thanks to how close Codsworth held them in his heart. Even so, Codsworth guarded Sole at night just in case his master woke and needed him by their side. He’d always be there for them, even if it meant another 200 years of getting nuclear fallout out of vinyl wood.

Curie: Curie was reading a new textbook Sole had nabbed them on a recent mission. The book was on soldiers returning from war with PTSD. However, parts of the pages were ripped, and Curie was struggling to fill in the blanks. She asked Sole if they knew anything about the symptoms of PTSD, which Sole apparently knew plenty about. Since entering the Commonwealth, Sole had been so overcome with stress that they even once found themselves at the edge of an overpass. Sole didn’t jump, but in that moment they knew they had to seek mental health, and here they were now after those first grueling nights finding Shaun.

Before Curie knew it, she was crying. It was only a few shuddered hiccups, but Sole’s story touched her. “My dear friend,” Curie said. “I had no idea you were struggling with your mental health. And here I am priding in to your personal life. You do not have these thoughts now, do you?” Sole assured Curie that was in the past. “Either way, I insist you come to me if you ever need to talk. I am well-equipped with the medical training to discuss such matters objectively. And also… you mean a lot to me, madame/monsieur. I would never want harm to befall you.”

Danse: He didn’t want to believe the rumors, but the medical history of Sole Danse happened upon in the sick bay of the Prydwen didn’t lie. Sole awoke to heavy knocking at their door, and opened it to see Danse clearly distraught. His brows furrowed together, and his lips were more pouting than usual. Danse asked to come in, and then sat at the edge of Sole’s bed. He struggled to find the words at first, so Sole encouragingly placed their hand on his back. 

“First off, please don’t think I was prying,” Danse said. “Knight-Captain Cade needed assistance organizing files in his office, and yours just happened to be at the top of the pile. It was open on your mental health examination, I swear.” 

Sole dismissed Danse’s words with the wave on their hand. They knew exactly what was in that document. When Sole first entered the Brotherhood, they had to talk about a history of drug abuse. When Sole first found out Shaun led the Institute, they had tried to overdose. It wasn’t anything they were proud of, but Sole didn’t want to lie to their brothers.

“That’s understandable,” Danse reassured. “Admirable, even. I just never expected someone as levelheaded as you to do something as risky as that. But I suppose we all have our demons.” A sharp inhale. A shaky exhale. “This doesn’t change the way I feel about you, you know. You have my complete trust in battle, and loyalty as your friend. Not to sound cliche but… I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

Deacon: It wasn’t every night Deacon asked Sole to cut loose with him. He liked to keep all his faculties alert, but they had just picked up an important dead drop and even Desdemona said the two partners needed a break. Instead of going out in goofy disguises like Deacon always suggested they do one day, he used his personal stash of caps to buy him and Sole the best middle-tier wine he knew. Not too good, not too bad. He knew Sole would appreciate the symbolism in his sentiment.

Deacon leaned against the wall and listened to a drunk Sole ramble about their favorite missions. They could barely keep themselves up on the desk, so Deacon kept himself within arms’ reach in case he needed to catch them. “R-remember when we-we-we dressed like raiders to save that synth underground?” Sole slurred. Deacon answered with a soft mhmm. “And… and do you remember w-when I was a body-double for Magnolia to spy on that safe house leak? And you accidentally spilled wine on me so I had to SLAP you?” Another mhmm. “I SLAPPED you, Deacon! Hows that feel, buddy?”

“I lie awake every night thinking about it, boss,” Deacon chided. “Not a day goes by where I don’t remember shaming my family name.”

“I shamed my family name when I swallowed that bottle of pills.” Sole took another long drink of wine, then dramatically smacked their lips. “I don’t know how Codsworth didn’t find me the next morning. I’m g-glad though, ya know? I really got my shit together after that. Haven’t thought about checkn’ out since.”

Deacon was floored. He watched Sole stare down at their empty wine glass, then say something about shaking him down for more caps. He wasn’t really sure the specifics because his ears were ringing. Sole had always been his role model. They were perfect in every way. If someone as strong as them could get that desperate, who was he in this world? He tucked their hair behind their ears as then drunkenly smiled up at them. “I really need you, pal,” he said. “Honestly, I had no idea things had gotten that bad. Can you give me a heads up next time so I can cheer you up?” Deacon knew suicidal thoughts ran deeper than whatever half-assed jokes he could cure them with, but if he got any more personal he was afraid he’d cry. “We look out for each other. Hell, we’re family. So please… just…” Deacon ended his rambling with a lopsided smile.

Gage: “What fuckn’ cowards,” Gage seethed. He and Sole stood at an abandoned outpost. They were trying to track down rouge raiders that had defected from the Operators. However, the only people left in the ruins were a handful of people who had shot themselves. They either knew Sole and Gage were closing in, our they were done with the raider lifestyle. “Bunch of complete wastes of space,” Gage continued. “Anyone who ain’t man enough to deal with their fuckn’ problems doesn’t deserve the resources they suck dry while they’re here.”

Sole had no idea why Gage was so opposed to the idea of suicide. As he grit his teeth and began to loot the camp, Sole hung back. Sole knew Gage looked up to them as a leader. How would he feel if…?

“You okay, Overboss?” he asked. “If this sight is a little too gruesome for ya, there’s no need to hang around. I can come back with some other men and finish the clean-up.”

“I could have been one of these people, Gage.” Sole crossed their arms, determined not to break eye contact. Gage asked what Sole meant. “When I first realized my son was gone, my wife/husband was gone… I put a gun to my head. I didn’t know it was empty. But if it had been? I’d have been just like any of these raiders.” Sole sucked in a deep breath when they saw Gage tense up. “Be angry that these people broke their codes and left our ranks. But not that they couldn’t face their demons. They weren’t wastes of space.”

“Shit.” Gage took a step forward. Sole noticed he went to reach for their arm, but he stopped himself at the last second. For the first time ever, Gage actually seemed remorseful. “I had no idea, Sole. I’m sorry I said all that. If someone like you can struggle with those thoughts, then anyone can. We’ll… give ‘em a proper burial here. Promise.”

Hancock: “You know, sometimes I think you want to overdose.” Sole was talking to Hancock who currently lounged back on the couch. He was absolutely defenseless where he lay. It was adorable. Just to make sure the mayor was as incapacitated as he seemed, Sole grabbed his favorite hat and placed it on their own hat. It took Hancock over ten seconds to register what happened. “That’s sad,” Sole said. “I’m keeping this.”

Hancock reached his arm out with the most pathetic look he could muster. “I’m hurtn’ here, sweetheart,” he moaned. “It’s been a long day and I’m a tired ghoul. I deserve to get this high. But I can’t complete the ensemble without that hat.” Sole rolled their eyes and gave it back to him, then laughed as he put it on backwards. “There. Now I’m as handsome as ever.”

“Stop changing the subject,” Sole said. They were trying to look serious, but failing. How could you stay mad at Hancock? He got under your skin in all the right ways. “It’s dangerous to take that much at one time. I took just a little more than that when I found out Shaun was gone hoping I wouldn’t wake up. I can’t believe you do all this for fun.”

