wildmtthyme

[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 11: The Couch.

Warnings: Family tension/relationship tension. Mentions of past childhood vault-tec level crap. (Slight).

Chapter Notes: A deeper dive into the their feelings on this whole reunion thing.

Synopsis: Even the good vaults weren't earthquake proof, no matter how well they were built. California herself decided the fate of Cooper's family years before he ever found what was left. With not much else, Cooper picks up a lead from Lucy on a possible new serum. What he ends up finding is a whole other can of worms. Another Vault-Tec experiment and another lease on this crazy thing called life.

<- Chapter 10 - Chapter 12 -> Posting 4/17/25

Series Masterlist

RUTH

She sighed quietly as she considered his words. She chewed on her lower lip, worrying her cuticles before she looked up at him… he was hungry, she knew he was but he was waiting on an answer before he ate. She didn’t have one for him, not yet. “I need to sleep on it.” She admitted before she kicked her chin towards the plate. “Eat. I’ll get you a bath drawn.” She got up and made for the back door. She needed to do something besides sit there and getting him a bath going so he could clean up was better than that.

She carried the buckets of water into the wash room downstairs, the washtub she had put down there when she was pregnant had come in handy time and time again, even if the room it was in was technically not a bathroom. She had remembered Cooper saying it was a ‘laundry room’ and that people used to put washers and dryers in there. She could only wish for a machine to do the wash for her but it made for a decent enough bathing room. She fetched the kettle when she heard the tink-tink of the water boiling before it could whistle.

By then, he was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter waiting on her to finish. She offered him a bar of the honey soap that she still made. He nodded and started for the room, obviously figuring out where to go. “I’ll bring you some clothes.”

She tugged her boots off and set them by the front door before she padded upstairs. She went into the third and only unoccupied bedroom, which she used as storage. She’d had to start storing things – coming across clothing for Joshua or things he could use but not yet had become the norm. Daisy was always tucking things aside for him. And she’d ended up putting all of Cooper’s things in there when she was still pregnant. It was easier than looking at them all the time.

Now, she lit a candle in her bedroom and carried it with her, seeking out the small dresser in the corner where she kept all the old clothes. She tugged open a drawer and pulled out one of the tee-shirts and some boxer shorts… and some softer pants. She didn’t have a whole lot of his clothes left – she had made Joshua so many baby and toddler clothes out of Cooper’s shirts. But he still had some.

She carried them downstairs and blew the candle out, since she had turned most of the dimmer lights back on down there when she came back inside with Cooper. She walked through the kitchen and knocked lightly on the doorway molding, since the wash room had no door. She could hear water moving around. It’s nothin’ you ain’t seen before, darlin’. His low drawl murmured out.

She shook her head before she stepped in, the light from the kitchen was all that reached in here. She set the clothes down on the crate and looked over at the pile of dirty clothes, making it a point not to actually look at him.

            THE GHOUL

He scrubbed at every inch of his skin that he could physically reach like he could scrub the past five or six years off of him. If only it were that simple. His eyes kept flicking to her while she was in the room… to the clothes she set down for him… to her… and then she was gone again. He sighed but kept at his cleaning until he was done. Towel. Clothes. Tub drained and then he had to go find her. Wasn’t like it was particularly difficult, she was sitting on the couch in the living room.

All of the drawings and papers were now in a neat stack, worn-down home-made crayons neatly set together in a small wooden tray. The clothes she’d brought him were musty smelling but not terribly so… and they were clean… and soft; so damned soft compared to what he’d been wearing for the past few years. He eased his gun belts down onto the table and saw the way she frowned at them but said nothing. His rifle found a home beside the couch against the wall, saddle bags thrown over the arm of that couch. He clocked the near flat pillow and patchwork quilt folded up beside her.

“Ah… it’s the couch, then, is it.” He rumbled out, unable to curb the tone of his voice. The look she shot him… felt like a bullet all by itself. You’re lucky you’re getting that at all.

She was on her feet and walking around the coffee table before he could say anything in response. His hand shot out, hooking around her elbow as he stepped after her. She didn’t spin on him, didn’t slap him again though he was pretty sure she wanted to. She didn’t even look at him. He took a deeper breath, urging his nerves to just… calm the fuck down. He stepped up behind her slow, arms sliding around her as he pulled her in… bowing his head until his chin slid down along her shoulder. He felt her shiver and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

“I am lucky.” He whispered against her ear, tilting his head to see a scant profile of her face. “Luckiest sum’bitch that ever walked this earth.” And he meant it. He lifted a hand and barely swiped the back of his knuckles down her cheek. A few of them touching her for the first time. “Goodnight, sweetheart.” He felt her lean just a little into the touch before she took a deep breath, filling her lungs to capacity. Put your guns away before Joshua gets up in the morning. She said with her exhale as she walked away from him without so much as a goodnight.

He knew he didn’t deserve it but in that single sentence… she left him standing there with tears welling up in his eyes. A son. A little boy. Joshua. Joshua Howard. Or… hell, he didn’t even know. He didn’t care what last name she gave the boy. All he knew, all he could think as he stuffed the mare under the couch, the rifle tucking between the couch and the wall it was pushed against, hiding it from view but easy for him to still grab but only because he knew where it was… all he could think as he stretched out on the couch, his ankles having to prop up on the arm… all he could think as he took his nightly dose of his chems… was that he… he… has a son. Some archaic part of his hindbrain rejoiced… even though he felt foolish for it. But… he couldn’t help it. His line… his blood… it doesn’t end with him. Not anymore.

            RUTH

Ruth sat on her bed for over an hour after she went upstairs. She could hear the sounds in the house… they were just a little different. She heard Cooper bedding down. She heard it when he started his soft snore. She had to wonder when the last time he had a safe place to sleep was. A truly safe place. He did it to himself, she knew that. But… damn her soft heart where he was concerned! It didn’t help matters that she’d been looking at his eyes every day since Joshua was about a year old. That’s when the boy’s eyes started to change from blue to hazel.

Now, he had Cooper’s eyes like a carbon copy. His hair, too. (A fact she only knew because of his movies and though they were in black and white, she could still tell that it was dark in color.) And, he got his nose, too. She knew the morning was going to be… tense. She’d not kept Cooper a secret from Joshua. She… she felt like he should know his father. That he wasn’t some kind of freaky experiment cooked up in some lab. That he was just like every other human. He had a father and a mother. And once, his father had looked just like him. But now, he looked like Aunt Daisy.

