Friends?

four

Traveling with Hancock was nice. He didn't get upset upon me taking chems during fights. He even gave me chems when he noticed I was getting low. I'm sure he took them just for the high, but he wasn't selfish. Besides, I'm not sure the extra edge during fighting was the only reason I took them either. Sometimes it helped ease the pain for losing everyone I knew 200 years ago with the exception of Codsworth.

I pushed those thoughts from my head for now. It was getting too dark out to travel anymore and I could see Hancock was as tired looking as I felt. We agreed to clear out this small abandoned house of feral ghouls and set up a small camp for the night. Hancock set up a small fire for warmth and to deter any other creatures that might want to come bother us. While he did that I set up two bed rolls I found. I placed them in the corner next to the fire, a wall on both sides of us.

"Do you want me to take the first watch?" I inquired, looking at the ghoul.

He placed himself on his bed roll, leaning against the crumbling concrete wall. "Nah, sister. You look like you could use more rest than me."

I did need rest. I knew it wouldn't come to me though. My hand instinctively reached to my husband's ring on my chain. Being nestled under my shirt and between my breasts, it was always pleasantly warm. I liked to think it was Nate's warmth that stayed with it, even though I knew it was only my own body heat.

"Are you sure?" I didn't want to throw his consideration back in his face.

"Positive. It's why I offered." His lips twitched up at the corners to let me know he meant well.

I didn't protest, but unlaced my boots and wiggled my way into the sleeping bag. I lay there looking into the fire for a long while, left alone with my thoughts. Hancock eventually got up and started to pace around the small building, looking for loot, or maybe even getting a hit of jet in. I didn't question what he was doing, and if he wasn't even planning to make sure I didn't get killed in my sleep, it made no difference to me. I was a light enough sleeper anyway. I would hear anything that tried to come close. I traveled alone many times before and I was still alive now.

But Hancock never ventured too far and after a while, he sat back down on his bedroll, setting his dark coal eyes on the fire. He noticed me studying him and gave me a cocky smirk. "You can't help starin', can ya?"

I ignored his comment and instead pulled the cover over my shoulders. I looked back into the fire and whispered, "Why would you want to travel with me?"

"You worried I'll skip out on you or something?" His reply was quick, but I replied just as fast.

"No, you just have the entirety of Goodneighbor." I set my eyes back on him.

He was looking back into the fire and only shrugged. "Hey, this beats the mayoral duties."

That was all he said. I turned back to the fire and didn't press any issues further. Hancock hadn't grilled me about my life, even though I'm sure he's heard I was in the vault, that I was pre-war. Everyone had their own business and I had no right trying to pry him for his.

The flames danced in my eyes and I slowly slipped into an unrestful dream of my now 60 year old son.