Even in his stupor, Hancock registered exactly what Sole was getting at. “You did what?” he gaped. Sole looked down at their feet. “You’re telln’ me you tried to kill yourself not that long ago? Holy shit.” Hancock sat up with some inner strength he didn’t know he had. Even though the world was spinning, he managed to take Sole’s hand in his own. “Please tell me you ain’t thinkn’ about doing something like that again. I couldn’t bear to lose you over the fact you think no one cares. Cause I really do, and there ain’t no dose of chems that’d ever be more important to me than you.”

MacCready: He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. MacCready had opened up to Sole about losing Lucy, and the suicidal thoughts thereafter when he figured life wasn’t worth living without her. Sole told him their similar feelings after losing their spouse, and he felt his stomach knot. MacCready thought he was just some trifling gun-for-hire who fell ass-backwards in to a marriage he didn’t deserve with a son he couldn’t provide for. But Sole was… the complete opposite. They were thrown in to this apocalypse, not born in to it like he was. They took everything in stride. Placed their friends’ safety above their own. Passed up well-deserved caps just so families had the extra money. So as Sole told MacCready they had once tried to take their own life, he found himself sitting on the edge of his seat. A gust of wind would have been able to topple the merc on the floor.

“Please don’t talk like that,” he said. MacCready’s voice cracked at the end, and he was worried if he spoke again tears would spill out. “Sole, you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to the Commonwealth. The greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you as a friend. I’m so sorry your spouse passed away, but you’ve showed me there’s still a life beyond all that sorrow. So if you can stay strong… I guess… so can I.” 

Preston: “Excuse me, General?” Preston had been waiting for Sole all day. His expression was tense, which let Sole know he had something weighing on his mind. “Can we talk somewhere privately? I’ve got something bothering me.” Preston led Sole to the picnic table behind Sanctuary. After stumbling around his words for a while, Preston finally looked up with worry in his eyes. “I know we talked recently about my past with the Minutemen. How I lost all hope and… tried to end my life. Lately I’ve been feeling really guilty laying all that information on you. I just want to make sure you’re okay with it and that I didn’t overstep my boundaries.”

Sole shook their head. “Preston, I know what that feels like. I’ve done the exact thing before. For different reasons. Reasons I don’t really want to get in to.” There was a pause that followed. Sole watched Preston’s eyes widen. They knew he was too polite to speak his mind. “I’ve never felt closer to you, Preston. So don’t think you made me uncomfortable. If we both take this a day at a time, maybe we can help each other get through these feelings, you know?”

“I… Sole, I had no idea.” Preston honestly didn’t know what to say. He looked up to Sole as a role model. Their past didn’t change his admiration towards them, he was just surprised. “We will get through this. I just know it. And when we finally make the Commonwealth safe, we’ll know it was worth sticking around for.”

Piper: Piper hated writing obituaries. Whenever someone in Diamond City passed away, she wrote about them in a small paragraph on the back of her latest issue. Since not many settlers died of old age anymore, the stories were about parents succumbing to radiation poisoning or little kids who got too close to feral ghouls. This particular story was about a mother who took her own life when her daughter drowned in the water filtration plant in the back of Diamond City. Piper’s newspaper was selling out, but she knew it was for a depressing reason.

Sole picked up a copy like they usually did, and thumbed through it dramatically to show Piper they really did read the whole thing. When Sole got to the obituary, they paused. “You forget how to read just now or something, Blue?” Piper asked. “I can smell the smoke from over here.”

“I’m sorry,” Sole said. “I just got to the obituary section. That’s so sad. I remember when I tried to kill myself after losing Shaun. I’d never wish that on anybody I knew.”

“Oh god,” Piper whispered. “Blue, I had no idea. I wouldn’t have given you a copy if I knew…” Sole set the paper back down, and met Piper’s hand. Piper squeezed Sole’s fingers reassuringly. “I think I’d just about lose it if I lost Nat. I couldn’t imagine what that feels like. But you’ve just gotta stick around. A lot of people depend on you. So if you get those feelings again, you talk to me, alright? I love you, woman/man out of time.”

Nick: As a detective, Nick Valentine had seen some unusual cases come through his door. Most of the ones in Diamond City involved the suspicion that someone was a synth, and watching a distraught racist try to tip-toe their way in to getting his Gen 3 self to help them was always amusing. However, he knew Sole’s case was special the moment he met them. Sole didn’t see him as a robot, they saw him as his own man. That is why Nick respected Sole so much, and why seeing the marks on their wrists hurt so badly.

“Do you mind explaining those?” Nick asked when he noticed Sole sheepishly trying to pull down their sleeves. “Unless you bought a feral cat recently, I have feeling you did that to yourself.” His expression softened. “Do you need to talk about something, kid?”

“I’m sorry that worried you, Nick,” Sole said. They were being honest. Seeing Nick’s yellow eyes widen like that… it broke Sole’s heart. “The last thing I want to do is hurt somebody, which is why I hurt myself. But that’s all in the past, I swear. These scars are old. And I have friends like you to thank for that positive change.” Nick believed Sole, but for good measure he checked up on them more than usual. They were his favorite troublemaker, after all. What kind of detective would he be if he didn’t watch out for his own partner?

Strong: Strong still didn’t understand what Sole was telling him. He understood the concept of Suiciders. They charged in to battle knowing they would die, but it was in the name of battle and bloodshed. When he learned Sole had tried to talk their own life just to die, it physically hurt his brain. “Human is good leader. Good leader want to live. Strong not understand why human do that.”

Sole took a deep breath, regretting telling Strong about their past at all. “Sometimes when humans don’t think they can do something, they don’t see a point in leading or trying anymore. It doesn’t make the human a bad person. It means they are tired and need some extra help.”

“Strong thinks he knows what human means.” Sole doubted that, but let him continue talking anyways. “Human had bad fight. Didn’t think human could fight again. Then human remembered they are leader, so they kept fighting anyways.”

“That’s…” Sole folded their arms. “That’s actually very right, Strong.”

Strong scoffed. “Of course Strong is right. Strong is smarter than human thinks Strong is.”

X6-88: Sole had a flag on their mental health evaluation? X6 thought it had to be a mistake. Father obviously wanted to make sure his mother/father had the capacity to lead the Institute, which meant doing a written report on Sole’s past. X6 overheard several scientists talking about Sole being mentally unfit in the hallway because of what came up in their papers. The first thing X6 did was defend Sole. He reminded the scientists that they were speaking about the future director, and that Sole had proven time and time again to be a worthy ally on their side. To drive home that point, he reminded them the hell Sole could raise if they were enemies.

X6 then headed straight to Sole’s private chambers to dispel the rumor. Sole was reading on their bed, which seemed like perfectly sane behavior from his obviously sane companion. “Ma’am/Sir, I regret to inform you that there is a rumor circulating the infirmary that your mental health evaluation did not come out clean. Apparently someone flagged it for review. I put those scientists in their place, and I doubt they’ll cause you any trouble if you run in to them again.”