Joshua knew all about ghouls and what happens to make them look that way. Daisy had turned into a very close friend and doted on the boy. Joshua also knew the difference between ferals and ghouls – not from any kind of experience but from what both her and Daisy had told him. So, she knew it wasn’t going to be Cooper’s ghoulishness that would startle the boy. Moreover, it’d just be his presence period. A man sleeping in the house was unheard of, as far as Joshua was concerned. The only person to ever come and visit had been Daisy. When Joshua learns that the man on the sofa is actually his father? That that’s Cooper Howard? She wasn’t sure how he would react. She’d assume excitement but he could also react with shyness… or even anger and distance. He was only five. That was a big thing to encounter at his age.

Not like she was an expert on relationships or anything. She grew up in a white box with minimal furniture – she had always been destined to be a test subject. Her interactions with other people had been limited.

Finally, she forced herself to dress for the night and get into bed. She’d drive herself crazy if she stayed up all night thinking about this. She laid there for probably another hour before her nerves got the better of her and she tip toed into Joshua’s room and laid down next to him. Not unusual. Sometimes she’d hear a noise out in the night or a nightmare would wake her up and she’d have to feel him close to make sure he was safe. So, she’d sleep next to him. It was better than waking him up and moving him to her bigger bed, she determined.

She wouldn’t feel him climb over her in the morning for how exhausted she was from the late hour of her going to sleep and the stress Cooper’s return induced on her.

<- Chapter 10 - Chapter 12 -> Posting 4/17/25

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[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 14: Goin' Crazy.

Warnings: Mentions of past trauma/torture. Mentions of therapy (is that a warning? I'm terrible at these).

Chapter Note: There's this song (<- youtube link) by Teddy Swims called Lose Control and it's very fitting for this point in the story. Just sayin'.

Chapter Characters: Simon "Ghost" Riley

Story Synopsis: Ghost and Indiana have been best mates for years, partners on and off the field. And she's loved him for just as long. But she's never let on that she's felt anything more than friendly towards him. That all starts to change when Simon starts seeing someone for longer than a single night. Indie decides she's going to try and get over this annoying crush once and for all. Simon realizes that maybe he's been feeling more for his partner than he thought. Maybe a lot more. Partners to lovers with a sprinkling of smut, some fun and humor, a team that won't leave them alone, and a car that seems to weave it all together.

<- Chapter 13 - Chapter 15 (4/15)

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Simon stood there at the ice machine in the hall with the ice bucket, his brows forming two low slashes over his eyes as he dug out a few scoops of ice. He returned to the room in short order and snatched a hand towel out of the bathroom, adamantly ignoring Soap’s chuckle. Usually, he’d flip him off but his mood was decidedly too dark for that. He stormed across the living room and tugged open the sliding door and paused, glaring at Soap. I won’t come out there, don’ worry champ, I got yer back. His eyes narrowed further at the jab. He knew the man was just teasing but he was over it. He shut the door behind him and let the silence of the night surround him and fill his buzzing ears. He sat down at the small patio table and laid the towel out, dropped some ice down on it before he took a deeper breath and pulled his mask off, tucking it into his breast front pocket. He pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his other front pocket and tapped one out, fished his lighter out of his front pants pocket and lit up.

He took a punishingly long inhale, dragging in the acrid smelling smoke until he couldn’t physically take in any more before he exhaled a long plume upwards. He gathered up his impromptu ice pack and gingerly set it to his throbbing jaw, leaned back in the chair and took another, shorter, drag of his smoke before letting his arm lay out in a way that only looked awkward. Damn, she had a mean right hook. He’d have a bruise for sure. He should know how hard she could hit. He’d worked on her punches with her until she was sure they were as good as they could be. She was driven like that; refused to stop until she was the best she could be at that stuff. He should have anticipated her move. If he had, he wouldn’t have ended up on the floor. That she picked his heavy ass up had shocked the shit out of him, broken through his anger for that fleeting moment. He took another drag. The look in her eyes though… a frown tugged at his brow. They’d argued before, had right proper roughs… but not like this. This felt… different. He took another drag and held it for a moment before exhaling slow. This had felt more… personal.

Simon had spent more time in therapy than anyone he’d ever heard of. Then again, he had a lot of shit to work through. And he did. He worked hard at wading through the shitstorm that was his childhood… Roba… and more. True, there was always going to be that small percentage that his hindbrain held onto that he’d never be able to get rid of, but the rest? He knew how to handle. And because he’d been in therapy for years… he knew how to calm himself down. He should have done this earlier, in all honesty. But he was doing it now. Because he had to know what the fuck made tonight so different. Why… why did he feel like he was a damned dog with his tail between his legs. Why did he feel like the space between them right now was a fucking chasm as wide as the fucking Grand Canyon? And why did that hurt so fucking much.

What was it exactly that had made him mad? That fucking dress. That was his first thought, his first answer. But he shook his head slightly, winced slightly around his eyes when the towel rubbed against the tender skin. No. It wasn’t the dress. It was the way she looked in the dress. It was the way he looked at her in that dress. Here, sitting out in the dark alone, he could admit to himself that… she had looked… drop-dead gorgeous. Sure, maybe she wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea but to him? She’d been… he took another drag because he felt warmth starting to pool in his gut. He’d never wanted to kiss her before. He’d never wanted to touch her before. And tonight, he’d wanted to do both. A lot. He was angry that he couldn’t just… keep looking at her the same way as before. And that didn’t even touch on the amount of anger he’d been swimming in all night.

Every single time he saw someone approach her; he’d felt his anger spike. Every single time someone danced with her, someone put their hands on her, he’d felt an adrenaline dump like he was about to go into fucking battle. Which just pissed him off more. He couldn’t stop watching her, couldn’t stop keeping his eye on her. Which, it turned out, had been a good thing. But, also kind of not? Because he’d handled that like a fucking moron. He didn’t blame her, not at all. It was that asshole. But also… he took another drag and almost tapped his own chest. This asshole, too. He was angry at himself in that moment, too. Because he couldn’t control himself. He had to go over there. He wasn’t supposed to dance with her. He wasn’t supposed to approach her. He was just supposed to keep an eye on things. End of fucking bullet point.

But there he was, sweeping her around the dance floor like a fucking jackass. And half of his brain was immediately lost to the feeling of her waist in his hand. How the satin moved with her toned body. He’d moved his hand around to her back, to its proper place for dancing and all that and his skin had legitimately broke out into goosebumps at how that had felt. Just to touch her that way. He’d wanted to pull her closer. Now, thinking about his anger and what was actually going on inside his head… he could admit that that he’d been jealous. Dangerously jealous. Which was fucking stupid.