“It isn’t a rumor,” Sole said. “Shaun asked me to be honest, so I was. I used to self-harm, X6. A lot. I didn’t want to live in this new world. But since I’ve seen the Institute and what it can do for humanity… I feel hope again. I don’t intend on having those thoughts any more. And Shaun set me up with a fantastic psychologist.”

Awkward. X6 stood in the door-frame knowing Sole wanted him to join them in the room. However, his legs felt like lead. “Well then I’m sorry I assumed. I am certain you will still make a superb director for the Institute. And I have no qualms remaining your companion out in the Commonwealth.” Three compliments in a row? That was high praise from the same courser who once threatened to bludgeon Paladin Danse to death for scuffing his shoes.

[zirawrites]

What do companions + Gage think of fem sole with 3/4 sleeve tattoo, lip piercing, and gaged ears?

Cait: She thinks it’s totally badass. Cait has never been one for piercings because duh! they can get pulled in the cages. But once Sole helps her out of that lifestyle, the two adorn matching lip rings. Cait has drunkenly declared she would get gauges on numerous occasions, but Sole isn’t as convinced. Cait doesn’t like to physically stand out in any way. She’s hot enough at is it, amiright?

Codsworth: Codsworth thinks Sole’s attire is ludicrous. He claimed they looked ridiculous before the war, and he stands by those claims now. Codsworth has simple tastes, and would prefer if Sole stuck to practical armor that helped them blend in to the Commonwealth. When Sole offers to add his name to her sleeve, he changes his mind a little.

Curie: Curie legitimately doesn’t understand it. Sole explains the history of piercing and tattoos. Curie is more interested in the significance behind Sole’s bodily decorations than how they actually look. Sole guesses it’s for the best since Curie would look a little strange adorning that aesthetic.

Danse: None of that is practical Brotherhood attire or necessary in combat. Danse is not a fan. Period.

Deacon: Deacon prefers to lay low, so flashy piercings and tattoos ruin his mystique. However, he uses Sole’s image for inspiration for future disguises. It gives some extra flair whenever the two travel as the Death Bunnies. Deacon sketches an entire fake sleeve to match Sole’s. They actually look metal as fuck, especially when Deacon wears his pompadour wig.

Dogmeat: Sole could be wearing a trash bag over their head and Dogmeat would still think they were the most amazing person in the Commonwealth.

Gage: Pre-romanced Gage thinks Sole’s look is the most badass thing he’s ever seen. He feels an extra tinge of pride whenever standing near his Overboss. New raiders rarely fuck with Sole, mostly because seeing her makes every inch of their skin crawl. Post-romance Gage asks Sole to get a matching tattoo with him. He would be the most open to also getting piercings.

Hancock: Wait, the gaudiest ghoul in the Commonwealth likes Sole’s metal aesthetic? Hancock obviously compliments Sole’s sleeve the moment he meets them. He doesn’t understand the gauges, but thinks it totally works for the look Sole is going for.

MacCready: He thinks the piercings and gauges just get in the way, and is always nervous Sole might clip on to something. The tattoo is a different story. MacCready never gets tired of Sole telling him all about the popularity of tattoos, and he promises he’ll get one if they ever run in to someone who knows the trade. He thinks it adds a little personal flair to Sole.

Preston: Preston is just happy that Sole is happy. As long as it doesn’t scare away new Minutemen, Sole could have a Mohawk for all he cares.

Piper: Piper is attracted to anything unorthodox. She loves being seen with Sole because of all the attention they get. If she wasn’t secretly afraid it would hurt, Piper would get all three in an instant.

Nick: “What ever happened to just dying your hair?” Nick is an old fart who wears the same outfit everyday. Don’t take fashion advice from him.

Strong: Does it help human smash better? No? Strong doesn’t care.

X6-88: The thought of seeing a tatted up Sole leading the Institute and instilling fear in the hearts of their enemies legitimately gives X6 a hard-on.

[zirawrites]

Hi ~ Companions reacts: Finding out FSole is crying quietly (trying to hide that they’re sad).. Thank you !!

Trigger warning: Brief mention of Preston’s past with suicide

This is exactly 3,591 words of pure angst. I didn’t mean it to be so wordy, but I hope you all enjoyed the various scenarios I put female Sole and her companions in.

Cait: Cait was always eager to scavenge buildings with Sole. They got to steal some useful shit, and occasionally rough up a few raiders. Sole liked getting the scum off the street. As for Cait, she got to go home with arms full of things that were now her own. She didn’t get a lot of those moments back in the cages.

“Clear!” Cait had swept the top floor of the department store for enemies. This was usually the part when Sole ran up to meet her, but they didn’t make a sound. “Sole?” Cait called down from the top of the stairs. “I said the floor was - shite. Do I gotta do evrythn’ by myself?” She made her way downstairs and combed the isles for her partner. Something quiet was mewing from another isle. Cait readied her gun. It could be an inured animal, and Cait wasn’t beyond eating it as long as it wasn’t too irradiated.

Instead, Cait saw Sole whimpering and staring at the display. “Wuts with the tears?” she asked. There wasn’t any sympathy in Cait’s expression until she realized they were in the nursery isle. Sole stared at a new crib; its tiny mobile covered in layers of post-apocalyptic dust. Slowly, Cait placed a gentle hand on Sole’s shoulder. She wasn’t good with words, so she let Sole have a moment. “It’s okay, dear,” she whispered. “You take yer time. I’ll be here.”

Codsworth: The power in Sanctuary had cut off again. Sole and Codsworth had worked diligently with the other settlers to restore it, but as night fell, they figured it would be safer to save the problem until morning. After Sole instructed more guards to be posted by the bridge, they told Codsworth it was time to reward their hard work. Sole had plans to go home and drink a bottle of wine by themselves until their sore body drifted off to sleep. Codsworth laughed at Sole being “cheeky as always,” then bid them goodnight.

Though Codsworth didn’t sleep, he liked to spend nights with Sole back at home. His mistress made excellent company, and he felt better knowing she was safe. After an adequate amount of time had passed for Sole to get drunk, Codsworth went home to tuck them in.

“Hi honey! Listen…��I don’t think Shaun and I need to tell you how great of a mother you are. But, we’re going to anyway.”

Was there a man in Sole’s house? Codsworth pushed open the front door to see Sole sitting by candles in the dark, holding her pip-boy on her lap. She listened to a holotape Nate must have left her before the war. Again. And again. And again. Hi honey. Hi honey. And again. But everything we do no matter how hard, we do it for our family. And again. Now say goodbye, Shaun. And again. Bye bye, say bye bye.

Codsworth floated next to her. Sole was crying so hard she didn’t even notice. When Sole tried to place the holotape in for the twentieth time, Codsworth softly used his arm to take it from her hands. “I think… I think we’ve both heard enough of the master for one night, mum.” His voice seemed equally as mournful as Sole’s. “Why don’t we sleep off this hangover? You can visit Mr. Nate in your dreams.”

Curie: One reason Curie admired Sole so much was because she always let her ask as many questions as she wanted. If Curie thought of something she needed to ask about philosophy or human anatomy, Sole always tried her best to give her an answer. Once the two women were being pinned down by gunners and Curie wanted to know which philosophical discipline did dualism belong to. She had been reading a textbook in the caravan that took them to their current outpost, and Sole stopped lighting her Molotov cocktail to answer her. That just was the kind of friend Sole was.

It wasn’t strange for Curie to pop in to a settlement she knew Sole would be tending to. Curie had been reading “The Great Gatsby” and wanted some aspects of symbolism clarified. By the time Curie made it to Starlight Drive-In, Sole was already packing up her gear. Suddenly, Sole dropped to her knees behind the counter. Thinking Sole had hurt herself, Curie rushed through the door and knelt down. Sole looked up with tearful eyes; obviously not expecting anyone to see her. Curie moved a strand of hair from Sole’s eyes and smiled. “Madame, if you need me to listen for a change, I can.” Curie sat down next to Sole and held her hands. “If you don’t mind me saying so, I learned from the best.”

Danse: It was obvious that Sole hadn’t want to leave the Prydwen. She was usually excited to go off on an impromptu mission with Danse, but Sole had dragged her feet all morning. Honestly, the paladin was taking it personally. Danse knew he wasn’t the most exciting man to spend the day with, but he assumed he and Sole were friends. Instead, Sole complained the entire vertibird trip across the Commonwealth. She antagonized Danse at every raider outpost they took down. Hell, she even questioned his choice of shelter as night fell. He was so frustrated he insisted they sleep on opposite sides of the gas station.

Danse was a light sleeper, so at the first sounds of sniffling, he sat up in his sleeping bag. That alerted Sole, who immediately stopped crying. “Sole?” Danse asked. Even though he was whispering, his voice sounded booming in the empty room. Sole didn’t stir, and he figured they were pretending to be asleep. He called out her name again to no avail. When it was clear Sole was going to fake being asleep, Danse stood up and walked over to where she lay. “You don’t… have to talk about it, soldier,” he said. This time Danse’s voice was calm and sweet. Sole had never felt more reassured by him, even when he had her back in a firefight. “Just know I recognize you are going through a difficult time. When you’re ready to talk about it, I’ll be here. Not as your superior, but as a friend.”

Deacon: It was a shitty time to get split up from Sole. A dark storm had unleashed an ungodly amount of heavy rain, and the two partners somehow were split up in the confusion. Deacon took refuge in a shed, but as the wind howled and poked holes in the wood, he knew it would blow off the ground any minute. That wasn’t anything he wanted to get trapped inside. He took a deep breath and sprinted for a nearby church just in the distance. The mud from the graveyard he ran through was up to his knees, and sucked his left boot right off his leg. Soaking wet and out of breath, Deacon crashed through the door and barely had the strength to push it closed.

His shaking hands wiped his face clean of water, and he took off his sunglasses that were smeared with sludge. His shirt was too wet to clean it, so the accessory would need to air dry. What Deacon wasn’t planning on in his disheveled state was meeting Sole’s sorrowful gaze. She was sitting in the front pew, and had been staring at a large cross on the wall. Her hands were folded in her lap as she shook from both the freezing rain and her own tears. Sole had never seen Deacon without his glasses, and Deacon had never seen her as anything but the fearsome Charmer. Both of their facades were crumbling.

“Did… did something happen?” he asked softly, trying to forget she could see his naked eyes. Sole tried to answer him, but her lower lip began to quiver, and he just… Well, shit. Deacon couldn’t just leave her hanging. He set his sunglasses on a counter and sat down next to his shaken partner. He angled himself in her direction and hesitated briefly before taking her hand. Deacon ran his thumb over her knuckles and forced a smile. He was such a liar. “We’re both okay,” he soothed. Deacon wasn’t sure if Sole was crying over him or if it had something to do with the church, or maybe she was cracking under pressure. Either way, he held her hand until she eventually rested her head on his collarbone and drifted off to sleep. They couldn’t go out in the storm, and Deacon wasn’t complaining. 

Dogmeat: It was a damn good day to be a dog. The sun was shining over Sanctuary, and Sole took Dogmeat out in a patch of grass to play fetch. She threw the baseball as far as she could, and the mutt faithfully returned it each time. With every throw, Sole got the ball to go further. With every catch, Dogmeat ran faster. On one particular throw, the baseball went out of sight. How exciting! Dogmeat sniffed the ground to find it, but to his horror the ball was stuck in a tree. He jumped and snapped at it, but the branch was just too high. This was a problem Sole could fix.

Dogmeat sprinted back to his master, but instead of the usual smile she greeted him with, Sole was wiping tears from her cheek. Dogmeat stopped in his tracks, tilted his head, and let out a sad whimper. “Oh no,” Sole sniveled, and crouched down to pet Dogmeat behind the ears. “You didn’t do anything wrong, boy. I’m just having a bad day.” Dogmeat returned Sole’s words with a hearty face licking, which elicited some giggles from her. The two headed back home to take a nap; the baseball in the tree long forgotten by both friends. 

Hancock: Hancock knew he wasn’t the best influence, but even he had standards when it came to exposing others to chems. Sole had never even taken Asprin before the war, so he was hesitant to let them puff Jet with him on a hot, sticky Friday night. It was so bad outside that people were walking around Goodneighbor without shirts. Sole just needed to take her mind off of the disgusting weather, so the two of them sat in his office - Sole in shorts and Hancock without his jacket - discussing how much she should take her first time.

“Darln’, I really don’t think this is a good idea,” he said. “You’re way tougher than me, I won’t deny that. But chems can be a slippery slope. You sure you’re ready?” Sole teased him about not really knowing what he was doing, which made him scoff. He knew the exact dose she should take for a small trip, so he handed her the canister and told her how hard to inhale. Of course she messed that up. At the first gravely feeling in her lungs, Sole sucked in too deep, and Hancock ripped the Jet from her hands. She was laughing and coughing as he pat her back, and both of them knew she was in for a wild night.

After an hour of Sole, well, tripping complete balls, Hancock went downstairs to make snacks. When he returned, Sole was dabbing her eyes with the handkerchief he left behind. He watched her from the open door for a while, until his heart couldn’t take it anymore. Hancock offered her his hand, which Sole struggled to take, and led her to the couch. He sat down and let Sole rest her head in his lap as he absentmindedly stroked her hair. She wouldn’t remember this in the morning, and he wouldn’t bring it up. But for now his best friend needed him. It was time to be a good influence.

MacCready: MacCready and Sole didn’t have a lot of downtime to talk about non-survival stories, so whenever the opportunity arose to be lazy, they gladly took advantage of it. Preston was handling the settlements, Nick and Piper were running errands in Diamond City, and even Danse was helping with repairs around Sanctuary. The two partners decided to spend the evening at the Third Rail drinking booze and watching Magnolia sing. 

Sole saved MacCready a seat on the couch as he handed her a drink from the bar. He casually slung his arm behind her, and the two talked about personal matters they never got to bring up. Sole told him about her career as a lawyer. MacCready explained how Little Lamplight worked. Sole reminisced about the day her and Nate bought Codsworth. MacCready, now tipsy, pulled out a picture of Duncan from his coat pocket. “This is my boy,” he slurred. “This… this is Duncan. Isn’t he -?” MacCready let out a sharp hiccup. “Isn’t he cute? He loves to draw. He’s gonna be an artist, Sole. Just wait. Duncan once drew a picture of Lucy and I when he was four and holy crap did it look just like us. If we were stick-figures, of course. But it was still really good.”