Because once he’d admitted that… his brain rapid fired to how he’d been acting over the past weeks. How he’d acted about her spending time with Price. How he’d acted about the guys paying her compliments on how she’d looked tonight. He wanted to smack himself upside the head and rewind the night. He should have… he sighed heavily. He should have told her how… fucking beautiful she’d looked. He knew Indie didn’t look at herself like that. That she didn’t think she was very feminine. But that didn’t matter to him. Didn’t matter at all. She could be herself and still look fucking gorgeous. And she did tonight.

But now, it was like someone turned the light on in that part of his brain that said ‘hey dumbass, ya know your best mate is a beautiful woman, right?’ And he didn’t know how to act. He didn’t know what to do. So, he defaulted to pissed off. Wasn’t healthy. But, that’s what he did. But tonight, in the room? He’d treated her… like she was just another woman. Just some woman who got drunk and was being obstinate. He’d gone to that place where he was this big soldier, this badass, who could say what he wanted and the woman couldn’t do shit about it but maybe try to slap him, maybe yell, maybe cry and that was it. His brows jumped a little as he took another drag. Fuck, did she remind him very fucking quick who she was. He shifted his weight, his slacks growing far too tight. And that was irritating as hell, too.

It should not be attractive that she put him on the floor. But it was. But why. He didn’t like pain during sex. He didn’t like being the submissive partner. And he’d tried both. So, what was it. He sighed heavily and took the last drag of his smoke and snuffed the butt on the table. He pulled the ice pack away and put his mask back on, set the ice back to his jaw and gathered up his smokes and the ice bucket and went back inside. Soap was asleep on the couch and he decided to not be an asshole. He closed the door quietly, locked it and clicked the lamp off. He poured the ice out in the bathroom and left the ice pack in there before he downed a couple of ibuprofen and just went to bed. He was in bed for five minutes before he remembered. Kyle snored. “Fucking hell.” He groaned as he rolled over and grabbed another pillow and mashed it over his exposed ear.

<- Chapter 13 - Chapter 15 (4/15)

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[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 10: Tail Tucked.

Warnings: Heartbreak / Slight physical violence (slight?)

Chapter Notes: And he's back.

Synopsis: Even the good vaults weren't earthquake proof, no matter how well they were built. California herself decided the fate of Cooper's family years before he ever found what was left. With not much else, Cooper picks up a lead from Lucy on a possible new serum. What he ends up finding is a whole other can of worms. Another Vault-Tec experiment and another lease on this crazy thing called life.

<- Chapter 9 - Chapter 11 ->

Series Masterlist

THE GHOUL

He saw the bedroom light go out and he quietly made his way over to the house… he had just tip-toe style stepped over the low wooden fence of the back yard and was only a foot or two from the back wall of the house when he heard a telling click behind him. He knew the sound of a hammer being cocked like the back of his hand. He swallowed thickly as he lifted his hands up to shoulder height. He should have known that sooner or later, he’d get caught sneaking around like he did. But a desperate man… well, again- he did it to himself.

He turned around slow and the moonlight caught the blue steel of her forty-four… and the shock on her face when she saw his own. She lowered her gun slowly and he did the same with his hands. C-Cooper? He sighed and gave a slight nod. “Yea,” His head jerked to the side, the whole side of his face felt like it fucking exploded. He opened his eyes wide, rotating his jaw a little as he rubbed at his cheek. “G’damn, honey… got a mean…” He frowned when he looked back at her. Silver streaks painted their way down her cheeks.

He could just stare at her for what felt like an eternity before he took a tentative step towards her. She shook her head and took a small step backwards… but he kept coming until he was close enough that he could bend down and press his brow to hers, his hat shifting up and nearly falling off but he didn’t care. He cradled her cheeks gently, thumbs brushing her tears away.

“I’m a fuckin’ coward.” He breathed out low and felt her nod a little. “But I love you. So damn much… and I hate hurtin’ you, darlin’.” He staggered back a step, all the air rushing out of his lungs in a plume of steam as she fell into him, her arms snapping around his torso in a tight hold. He held her right back. He felt her trembling… could only guess what was going on in her mind. Damn you, Cooper. He heard her muffled words come out against his coat and he could only nod, pressing his lips to her crown.

            RUTH

She felt… weak. She knew she should be furious with him and she was… but she was also… so damned lonely. And she had missed him so much, even though she felt guilty for missing him. Because again, she should be furious with him. But it felt so good just to hold him and to be held by him again. To know that he was behind that feeling of being watched? To know that he’d been around periodically? She wasn’t sure if that made the hurt worse or not. She’d probably never really know.

She felt him run a gloved hand down her hair, smoothing it down as he pressed another kiss to her crown. Y’er gonna freeze out here with no coat on. She shifted and shoved her hands and then her arms inside his duster, looping her arms back around him beneath it. He huffed out a sort of laugh. She didn’t want to let him go, certain he’d leave if she did.

But she did, eventually. It was getting really cold and she didn’t want to leave Joshua in the house too long by himself. She didn’t say anything to Cooper and she couldn’t look at him as she turned around and briskly walked back to the front, stepping lightly on the porch as to not make her boots clap on the boards too loud. She didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to hear him tell her he had to leave or that he wouldn’t stay. And she didn’t want to tell him to leave because she wanted him to stay. She’d always wanted him to come back. Even if it meant her being pissed at him for a good long while. She still wanted him there with her.

She swallowed thickly when she heard his boot steps behind her and the slight jingle of his spurs. She felt his hand on her lower back when she walked inside… and he shut the door behind them, she heard the locks flicking over… only then did she look. She watched him check the sturdiness of the door, giving the knob a tug before he pulled his hat off and hung it on the empty hook by the door, his coat followed.

The corner of her mouth twitched as she looked him over. He was thinner than the last time she saw him… his clothes were dirty… he was dirty. “Sit down.” She murmured and pointed at the table, where a plate of biscuits was still sitting with a towel over them… she tugged the towel off on her way past, heading into the kitchen.

            THE GHOUL

Cooper glanced at her when she spoke… then at the chair… he wasn’t entirely sure what the hell he was doing but he dutifully sat down. His mouth watered when she revealed the biscuits and he couldn’t help but grab one and tear into it, his stomach clinching at the sudden interdiction of food. His eyes closed and he let out a hum as he chewed and swallowed down that first bite.