When Sole didn’t respond, MacCready looked down at where she was snuggled in to his arm. She was looking down at her drink which rippled from her tears. When her shoulders shuddered from her soft crying, MacCready knew she was thinking about Shaun. He pulled her closer to his side and placed a hard, chaste kiss to her temple. “M’sorry, Sole,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. You just let it out. Nobody’s watching, okay? I promise.” Even if they were, his glare alone would definitely scare them off.

Preston: Preston had bared his entire past to Sole, so there wasn’t much she didn’t know about him. Sole knew his favorite song on Diamond City radio (it was “One More Tomorrow,” he thought the song was romantic). They knew about his morning routine habit of needing to get out of the right side of bed for good luck. Hell, Sole could tell you everything from Preston’s favorite color to why he has a small scar shaped like a hook on the back of his neck.

But sometimes Preston wondered if he knew anything about Sole at all. He was walking the Castle when he heard a muffled noise behind Sole’s chamber doors. Even though she might get upset, Preston had to check on her. He was shocked to see Sole wiping away tears as they looked in the mirror. She was wearing her general hat, and didn’t seem to like the reflection in the mirror staring back. Preston knew what that felt like; he had his share of demons that Sole knew all about. It always made him worry about losing Sole. Depression was so easy to fall in to, and he didn’t want Sole to get as lost as he had been.

Preston lightly knocked on the door frame, which startled Sole. Before she could yell at him, he took off his own had and smiled sheepishly. “Need some company, General?” he asked. “It’s about time I start asking you about your day.”

Piper: Both women couldn’t believe they had never had a girls’ night in together. Piper cleaned up her office and Sole brought the booze. The two gossiped about the snobs of Diamond City, ate Fancy Lads, and braided each others hair. Piper never had a female friend like Sole, and she felt as carefree as a pre-war child when they snuggled up on the couch to read each other’s palms. Sole said it was a fun child’s game she used to do at sleepovers.

“The heart line on your right palm is curved. That means you freely express your feelings,” Sole said. “And your life line swoops in a semi-circle. That means you are full of strength and enthusiasm.” Piper wasn’t sure if Sole was just blowing smoke up her ass, but she appreciated the compliments anyways. “You also have a fate line. Not a lot of people have that.” Sole held Piper’s hand closer to her face and softly ran her fingernail along the indent in her skin. “It’s joined to your life line. You’re a self-made individual whose always had aspirations.”

“Okay, okay, your turn!” Piper laughed. She flipped Sole’s hand over and bit her lower lip as she concentrated. “Your heart line begins in the middle of your hand. Doesn’t that mean you fall in love easily?” Sole nodded and rolled their eyes. “I’m flattered, Blue. Really.” Both women chuckled. “Your life line, it… breaks in the middle. So… you’ve had a sudden change in lifestyle.” Sole said ‘no shit,’ but it was hard to lighten the mood. “Hey, Blue! You have a fate line, too.”

“Let’s not read that one,” Sole said. She pulled her hand back, and Piper instinctively grabbed her wrist. The motion caught both of them off-guard. “I already know what it is, Piper. It starts at my thumb. It means I have the support of my family. Nate used to…” Her words were broken by an unexpected sob. Sole covered her mouth, but Piper wasted no time lunging forward to pull her in to a tight hug.

“Oh, Blue…” Piper said in to Sole’s hair. “This game is no fun. Let’s play a different one, okay?”

Nick: Sole kept complaining she was bored. Nick didn’t know how the busiest survivor in the Commonwealth could have any downtime, but they offered Sole a job at his detective agency. Sole jumped at the chance to help more people, which was part of why Nick loved her. From day one Sole was giving it her all. There weren’t a lot of people like that in Diamond City, and sometimes Nick wondered if they were the only pre-war souls left.

Nick forgot his hat on his desk, so he entered the office in a bit of a mood. He was supposed to meet Hancock in Goodneighbor to go over a case of a recent kidnapping that happened near the Third Rail. As luck would have it, Sole was thumbing through the file. “It’s a tricky one, isn’t it?” Nick noted as he grabbed his hat from the hanger. “Kid just goes missing wandering the streets while his mom was getting loaded. Some people just shouldn’t be parents. Who just leaves their son like that?” Silence, and then sniveling. “Sole? Are you alright?”

Sole looked up with tears down her red cheeks. Nick immediately cursed himself for talking about a mother that way. “I didn’t mean you, dear,” he said. “Honest.” Sole said something about knowing Nick didn’t mean it, but Nick pulled her in to a hug anyways. “You’re a great mom. And an even greater partner. I’m sorry fate would be so cruel to such a flower in a garden full of thorns.”

Strong: “Human is weak!” Strong roared as he picked the tire off of Sole’s chest. Sole caused an explosion when she accidentally shot a fuel pump aiming for some raiders. It certainly did the job, but an entire truck launched at both her and Strong. The car fell apart in the air, but its tire landed right on Sole as she tried to back away. Strong wasted no time freeing his companion, but he had some choice words for her. “You shot fire box. Human knows fire box makes fire. Why would puny human do something so stupid? Even Strong knows not to do that.”

He charged ahead of Sole to begin scavenging the truck. From experience, Strong knew sometimes humans stored food in there. As he ripped off the door, Strong heard a cooing noise behind him. It was Sole who turned her face in shame. She was crying - either from being in pain or having been humiliated - and that hurt Strong. The supermutant touched his heart because there was this aching he had never felt before.

Strong pat Sole’s head several times, which made her chortle through the tears. “Strong is sorry he yelled at his friend. You are good fighter.” Sole squeezed his hand, and Strong squint his eyes. It was the closest to a smile Sole had ever seen him give. “But human must stop crying. It makes Strong’s heart hurt.”

X6-88: It was official: Shaun was dying. The meeting went as well as X6 had expected. Most of the Institute scientists had absolutely no faith in Sole’s ability to become Father’s successor. Sometimes X6 doubted her whenever she used too many Stimpaks or was caught reading MacCready’s comic book collection. He wondered why someone who grew up without constant war could lead the future with Shaun’s vision. In fact, X6 was so concerned he decided to visit Sole’s private quarters and talk about it with her.

When X6 opened the door, he saw Sole crying in to her pillow. She obviously thought she was alone. X6 thought Sole was probably more upset over Shaun’s terminal disease than having to lead the Institute, though it was definitely a combination of both. Without warning, he sat down on the edge of her bed. Sole shot up and began rambling excuses about why she was crying, and X6 listened patiently. When Sole ran out of breath, X6 reached out to touch her knee. “I respect you a lot, ma’am. You don’t need to hide your feelings from me.” Sole blinked away some tears. “I’m upset about Father’s passing as well. He’s my mentor. And one day when you are long gone, I will be just as upset as you are now.”

[zirawrites]

How do companions react to seeing soles face for the first time and they are absolutely stunning?

Cait: Cait wasn’t thrilled about leaving her home in the cages… until she caught sight of the person taking her away. She had seen just about every walk of life come through for a fight, but Sole? Their pre-war skin was unblemished, their hair was full and clean. In fact, Sole carried themselves with so much poise that for a moment Cait wished she was a little more ladylike to impress them. “Well then,” she said, “I suppose this deal ain’t all bad. You just walk in front of me though, dear. Let me enjoy the view.” Just because Cait wished she was more refined didn’t mean she’d start acting that way now.

Codsworth: “I… I can’t believe it’s really you, sir/mum!” When Sole came in to Sanctuary, the Mr. Handy was floored. He had dreamed of reuniting with his master, but didn’t remember them looking so dashing. His tedious work of scrubbing floors and maintaining the lawn post-nuclear fallout was all worth it now that he knew Sole had kept themselves in wonderful shape. “Why, you look even more handsome/beautiful than the day you activated me, if you don’t mind my saying so. I hope your cleanliness rubs off on my old gears. I’ve managed to accumulate quite a bit of rust since we last saw each other.”

Curie: No one (or thing) was more enamored with Sole in Vault 81 than Curie. She had heard stories of people in the Commonwealth, and they were all the same. Survivors had scratchy skin that peeled from radiation exposure. Their voices were gruff, and their hands calloused. But Sole was the absolute opposite of all those tales. When they peered through the glass at Curie, she would have blushed if she were human. “My, I suppose the stories of the settlers up above were all lies. You are not scratchy or gruff.” Sole didn’t know what that meant, but they took the compliment anyways.

Danse: At first, Danse was just thankful for the assistance against the ferals that plagued the police station. He watched Sole snipe a few from afar, then close in at knife-point the remaining dozen. Both their agility and bravery impressed him. When he went to thank Sole, they took off their helmet and goggles. Danse was unable to speak; his cheeks flushing red when only stammering came out. “We appreciate the support, civilian,” he finally managed to say. He had never seen anyone in such perfect shape. Their broad shoulders, petite frame… they exemplified the entire Brotherhood appearance.  Danse found it hard to make eye contact the rest of their conversation.

Deacon: Today was the day Deacon’s baby would be born. Well, by baby he meant the vault dweller and by born he meant leave the actual vault. They had been a hard little science experiment to track, but he was excited to see the person frozen in time finally thaw out. He figured that they would need some guidance in the Commonwealth, so what better opportunity to shape a new agent?

What Deacon didn’t expect was for Sole to leave the vault early. He hid behind a tree as they rose to the surface; eyes squinting, legs trembling. Part of him wanted to burst from the shadows and help them, but he stopped when he saw how… perfect they were. Bright, hopeful eyes. A smile like on those old magazine covers. To Deacon’s horror, he was willing to follow them anywhere.

Dogmeat: Sole was not the first person to approach Dogmeat at Red Rocket. The dog had been hunkering down under the workbenches ever since his previous owner had run him off the property. Dogmeat’s first reaction was to cower. If a stranger didn’t leave him alone after that, he usually snapped. But when Sole approached him with a cheery “hey there, boy” he was instantly theirs. Sole wasn’t scary at all! Their skin was soft when they scratched him behind his ear, and their smile consisted of all their teeth. Someone as friendly-looking as Sole couldn’t possibly consider him a bad dog.

Gage: Gage had seen plenty of Overbosses come and go. They all looked the exact same. To give off a tough exterior, the raiders usually had deep scars, shaved hair, and chunks of their ears and fingers missing. It always scared off the settlers they wanted to raid, but never impressed Gage. He knew he was missing an eye, but the whole “tough guy act” needed to come from the heart, not the clothes. When he saw Sole come through the doors of Nuka World, his mouth hung open. They were the opposite of every raider and slaver he ever ran with. Their smooth pre-war skin glistened against the neon signs above them, and their healthy hair bounced as they walked towards Fizztop Grille. Gage was more than willing to introduce himself to Sole, but refrained from any flirtatious comments. He didn’t want himself actually catching feelings, and it was easy to get lost in Sole’s eyes.

Hancock: Hancock was always watching over Goodneighbor, and that night he was hanging back in the shadows when Sole walked through the gates. He noticed Finn lock on to the stranger, and figured he would have to intervene eventually. Finn was probably going to sell the poor schmuck some phony insurance, which Hancock warned him to stop whenever he came to his town.

Lucky for him, Hancock’s future damsel in distress was absolutely stunning. They had Magnolia and all the pre-war pin-up girls in the old magazines beat. Sole was staring at Finn with furrowed brows and their fingers brushed against their holster, which only made them more endearing. Beautiful and a badass, Hancock thought as he stepped forward with his knife. The first things out of his mouth after a warm welcome would definitely be a pick-up line.

MacCready: MacCready was having a freaking terrible day. After Winlock and Barnes stopped nagging him about taking their work, there was a stranger hanging around the door. He assumed it was another scorned settler looking for a merc to off their ex lover, so MacCready already had an attitude. He said something sarcastic before he even looked at them, then immediately wished he hadn’t. Sole was all dressed up from their night at The Third Rail, and he could smell their cologne/perfume from across the lounge. Sole tilted their head and asked him who the two men were who had been bothering him. Even though MacCready’s words were low and uninterested, his heart nearly beat out of his chest. They were a total knock-out, and he would be more than thrilled to be their hired gun.

Preston: Preston thought his band of travelers were as good as dead until he heard the raiders outside go down with four loud gunshots. He rushed to the balcony to see a stranger take them down, then begin to scavenge them for supplies. “Hey, up here! On the balcony!” His voice was strained, but it caught Sole’s attention. When they looked up, the sunlight hit their face just right so that Preston could see every feature. He didn’t even notice they were wearing a vault suit. When Sole asked what was the matter, Preston almost didn’t want to involve them in his fight. It wasn’t every day he met an angel.

Piper: Danny Sullivan was getting on Piper’s last nerve. She knew the kid was just following orders, but what he was doing was still wrong. He was leaving her out in the open, and Nat without supervision. She needed a diversion… and the drifter rolling up at the gates would be perfect. Piper had it all planned out. She would tell Danny they were a trader from Quincy, and the town would have his head if he made them miss out on the supplies…

That thought was quickly derailed when she got a good look at Sole. There was no way they were from around the Commonwealth. Sole’s hair was clean, their eyes were still full of innocent hope. It made Piper’s stomach do flips. She hadn’t seen the kind of warm smile Sole flashed her since she got her hands on a pre-war movie. In fact, Piper clammed up so bad Danny actually went back on the intercom to ask if she died.

Nick: Two weeks of being kidnapped in a vault never seemed so worth it until Sole showed up to save him. Nick figured someone would have to set him free eventually, and he was hoping Ellie wouldn’t put herself in harm’s way. When Sole hacked the door to set Nick free, it took every ounce of him not to compliment Sole’s look. All the embarrassment about being a damsel melted away when Sole told him about their missing son. Now he had a chance to return the favor, and get to see a little more of that pre-war miracle.

Strong: Strong was actually unimpressed by Sole’s looks. They didn’t look as menacing as the beaten humans. He suggested Sole slash their face to get a scar.