“Christ…” He breathed before he finished off that one and grabbed another. This one he ate slower and while doing so, looked across the entry area and into the living room. He saw toys overflowing a far too small wooden crate tucked against the wall… drawings and colored pictures scattering across the coffee table. And the fucking icing on the cake… a movie poster of his on the wall? How the hell… it was faded and torn around the edges but it was there. The Man from Calabasas took prominent place on the living room wall.

He blinked when his view was interrupted… the smell of food wafted in front of him and a plate of warmed up left overs was set there on the table for him. He looked down at the rad-stag steak and mashed tatos and he damn near melted. “Hell, sweetheart…” He whispered out before he took the offered fork. You look like you could use a good meal. “That and then some.” He was already lifting a bite to his mouth, his brow wrinkling as he looked at her… she sat across from him but she looked… so damned sad.

He took that one bite and put his fork down. “Tell me to go and I’ll go, darlin’. Just like that. No questions asked. I’ve hurt you long enough, don’t wanna do it no more.” He was shocked as hell by the words that came out of his mouth because a big part of him was screaming at himself, trying to remind him that there was a five-year-old reason upstairs as to why he left in the first place. But looking at her… hell, there was a reason he’d left in the night the first time. He couldn’t do it if he was looking at her.

And he didn’t want to anymore. He felt… bone tired and this life… his… his family… he just… he swallowed against a tense throat as he watched her pick at her nails, her expression solemn.

<- Chapter 9 - Chapter 11 ->

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[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 13: Defused.

Warnings: Hurt feelings / body image insecurities.

Chapter Note: Yeah, so that happened.

Chapter Characters: Morgan "Indiana" Turner, John "Bravo-6" Price

Story Synopsis: Ghost and Indiana have been best mates for years, partners on and off the field. And she's loved him for just as long. But she's never let on that she's felt anything more than friendly towards him. That all starts to change when Simon starts seeing someone for longer than a single night. Indie decides she's going to try and get over this annoying crush once and for all. Simon realizes that maybe he's been feeling more for his partner than he thought. Maybe a lot more. Partners to lovers with a sprinkling of smut, some fun and humor, a team that won't leave them alone, and a car that seems to weave it all together.

<- Chapter 12 - Chapter 14 ->

Series Masterlist

Morgan was still panting, still trying to just… she pressed her lips together tightly and tried to take a steady breath but it hitched. She squeezed her eyes shut and hated the tear that skipped down her cheek. She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes and took a ragged breath, she heard a zipper somewhere in the room before she felt a gentle, sandpaper like hand on her shoulder. Easy there, Indie. Here… let’s get you ready for bed, love. She just nodded but her hands didn’t move.

“Fuck him.” She breathed out wetly. “I look good in this dress.” She whispered as her ribs jumped, she was trying to keep it all locked in and failing. She was sure the whiskey had something to do with it. Morgan. Price’s tone was low and serious. She let her hands drop entirely, her arms swaying slightly as she looked at him. He brushed his thumb under her eye lightly. You looked… lovely tonight.

Her lips forced a small, sad little smile but her brow was still furrowed. He held one of his shirts up in between them, since her luggage was in the other room. She sighed and took it with a fall of her shoulders. She turned away from him and he turned around.

Price had been shocked… stunned really. Now, it wasn’t the first time he’d had to break up a fight between any of them. Tempers ran high on ops, but this wasn’t one of those ops! They’d had no near-death experiences, no near-misses, nothing! So, what the ever-loving fuck?! He’d been typing up a report on his lap top when he’d heard the arguing start but he had just sighed and continued, those muppets were probably drunk and they could figure it out.

That was until Soap and Kyle both started going nuts out of nowhere. Talks of whoa and Ghost, let ‘er go! Had him scrambling to get untangled from the laptop charging cord, the sheets, all of it and tugging some fucking pants on before he jerked open his door. Just in time to see Indie throw Simon nearly over her shoulder. He acted without thought and without needing to know any details. Because again, tempers ran high.

But with the way Simon was climbing back to his feet, eyes locked on her like a fucking heat-seeking missile bent on just as much destruction, he knew there’d be no putting them in a room together tonight. They’d either argue and fight all night long or one or the other would leave and go sleep on a couch down in the lobby or something. So, he hauled her in here. That was stunner number one.

Stunner number two was when he turned around after shutting his door to see the way she was standing there… to hear the way she was breathing… the wetness to her breaths. He figured he’d just give her a minute to compose herself. He got into his luggage and pulled out one of his clean shirts and approached her. She had her eyes covered and he was smacked with stunner number three. Seeing a tear dangling off her jaw. Then her words.

Ah. So, Simon had choice words to say over her attire. He knew Indie was already a little insecure when it came to what Simon thought about her in this way, what with his clear choice of… well, he’d just say that all of Simon’s women had all had a specific look. And Indie wasn’t that. Hell, had he been a younger man… and had he not had the love he’d already had… he knew without a doubt that he’d make a go at Indie.

But he wasn’t a younger man. Not that he was a whole lot older than her but it was enough for him. And he’d had his great love, as far as he was concerned and he wasn’t interested in anything more. So, when she needed that extra nudge from a friend, he gave it. He told her the truth. She did look lovely tonight. The look on her face, though… he wanted to throttle Simon for it. But he knew better.

There were always two sides to every story and when it came to these two? Ha! More like fifty, both of them were so fucking complex. He stared at the wall while she changed behind him. When she called for him, he turned back around. “Water.” He pointed at her before he walked over to the small table by the wall and grabbed up one of the bottles of water he’d carried in to the room earlier and offered it to her. He waited until she’d drank most of it before he nodded to the other, undisturbed bed.

“S’all yours, love.” He followed her over to it and helped cover her up, fluffing her pillow around her and everything, generally making her smile down into the fluff. Alright, alright. Get, old man. He smirked and laid his hand on her brow. “Get some sleep.” She nodded, her eyes already closed. You too. He huffed before he returned to his bed, tugged his pants back off; luckily, he was a fan of the boxer brief so he basically wore shorts all the time. He climbed back in and reburied himself beneath the laptop and continued with his work.

<- Chapter 12 - Chapter 14 ->

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[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 9: A Man and His Dog.

Warnings: Descriptions of wasteland life?

Chapter Notes: Note the time jumps.

Synopsis: Even the good vaults weren't earthquake proof, no matter how well they were built. California herself decided the fate of Cooper's family years before he ever found what was left. With not much else, Cooper picks up a lead from Lucy on a possible new serum. What he ends up finding is a whole other can of worms. Another Vault-Tec experiment and another lease on this crazy thing called life.

<- Chapter 8 - Chapter 10 ->

Series Masterlist

2330

            THE GHOUL

Cooper was at his post, again. He tried to make it back a few times a year but sometimes… it’d be only once. It all depended on how far away he traveled. It was frigid, cold as hell – winter was in full swing and he was glad he saw smoke billowing out of the stove pipe. That meant warmth for his… well, he hesitated to call them his family but… he still thought of them that way. He brought the binoculars up and focused them in, knowing his view would be limited.

He had a few new fingers under his gloves… a few close calls under his belt from the past few years. His road had been purposefully tough – he’d done it to himself, he knew. He scanned the windows, stopping when he saw her in one. God damn, she was still beautiful. She was doing dishes. Was it meal time? He had no idea anymore. He’d shed all the weight he’d gained while living the cush life at the farm fairly quickly. Now? He was back to being half starved most of the time.

He scanned the rest of the windows and jerked when he spotted a television? When the hell did she get one of those monstrosities?! He saw a silhouette of a child’s head pop up in front of the screen. Ah… there they were. He still wasn’t sure if they were a boy or a girl… he knew they had dark hair like he’d once had, he knew that much by this time.

Suddenly, his pre-war face popped up on the screen and he legit jumped, startled by the sudden appearance. A little finger pointed up and he saw the child turn, obviously calling out to their mother. Then the child clapped when… he almost teared up, his old dog making an appearance. They were watching A Man and His Dog. He didn’t even know that copies had fucking survived?!

He knew in that moment that he was going to be staying longer this time… he moved back and headed to his old camp site in the trees. He’d sneak over to the house later and hope to catch a whiff of her scent on the breeze, if she left her window cracked. She used to, even in the chill.

            RUTH

She’d been unsettled all evening. That feeling of being watched was back and it put her on edge. She finished up the dishes and walked into the living room, still drying her hands… a soft smile gracing her features as she looked down at her son and his very valiant attempt at drawing his favorite cowboy. Look, Momma! It’s Daddy! She smirked and knelt down, taking the offered drawing. Well past stickmen at this age, she just smiled again.

“Very nice likeness, sweetheart. Time for bed, though.” He frowned but dutifully shut the Radiation King off. You think, maybe, I can have a puppy for Christmas? His question wasn’t a new one seeing as how that was his favorite movie. She sighed and set the paper on the worn coffee table. “Not sure, we’ll have to see.” She offered her hand and they went upstairs together.

He’d graduated to his own room at this point though she still kept her door wide open so she could easily rush to him if she needed. And she slept with a gun in a holster strapped to the back of her nightstand so she could easily get to it should the need arise. She took no chances when it came to her son.

He went to bed with little fuss and was asleep quick, thankfully. Because she wanted to check the property. That feeling was still there and she was… well, she just had to make sure there weren’t any unwelcomed guests before she went to bed. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep until she knew for certain.

She snuffed out the lights down stairs and a few minutes later, turned the lamp off in her bedroom to make it seem like she’d gone up there and gone to bed. She waited a few minutes more before she tip-toed back downstairs with her gun.

<- Chapter 8 - Chapter 10 ->

Series Masterlist

[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 12: Like a Bomb.

Warnings: Fighting, physical and verbal. Drunken behavior. Offensive language? Is that even a warning with these guys?

Chapter Note: Let the record show that physical violence is never okay. However, in his fictional world - it happens.

Chapter Characters: Morgan "Indiana" Turner, Simon "Ghost" Riley, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Johnny "Soap" MacTavish, John "Bravo-6" Price

Story Synopsis: Ghost and Indiana have been best mates for years, partners on and off the field. And she's loved him for just as long. But she's never let on that she's felt anything more than friendly towards him. That all starts to change when Simon starts seeing someone for longer than a single night. Indie decides she's going to try and get over this annoying crush once and for all. Simon realizes that maybe he's been feeling more for his partner than he thought. Maybe a lot more. Partners to lovers with a sprinkling of smut, some fun and humor, a team that won't leave them alone, and a car that seems to weave it all together.

<- Chapter 11 - Chapter 13 ->

Series Masterlist

Simon clinched his jaw when he walked her into the elevator, she was moving under her own power now and he had no reason to keep his hand on her arm but he couldn’t let go. His fingertips were sunk into the flesh that he knew was muscle. Muscle because she was a fucking soldier. Not whatever… this was. It was like that fucking dress… possessed her or some shit!

The ding sounded and he couldn’t get out of the small box fast enough. I can walk by my fuckin’ self, Lieutenant. She threw his rank at him and the tone of her voice was downright nasty mean. He just lengthened his stride and gave her arm a jerk, tugging her to keep up. He didn’t have a hand to spare so he just turned his hip towards the locking mechanism, a whirl and a chirp and he pushed the knob down with one of her fucking heels.

They were a fucking tornado coming into that room. As soon as that door clicked shut, he felt her hand clap over his, fingers digging into tendons on his wrist. Get the fuck off of me. She growled at him and he threw her heels down onto the floor, content to never see the fucking things again. Whoa! Guys, hey! Soap was on his feet, hands up and looking worried. “Stop acting like a fucking brat.” He ignored the man entirely.

He jabbed a finger at the door to their room. “Get yer ass in that room, get the fuck ou’a that fuckin’ dress and get yer ass in that fuckin’ bed and go to fuckin’ sleep.” His tone was hard and cutting, eyes livid as the lid on his anger just fucking blew off. It wasn’t the same tone he used when he barked orders at recruits. It wasn’t even the same tone he used whenever he’d gotten into roughs with any of them before. This was decidedly different.  “Tired a’ you runnin’ round ‘ere all night lookin’ like a fuckin’ slag.” He growled out the last, a muscle jumping in his jaw.

Morgan was shooting daggers up at him and then he opened his mouth. “Slag?!” Her brows shot up and she whipped around on him, jerking her arm from his grip even though she felt the pull at the skin, knowing damn well there’d be bruises there now. She bowed up immediately. “So that’s what you’ve been thinkin’ all night, is it?” She was blinking faster and she blamed it all on the whiskey. She gave him a shove, to which he swayed back half a step. Indiana! She ignored whoever the hell called for her. “Is it?!” She snapped at him with another shove but he just held his hands up a little and looked off to the side for a second before facing her again.