X6-88: Maybe coursers weren’t designed to perfection after all. When Sole walked through the Institute doors, the synths had never seen anyone as flawless. X6 was certain Sole could be the only heir to Father’s legacy. They matched the intricacy of the spiral elevators; the unblemished gleam of the polished floors. Sole embodied everything the Institute wanted for the Commonwealth, and it made X6 even more honored to become their companion later that evening.

[zirawrites]

Companions react to Sole saying "i have to show you a picture of the most beautiful person in the world" then showing them a mirror

Cait: No one ever compliments someone without expecting something in return. Even though Cait trusts Sole, she’s hesitant to find it amusing. When Sole assures her it was just to lighten the mood, Cait’s expression softens.

“Well, it’s better than the usual pat on me arse I’d get at the cages,” Cait said. “You’re quite the charmer, aren’t ya now?” She still didn’t understand how Sole saw past her freckles and dirt, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

Codsworth: If Mister Handys could blush, Codsworth would be more red than a ripe tato. “You always were a cheeky one, sir/mum,” he chided. All of Codworth’s eyes blinked back at his hovering reflection. “I have managed to make this rust look good. Benefits of being the most brilliant invention to come out of General Atomics. No dirt gets past me!”

Curie: “Oh, this is a pick-up line, is it not?” Curie had read about that in a novel Sole had lent them. Sole explained they weren’t trying to “pick-up” Curie, but rather just compliment her out of the goodness of their heart. It was what friends did. That made Curie smile, and she took the mirror to show Sole their own reflection. “And this is the most brave,” she replied.

Danse: Though Danse outwardly showed discomfort, he was actually filled with admiration. Sole always knew how to make him smile, even in the midst of a mission. As his friend held up the mirror they salvaged from a pile of rubble in the city, Danse rolled his eyes and pretended to not be amused. 

“Keep your eyes on the road, soldier,” Danse seethed. “You’re distractions could get us killed out here.” Even though he seemed annoyed, Sole knew it cheered him up just as rain clouds rolled above them.

Deacon: It seemed silly, but Deacon’s own reflection still surprised him. He obviously didn’t look like his true self, which made looking in the mirror somewhat… difficult. Sole never seemed bothered with his past, which made their gesture all the more endearing. He placed his fingers on his chin and pretended to admire himself. “Can’t argue with that, boss,” he said. Deacon was so lucky to have Sole in his life.

Dogmeat: Dogmeat immediately recognized his reflection. Sole loved to hold him up to any mirror they could find and explain that he was seeing himself. Dogmeat barked appreciatively, and wagged his tail. He wasn’t sure what Sole meant, but he knew it was positive. He was a good boy.

Hancock: He was definitely high when Sole held up the mirror in his direction. Everything was… spinning? Blurry and out of focus. Sole tried to move the mirror closer to Hancock, and he uncomfortably leaned back in his chair. “Who the hell is that?” he asked lowly. Sole rolled their eyes.

MacCready: MacCready was always for some harmless flirting, but why did Sole have to hit on him in front of everyone in Sanctuary? If they had approached him anywhere else, he would have bantered back something sweet. Making Sole blush was his specialty. But since they teased him in front of other companions, he just scoffed.

“Real mature,” he huffed; slinging his gun over his shoulder. “Are we gonna head out today or are you just gonna keep commenting on how pretty I am?”

Preston: The comment caught Preston off-guard. He was so used to dealing with agitated settlers and other equally as anxious minutemen that any form of positivism made the hairs on his neck stand up. But when Preston realized Sole was trying to be cute, he couldn’t help but blush. “Thank you, General,” he said. “Feel free to hang it up in the Castle. We can use my handsome face as a way to recruit more members.”  

Piper: She wasn’t sure what Sole was going to show her at first. Her friend loved to pretend she found cool things on their walks to tease Piper. Once Sole picked up a crumbled, dirty napkin and asked her if it was the latest issue of Publick Occurrences. Piper didn’t find that funny.

Upon seeing Sole was actually being sweet, her nose crinkled. It was... unexpected. Nice, even. “Very cute, Blue,” she chided. “You come up with that one all on your own?”

Nick: Nick had been around long enough to hear every pick-up line. But seeing Sole be the one to deliver it? He couldn’t help but wink at his own reflection. “That’s a damn fine synth I see there,” he said. “But are you sure you got that caption right? Because where I’m standing, you’re the real piece of art.” And then - just so Sole didn’t get too comfortable - Nick added: “And the biggest piece of work.”

Strong: He didn’t get it. “That’s no picture! That is just Strong. Puny human must have hit head in last fight.” How were the two of them supposed to take on the Commonwealth if Sole didn’t know what a mirror was? Pitiful.

X6-88: X6 didn’t blink. Sole thought they may have offended him. He looked at the mirror, then to Sole, then back at the mirror again. Tension built. Was he going to chastise them? Lose respect? Did he think Sole had no idea what a mirror was?

“That was a good one.” It was all X6 said. Sole wasn’t sure if he genuinely meant it, because he kept on walking.

[zirawrites]

companions react to sole catching bullets mid air and sending them back

Cait: “Holy fuckn’...!” Cait was too in awe to finish her sentence. Sole stared back at her as their bloody hand squeezed a raider’s bullet. “No wonder you were able to get me outta those cages,” she said. “How long have ya been able to do that, Sole? Shite. We’re gonna make a lot of caps off this trick, I’ll tell ya that!” Cait then asked how hard Sole could throw the bullet back.

Codsworth: Stunned. Honestly, he wanted to deactivate himself. Every time Sole blew his proverbial mind, he told himself they couldn’t top whatever blasphemy they just did. Sole survived nuclear fallout. Their son was leader of the Institute. They played all the factions of the Commonwealth like puppets. But catching bullets? He had officially seen his master do it all.

Curie: “Can I do that as well?” Curie didn’t know humans were capable of catching something at such a high velocity and then projecting them back at a target. As the raider screamed in agony, Curie fixated herself on her friend. She hadn’t found a book that explained what Sole just did, but Curie was determined to find it.

Danse: Sole was a fucking synth, weren’t they? His mouth hung open as Sole threw the bullet back. Their enemies began to retreat as Sole searched the ground for fallen ammunition. Danse stood in his tracks and watched them. Sole was so casual about their... abilities. Yeah, he knew they had to be a synth.

Deacon: Deacon’s head tilted back as he brought his hands to his mouth to stifle a gasp. He watched like a little kid as Sole threw the bullet back and hit the Brotherhood soldier directly between the eyes. “It looks like you really are the Railroad’s secret weapon,” he gaped. “Can you shoot lasers out of your eyes? Do your fingers turn in to little chainsaws?” Deacon badgered Sole about superpowers the entire way back to HQ.

Dogmeat: He didn’t know people weren’t able to do that. Dogmeat just assumed Sole was being their regular badass self. Honestly, that poor dog has seen a lot of freaky shit in the Commonwealth. 

Hancock: When Sole hurled the bullet back at a thug in Goodneighbor, the crowd began to cheer. Hancock had been watching from his balcony. Outwardly, he cheered with everyone else. But when he got Sole alone? He had a lot of questions as to why they kept such a crazy secret weapon from him. He didn’t like not knowing every crevice of his best friend.