He was acting like she was this… hysterical… little… bimbo that just… washed up off the fucking street… and she just… she moved before she could process that she’d even sent the impulses down the neural network from her brain to her fist. Her knuckles snapped against his jaw and the next heartbeat, he whipped her around and had his arm around her neck, her throat being squeezed between his forearm and bicep. There was a cacophony of sounds going on but she didn’t give a shit. Simon was saying something too but she didn’t give a shit about that either.

She grabbed onto his arm and just made an angry sound, pulled and rocked forward at the same time. She felt his considerable weight suddenly settle on her back, her legs braced and supporting all of it for more than a heartbeat before she pitched herself to the side and flipped him off, just shy of over her shoulder. He landed hard, a grunt and she turned, ready to wail on him when she felt another arm go around her waist and lift her up, and she was moving away from him?! No fucking way! She clawed at the forearm there. That is enough, Turner. Price’s hard tone was in her ear and she was left panting and hanging there like some… some… wet cat! Kyle, you’re with Simon. – Yes sir. Her feet were back on the carpet and she was turned around, shoved through a doorway and she heard the door snap shut behind her.

<- Chapter 11 - Chapter 13 ->

Series Masterlist

[wildmtthyme]

Will be updating Judgement tomorrow (4/7). And scheduling the posts for this week. It's rush week again @ the college I work at so... yay.

[wildmtthyme]

There - all of the master lists / posts / and pinned post have been organized and all that.

[wildmtthyme]

(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ Pinned Post Master List ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)

Fics featuring the wonderful dudes from Call of Duty can be found here.

Fics featuring the awesome characters from the Game of Thrones TV series can be found here.

All the other miscellaneous fics can be found here. :D

[wildmtthyme]

Uss'che | Words: 3013 | Lae'zel x Durge Drow Tav (Va'lin) | Link

My Baby Shot Me Down | Ongoing | Ghoul x OC | Masterlist Link

1272 White Orchard | Geralt x OC | 4 Chapters | Link

A Link to all my AO3 Dragon Age posted fics over the years.

[wildmtthyme]

After the Long Night | 25 Chapters | AO3 Posting

Stark Wolf Sanctuary | 12 Chapters | AO3 Posting

Sheets | 2 Chapters | AO3 Posting

A Tale of Two Brothers | 23 Chapters | AO3 Posting

[wildmtthyme]

Stark Wolf Sanctuary | Word Count: 19,382 | 12 chapters

Okay, house rules. Now, he held his hands in front of him and nodded. Rules he knew, he was used to those. First six months, you’ve got a ten o’clock curfew. Do well enough, you’ll get every other weekend off to go… wherever. No drinking, no women, no men. You do good, keep your nose clean, work hard and you’ll earn that freedom sooner rather than later. Eddard was fair and level headed. Sandor was fresh out of prison for killing his brother but the man still let him on the property. Still shook his hand. Still looked him in the eye. Still let him around his family. Daft, is what it was!

Or...

Modern AU where Sandor is a parolee working and living at Stark Wolf (dire wolf) Sanctuary where he falls head over for the boss's daughter and finds himself falling into the roll of father to her little boy at the same time.

Rating M. Chapters have warnings where applicable.

Link to AO3

[wildmtthyme]

After the Long Night | Word Count: 38,975 | 25 Chapters

What is that saying? How does one pick up the pieces of an old life? She supposed that was true. Sansa'd had plans. Plans that she thought were shared by another but it appeared that she had, yet again, trusted in the wrong man. Circumstance was the blade that cut her life to pieces this time but she was not the small, scared little girl she had once been. She was the Lady of her house and she would persevere and thrive. And though she'd always secretly thought of him as always being there... she had never thought he'd really be there, let alone be there for her. Two hearts carved by their pasts converging in Winterfell will shape the once crumbling ruin into their home. The halls will hear the laughter of a family again and both will finally find their peace.

Or...

Sandor returns to Sansa instead of dying in King's Landing, just when she needs him the most. He becomes more than just her shield.

Rating M. Chapters have warnings where applicable.

Link to AO3

[wildmtthyme]

1272 White Orchard (No, it's not an address XD)

Summary: Geralt of Rivia. The Butcher of Blaviken. The White Wolf. And probably half a dozen other names that he doesn't even know about. Plus, one more. Saver of wayward women and giver of wild-dog pups. Where the River Reese cuts through White Orchard there lies a small unassuming hut. Where a small unassuming woman lies her head. It starts as a good deed and nothing more. It grows into something that could change the world. (Or at the very least, his world). [Or...] Geralt tries to do something nice for someone and finds himself craving a slice of the simple life. Perhaps a slice of a simple woman with no motives other than to see him well fed, warm, and content.

4 Chapters | 7,170 words | NSFW last chapter.

Mood Board:

Full Index AO3 Link

Steadily working through my WIP folder, editing, and posting. :)

[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 8: Old and New.

Warnings: Abandonment (still). Mentions of being drunk and laboring (?). Fear of being a parent/responsibility with regards to the Fallout universe/dangers associated with it.

Chapter Notes: Another short chapter but it's hard breaking it up so that it flows right, ya know?

Synopsis: Even the good vaults weren't earthquake proof, no matter how well they were built. California herself decided the fate of Cooper's family years before he ever found what was left. With not much else, Cooper picks up a lead from Lucy on a possible new serum. What he ends up finding is a whole other can of worms. Another Vault-Tec experiment and another lease on this crazy thing called life.

<- Chapter 7: The Spring of '25

Chapter 9: A Man and His Dog ->

Series Masterlist

THE GHOUL

Cooper knew he was a coward for leaving, especially the way he did. But he just couldn’t go through that shit again. He couldn’t. He was already a bomb… no telling when he’d go off. And yeah, that was a reason but there was more. He… hell, he loved Ruth. More than he’d ever thought he could love a woman. But throw a kid into the mix? In this world? Fucking hell. So… he did the only thing he could think of, the selfish, cowardly thing. He left in the middle of the night. Snuck out without even a fair thee well. And it damn near broke his heart to do it. In fact, he was pretty sure it did. Because as soon as he shut the door behind him, he heard that sob. She’d been awake. She knew he left her like that. In real time. It didn’t stop him from walking away.

And it didn’t save the wasteland from one hell of a comeback tour. He was meaner than he’d ever been… far more reckless, ruthless… he let the feral side of him come out a hell of a lot more and a big part of him wished someone would put a bullet between his eyes more than once.

But... he always ended up coming back. He kept his distance but… he’d be just on the ridge, perched there with his binoculars. Watching. Checking in on her. Making sure… hell, he didn’t know. Anything could fucking happen while he was gone. He knew he was torturing himself. She seemed to be doing… alright, he guessed? But… watching her paint that crib on the porch… her belly almost too big, knowing damn well she had no business carrying around something that fuckin’ heavy, never mind carrying it upstairs! Still… she looked so… proud through the window. But that pride was quickly swallowed by a heartbroken look on her face as she put a hand on her belly. Some nights, when he was drunk enough… he’d sneak close enough to lean against the house under the bedroom window… torture himself some more by listening to her cry herself to sleep.

The next time he came around and peered through his binoculars… he fucking dropped them, scrambling as he rolled onto his back, his chest clinching, his lungs seizing as he fumbled his atomizer. He took three big puffs before he could breathe properly… tears sliding down his temples as he wept quietly. He rolled back over and slowly brought the binoculars back up to his face… she was sitting in his rocking chair… a small, pink… smooth skinned baby curled up in her arms… suckling… as she smiled down at it so damned sweetly.

Questions zipped through his mind. Boy or girl? Ten fingers? Ten toes? Eye color? Hair color?! How long did she labor for!? Was she all alone the whole fucking time!? He was damn near hyperventilating; he was breathing so fast. His heart was pounding, trying to dig a hole into the ground under him as he laid there.

            RUTH

She hummed softly, gently stroking down the dark fuzz on the top of her son’s head while he drank down his breakfast. “Sweet boy…” She whispered, the ball of her bare foot pushing down on the porch floorboards and rocking them both slow and steady. He seemed to really enjoy the rocking chair, the nice rhythm it could provide.

He was two months old now… and he still slept most of the time, was damn near glued to her all the time but he rarely cried. She’d have him strapped into a sling across her chest soon so she could get to work. She’d made countless baby clothes while she was in the later stages of her pregnancy and unable to do a lot of work around the farm. But now that she was more or less mobile again, she was grateful for that time. She’d wept most of the time because she used Cooper’s old shirts to make his clothes… but she didn’t cry anymore when she dressed him in them.

She still wasn’t sure if she’d ever tell her son about his father… she probably would. But that was a problem for a later date. For now… the sun was still rising and it was peaceful.

<- Chapter 7: The Spring of '25

Chapter 9: A Man and His Dog ->

Series Masterlist

[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 11: Night Cap.

Warnings: Drinking? A little rough handling and throwing around of rank.

Chapter Note: Because getting drinks is always a good idea.

Chapter Characters: Morgan "Indiana" Turner, Simon "Ghost" Riley, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Johnny "Soap" MacTavish, John "Bravo-6" Price

Story Synopsis: Ghost and Indiana have been best mates for years, partners on and off the field. And she's loved him for just as long. But she's never let on that she's felt anything more than friendly towards him. That all starts to change when Simon starts seeing someone for longer than a single night. Indie decides she's going to try and get over this annoying crush once and for all. Simon realizes that maybe he's been feeling more for his partner than he thought. Maybe a lot more. Partners to lovers with a sprinkling of smut, some fun and humor, a team that won't leave them alone, and a car that seems to weave it all together.

<- Chapter 10 - Chapter 12 ->

Series Masterlist

When Morgan got back to their hotel, Soap herded both Kyle and her to the hotel bar. Price retreated upstairs and Simon did the same though not before he threw some serious side-eyes her way. Whatever. She could use a real drink after tea-totaling all night long. Plus, her feet hurt but not in the way she was used to. The ball of her feet was aching to the point where she was sitting at the bar, third whiskey in front of her, and she was leaning down and tugging her heels off and setting them on the bar. Soap snatched one up and flipped it over. A’right, been tryin’ ta figure it out all night. Why the fook is the bottom red? Kyle snorted out a chuckle and grabbed the other one, flipping it over and tapping the bottom. Protects the sole, see? That way, ya don’t slip ‘round. She just shrugged because she didn’t have a fucking clue. She took another swallow of the scotch and hummed contently at the pleasant burn. Kay. I get tha. But then, why are the bottom of yers red? Soap pointed at Kyle with the heel of her shoe. Kyle shrugged. Style, brah. Plus, means we match. He snaked his arm around her shoulders and gave her a tug.

She felt Soap tug at the strap of her dress. Can’t get over this fookin’ dress, lass. She nodded in agreement. “Me neither and I’m wearin’ the damn thing.” She shared the chuckle between the men but her smile slid off her face slightly, remembering what Simon had said earlier. She downed the rest of her drink and tapped the bar, holding the glass up for the bartender to see that it was empty. Easy, Indie. Kyle chuckled and took a swig of his beer. “Been drinkin’ watered down gin and tonics all night, don’t start with me.” She muttered the last with a teasing squint of her eye in his direction. Soap mirrored her over her shoulder and pointed at him with the shoe again.

Simon was sitting in the chair in the shared living room of their hotel suite. His tie was tugged loose, jacket thrown onto the couch, but the rest… he was still so god damned pissed off. Price ventured out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and paused, giving him a look… pointedly looked at the clock on the wall… and then gave him another look. Simon just lifted his hands off his knees, elbows thrown over the arms of the chair. “Wut?” Maybe go down and fetch those muppets before they get into trouble. Simon sighed heavily but dutifully hoisted himself up. “Some bullshit, Captain.” He muttered as Price went into the room he was sharing with Kyle. Heard that. Price’s timbre carried out of the room. Simon silently mocked him behind his mask, snatching one of the hotel key cards off the desk and stepping out.

Their cover was an easy one… and it wasn’t like this was a high-risk mission, anyway. One very uncomfortable elevator ride later, he was stepping out into the lobby and aiming for the hotel bar. Where he saw the three sitting… wrapped in a very animated debate where Soap was trying to make his position known while using Indie’s discarded heels as pieces on the bar to lay out his plan or… plot? He didn’t know and he didn’t care. He came up behind them and cleared his throat loud enough that it got their attention. “Time to pack it in.” Kyle and Soap both glanced at him and he could tell that they both seriously considered ignoring him but Kyle drank the last of his beer and Soap the last of his vodka. Both tossing a few bills on the bar to cover their tabs as they slid from their stools.