MacCready: “Did you really just do that?!” MacCready didn’t even listen when Sole tried to talk poorly about his sniping skills compared to their own agility. What Sole just did was some straight-up witchcraft. He kept them a reasonable distance away for the next few weeks, and definitely didn’t allow them to participate in a firefight.

Preston: Sole may have just impressed the group of Minutemen at the Castle, but Preston was extremely cautious. He knew Sole always exceeded his expectations, but catching bullets? “Look, Sole, I know that was very impressive. But how did you learn to do that? I’m... not sure you’re completely human.” He didn’t want to offend the General, but he needed to make sure they were the original Sole before he let them command a militia.

Piper: One second, Sole was catching bullets and sending them back. The next, Piper had a notebook and pencil shoved in their face. They had no idea how Piper pulled that out so quickly. They weren’t even near her office in Diamond City. “Okay, Blue, my first question for this article is...”

Nick: Nick knew exactly who was responsible for this. Sole didn’t even need to explain themselves. He made a little quip about Sole always blowing his fuse, but when he got back to Diamond City he was elbow deep in files. This had to be the work of the Mysterious Stranger.

Strong: “Puny human has unfair fighting advantage!” Strong yelled after Sole threw the bullet. “Humans cannot catch bullets and use them with fists. You are NOT a real human!” How could Sole lead him to the milk of human kindness if they weren’t even that species?

X6-88: X6 didn’t react. He didn’t say a damn thing. It unnerved Sole who actually wanted to talk about their special ability, but assumed X6 was just uncomfortable. Sole had no idea he was shedding a tear under his sunglasses. His companion was such a badass it shook X6 to his core.

[zirawrites]

How do you think romanced companions would react to traveling to the Institute together with Sole, and after meeting Shaun, he pulls them aside and says, "I am aware you and my mother/father are an item. I demand this ends at once!"

Cait: Oh man, she didn’t like that. Cait barely took any shit from Sole, so she had even less respect for their wrinkly old son. She gave Shaun a sharp punch in the arm, completely forgetting just what kind of power he held over the Institute. Cait had killed men who were three times her size, and had even longer sticks up their arses.

“Who do you think you’re talkn’ to, fuckface? You’re not the full shilling if you think I’m goin’ anywhere.” Cait’s volume attracted some nearby synths who began to watch her from the corner of their eyes. “I dare ya’ to ask me that in front of your mum/pa. I reckon she/he feels the same way.”

Codsworth (synth): Codsworth supposed he had this coming. After all, Shaun only had memories of the robot as a Mr. Handy who tended to both Sole and their spouse. He knew it must be painful to see his mother falling for the same kind of synth Shaun wanted doing physical labor to restore the Commonwealth.

“I assure you my intentions with the master are purely because I care for them,” Codsworth reassured. “I know it may seem… inappropriate. But, young master, I truly care for them. I waited 200 years for their return, and I’ll spend my next 200 years fighting to keep them.” Shaun seemed unimpressed, especially at being called young master.

Curie: “Oh, monsieur! That would be most unnecessary!” Her cheeks blushed; half-embarrassed and partially insulted. Why was she not capable enough to love Sole? Was it the stigma against synths? Did Shaun know something she didn’t? “I have read numerous subjects about love. I assure you there is nothing I wouldn’t do for your parent. Maybe we should talk about this another time, yes?”

She had wanted to try out a conflict-resolution book Sole had salvaged for them anyways.

Danse: There was no way someone who had betrayed humanity so cruelly by the inventions of synths would talk to Danse that way. “I recognize your familial rank above me, sir. But Sole and I are more than just an item. We’re in love. And if you couldn’t tell that the moment we beamed in to this abomination, you’re even more of a lunatic than I thought.”

Deacon: Shaun couldn’t tell Deacon was squinting judgmentally under his shades. Deacon had given Sole a home in the Railroad. He watched their back on every mission, every dead-drop. And what had Shaun done for them? Kept them frozen underground like a science experiment. Deacon would know. He had faithfully watched them until the day Sole finally broke free.

“Thanks for the customer complaint, compadre. Unfortunately for you, I’m not the one who gets to decide that.” Deacon wished his voice sounded more in control. It was cracking. Seething. “I’m sticking around your old man/woman until the day they don’t want me anymore. And judging by the copious amounts of SEX we have…” Shaun scoffed and turned away. Deacon knew he didn’t want to hear the rest of that sentence.

Hancock: Hancock knew Shaun obviously had a laundry list of deal-breakers regarding suitable companions for his parent. He probably hit them all. Ghoul? Check. Drug addict? Check, but he could totally stop any time he wanted to. Mayor of a synth haven? Double check.

“Is that so?” Hancock asked. His voice was low and raspy. He wasn’t sure if Shaun was rattled. Was the man really so far up his own ass he saw himself superior to everyone who wasn’t a basement-dwelling pre-war asshole? “Because I’m hearn’ a lot of yappn’, and not a lot of reasons why I should. Do you just not want to put this handsome mug on your next annual Institute Christmas card?”

MacCready: That was completely unfair of Shaun to say. MacCready was both an excellent husband and father. He would have given his life for Lucy. Hell, he was risking himself every day for Duncan. For Shaun to pull him aside and start throwing accusations was… shitty.

“Tough,” MacCready said, and already started to turn away. He didn’t need to explain himself to that assho… jerk.

Preston: “I think we should let Sole decide who they get to date,” Preston said. He wasn’t going to beat around the bush, even if Shaun scared him. Sole was their own person who deserved happiness. If Shaun couldn’t want what was best for his own parent, Preston didn’t have a lot to say. “Sole is the most kind, giving person I ever met. I’m lucky they love me so much. And you’re lucky, too. We’re not enemies here, Shaun.”

Well, except for the war over the Commonwealth. Preston looked forward to the day the Institute was finally gone.

Piper: “You can’t take away innocent people and my boyfriend/girlfriend!” she shouted. That’s all the Institute did. They terrorized families. Replaced people with synths. Tore apart homes with no regard to how others would cope. And now their leader was trying to separate her and Sole? She would fight that until her very last breath.

Nick: “I had a feeling I wouldn’t be getting a very warm welcome when I came back here,” Nick said. He supposed Shaun was itching for the opportunity to wipe his memories. Nick was a detective. He could sense Shaun’s disapproval the moment they locked eyes. And with every passing moment, the Institute was growing more animosity towards the synth. “Normally I’d take advice from someone so close to Soul. But after what you’ve done to the Commonwealth? Striking fear in the hearts of innocent people?” Nick pushed his hat forward and tipped his chin down to make a point. “Not a chance.”

 X6-88: He was just relieved all Father was doing was scolding him. X6 knew he was an asset to the Institute. Father trusted him. But if X6 became insubordinate, his creator wouldn’t hesitate to replace him. And Father had every reason to be upset.

“With all do respect, Father, you told me to watch over Sole. To protect them and keep them safe. I’ve spent every waking moment ensuring their survival,” X6 explained. “I can’t help that I’ve grown affectionate to them in that process.”

Yeah, he was definitely getting deactivated.