Soap started to walk off only to stop stiltedly and hand Indie back her shoe. Here ya go, hen. That dress… the made an appreciative sound but he had a playful look on his face. Simon didn’t give two shits what look was on his face though. “Now.” He growled down at him and Soap held his hands up a little. Fine, fine, goin’, goin’. But Indie hadn’t moved yet. She took another swallow of her drink, scotch if he knew her choice of alcohol well enough. “You too.” He stepped a little more up to her side so she’d see he was serious, his arms folding over his broad chest, that button up stretching. Finishin’ my drink. She grumbled into the glass, already taking another sip. From this vantage, his eyes went rogue and he got a view of her that… he could see… there was just so much skin. She had her legs folded at the knee, one over the other… all prim and proper and what the fuck was going on with her. But because of that, it was like she was wearing a fucking swim suit and not a dress at all.

“C’mon, hurry up.” He ground out, forcing his eyes to survey the nearly empty bar. There were hardly any people at all in the lobby, let alone the bar. Hell, the staff were probably waiting on her to leave at this point. Don’ worry yer precious little head about little ol’ me. His gaze snapped down to her. Her words were slurred just enough to let him know that that scotch was doing its job. Can fend off any fucker who thinks they gotta right—his hand wrapped around her upper arm, his other grabbed her shoes and he hauled her from the stool. “That’s enough Sergeant.” He ground out her rank and forced her into step beside him. It was rare he ever pulled the dreaded rank on her but he needed the distance it provided and he needed it right now.

<- Chapter 10 - Chapter 12 ->

Series Masterlist

[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 7: The Spring of '25.

Warnings: Pregnancy (ya knew this one was coming), abandonment, puking (is that a warning?), heartbreak.

Chapter Notes: Short chapter but yeah, let the angst begin.

Synopsis: Even the good vaults weren't earthquake proof, no matter how well they were built. California herself decided the fate of Cooper's family years before he ever found what was left. With not much else, Cooper picks up a lead from Lucy on a possible new serum. What he ends up finding is a whole other can of worms. Another Vault-Tec experiment and another lease on this crazy thing called life.

<- Chapter 6 : The Still of the Night Pt 2

Chapter 8 : Old and New ->

Series Masterlist

2325

            THE GHOUL

Cooper first noticed something was off in the spring of ’25. At first, he figured he’d just gotten so accustomed to Ruth’s cycles that he wasn’t noticing them as strongly anymore. But then he really started to pay attention. And he realized that she hadn’t gone through her courses nor her menses in… a bit. A few months at least. And that’s when the puking began. Cooper sat on the edge of the bed that first morning… elbows on his knees, hands clasped together, a solemn look on his face as he listened to her puke her guts out in the bathroom. The sound of acid splattering in the enameled bucket echoing throughout the silent house sent chills of the bad kind down his spine. Got him thinkin’ about her ghoulification for the first time in a long time. Made him really think about it… think about what those Vault-Tec scientist assholes were really trying to achieve… and what they weren’t willing to sacrifice upon becoming these supreme fucking beings. About what her body could still do… and what it could do with what he stupidly pumped into her damn near every night for the last, what… at least three fucking years, minus the times he spent away doin’ jobs. By the time she staggered out of the bathroom, he was already dressed and downstairs, starting coffee and trying to keep his shitstorm together.

            RUTH

She knew. She didn’t want to believe it but… she knew. She didn’t know how it was possible… well, she knew how it was possible but not really. She hadn’t talked to Cooper about it- she didn’t even know how to say it. She wasn’t even sure how he’d react, probably badly. Then again… she was sure he already knew. He’d been acting… different… since she started throwing up every damned morning. There was a strange look in his eyes, beneath the normal one he gave her. A different feeling when he touched her. He held her a little tighter… kissed her a little longer. There was this feeling hanging over the house that she couldn’t quite place. Almost like… walking on eggshells, with no idea why. Like… waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was almost like torture. And almost a relief when that other shoe finally did drop.

She had just started to show… barely enough to fill the palm of her hand, just enough that the button on her jeans wouldn’t button without being severely uncomfortable – so she’d tie the button up with some string and string it through the button hole instead. It was still dark out when she felt a different feeling on her stomach, different than the normal weight of his arm thrown over her. Her eyes fluttered in the darkness as she woke, mind still cloudy from sleep. The smell of leather overtook her senses as she felt the cool air on her bare stomach… and the feeling of a leather glove there, barely touching… gently caressing. She heard rustling behind her, the weight on the bed distributed differently. Her eyes started to sting because… she knew what he was doing. And she wanted to beg him not to. To not do this. But she just remained as still as she could… a tear sliding out the corner of her eye and soaking into the pillow when she closed them again.

She felt his hand leave her and the weight leave the bed… heard the soft footsteps… the quiet jingle of spurs… she couldn’t bear to open her eyes. He paused, probably at the doorway… before she heard him go down the stairs… followed by the opening and closing of the front door. She covered her mouth with one hand and a sob wracked her body. She wept heavily, big fat tears… ugly snot running, all of it… screaming into her pillow as she curled up tight. And she had never felt more alone in the world than she did in that moment.

For a few months she was able to fool herself into thinking he’d just left for a job. To earn some caps… ya know, prepare and all. But she knew better. She managed to grow a decent crop of corn and tatos that summer, though it killed her back with the added weight she was hauling around. Every now and again, she’d get the feeling of being watched… and she’d straighten, a hand falling to the gun on her hip that she always carried now… eyes scanning the area before she’d return to work. It was hard work but… she didn’t have a choice. She made small meals and preserved what she could, hoping to have enough prepared for easy meals in the future. She made trips to the closer settlement of Mento, trading for goods… and meeting the uncomfortable gazes of friends they’d made over the years when they finally realized that she was now alone… and in the condition she was in. They drew their own conclusions – mostly aiming their disappointment at her, probably thinking she fooled around on him.

All except one ghoul merchant that she’d grown close with. Daisy was a sweetheart and she spent more than one afternoon crying over tea in her back room while the ghoul woman patted her shoulder. He’ll come around; you’ll see. She’d always say. Ruth wasn’t so sure. She was grateful for the traveling caravan that came through and the crib she was able to barter off of them for a sack of seed she didn’t end up using this season. She put it together one night by lamplight… feeling mighty proud of herself once it was done. She sanded it down and repainted everything beforehand and when she was done… a soft blue crib stood proudly in the bedroom she still slept in. She thought about putting it in one of the other bedrooms but… didn’t. She knew she’d want the baby close to her. Nights were always the worst… she couldn’t sleep half the time and the other half- her dreams were so strange. But at the end of all of it… she’d find herself just angry… and lonely. Most nights, she’d just cry herself to sleep.

<- Chapter 6 : The Still of the Night Pt 2

Chapter 8 : Old and New ->

Series Masterlist