The Knight and the Paladin - A series of Oneshots

17 Seven days of Vacation, Day 7: One last time

The last day of their vacation was one of melancholy. It was filled with the memories of broken promises, intimacy, pain and confessions. The last week was, like Kathryn would describe it, bittersweet. She found out about the feelings of her commanding officer, his completely different side of gentleness and vulnerability, against the tough soldier he always was. Everything would change from now on, that was sure. Kathryn didn't know if she should be happy or sad that all this had happened. It was still early at 9 in the morning. They had packed and were ready to go. Danse had made a little breakfast as a goodbye gift for the week he'd always remember.

The electromagnetic smoke rose into the air. The two soldiers already had put on their power armors. Dogmeat could feel the change which was coming and the silence around him and his humans was unbearable. They didn't speak much, only the necessities like if they still had enough fusion cores and cells, stimpaks and other supplies. Finally the vertibird descended in front of them, Kathryn ruffling Dogmeat's fur one last time before she boarded. "Goodbye Dogmeat, be a good boy, won't you?", she said and the dog barked. Danse also ruffled the canine's fur before he also boarded the vertibird.

They both were lost in their thoughts as they flew across the Commonwealth. It always looked so peaceful from above. Beauty in destruction, any artist would say. Both Kathryn and Danse didn't wear their helmets and the wind tousled their hair. The docking process brought them back to reality. The scribes and knights on the flight deck welcomed the duo home and they nodded in response. They went to go and visit Elder Maxson, just like he ordered them, at the command deck. He turned around, a micro smile on his face as he acknowledged the duo. Maxson only asked if their vacation was relaxing and both nodded. They'd get their new assignments in the next morning, until then they still had some spare time left. Kathryn and Danse walked to maintenance side by side and put away their power armors. Afterwards they went to their sleeping quarters, Kat to her bunk bed and Danse to his own rooms.

Kathryn sighed putting away her stuff in the chest beside her bed. She sat down and held her head in her hands. Her hands were shaking madly and she felt that a panic attack boiled up. She began to ran. Her chest heaved and she needed to be somewhere else. Kathryn didn't know it but she just ran into the arms of Paladin Danse. He was leaving his quarters, looking just as terrible as Kat felt. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and heavy breathing. He pulled her inside and closed the door and then led her to his bed where he carefully sat her down.

Danse sat down next to her and grabbed her hands. "I can't do this!", she said. He looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Kathryn calm down. Tell me what you mean." he gently stroke his thumbs over her hands, trying to calm her down. She took a few deep breaths and the trembling of her hands was gone. The warmth of Danse's hands around hers brought her some comfort. "I can't be alone. I... I don't want to be alone. Danse, I can't be here..!" And again she cried. He held her to his chest. "You're not alone Kathryn. You never will, I promise." He gently stroke her back and drew circles. Kathryn took a deep breath and looked at him.

"Please, can I stay here with you?", she begged him. He looked a little sad after that question.
"I think that won't go. I'm sure the Elder won't allow that."
"Not even for one night?"
He shook his head.
"Then I am going to have a talk with him."
"Kathryn, you can't do that. He'll know why you ask. And fraternization is forbidden!"
But she already was out of the door.

The command deck was as empty as always, only Maxson and one guard were around. "Elder Maxson, Sir.", Kathryn called out for the younger man. "Proceed, Knight." Kathryn walked over to him, standing at attention. "I... I wanted to ask you something." He turned around, a curious expression on his face. "What is it?", he asked. "I... ugh... I wanted to know if it's possible that Paladin Danse and I could stay in the same quarters. I just figured out that I can't sleep alone anymore."

The young man was almost amused by that question. Kathryn's face turned red as a smug smile crept onto his face. "Why is that so?", was his next question. "We just... We agreed it would be better if anything would happen that one can protect the other..." Maxson's eyes spoke loud and clear. His steely eyes were fixated on Kathryn's blue pools. "I do not allow fraternization, Knight! If I ever hear something like that from my men talking about you, you both will face the consequences of getting stripped off your ranks and all your privileges. Is that clear?!" Kat was baffled. "Crystal clear. Thank you, Elder." "Dismissed." and he turned around to look out the huge panoramic window in front of him.

She returned to the waiting Paladin. She closed the door behind her and walked to him. He looked distressed but to his surprise Kat smiled. "He's fine with it." "What, really?" Kathryn nodded and hugged him. "Danse...", she sighed. He pulled her chin up so that she was facing him. "You're incredible...", he whispered and kissed her. She returned the kiss and he could feel how relieved she was. It put him at ease and he enjoyed the closeness.

Kathryn broke the kiss and slowly took off her flight suit. Then she opened Danse's flight suit too and peeled him out. Her hands were on him in seconds and she crashed her lips against his again. He hugged her into his chest and opened her bra. It fell down between them with a faint thud. Danse guided them back to the bed where Kathryn laid down. She pulled off her pantie and Danse took off his boxers. They looked at each other searching for any clues of discomfort. "Do you really want this?", he asked. Kat nodded and pulled him close.

He kissed her gently and began to trail from her lips down to her collarbone. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders. One of his hands was gliding down at her side, leaving goosebumps from her arm down to her hip and continuing down her leg. She arched her back up so that their chests touched more. Danse placed himself carefully above her entrance and slowly moved down into her wet folds. A sigh escaped her and she smiled. Kathryn looked at Danse when he began to thrust into her. Her eyes were beaming with love and pleasure, just as his did.

Kathryn's hands were roaming down on Danse's back squeezing the skin underneath her fingers. He closed his eyes as he kissed her again, searching her tongue with his. She responded and let him into her mouth, grazing his teeth with her own tongue. The pace of his thrusts was slow and steady. He didn't just fuck her, he was making love. It drove Kathryn insane and the pleasure hit her in waves. She never felt something like that before when her climax came. He mouth was next to his ear and in the heat of the moment she whispered "I love you." This sent Danse over into his own release, his body trembling and he looked at her.

"Did... did you just say..?", he tried to ask her, still trying to control his breathing. She nodded and a wide smile showed on her face. "Yes, I said I love you! Because, it is what I'm doing." Kathryn's smile began to fade. Before she was able to say another thing Danse pressed his lips on hers. "I love you too.", he also whispered. He still laid on her unable to move. Kathryn hugged him as close as possible not stopping to pepper him with kisses. And eventually they both fell asleep.

The next morning came harsh-like. They both knew this was the first and probably the last time they were able to tell and show each other what they felt. They would know it for ever, but with all the others around them it wouldn't be possible to live just as Kathryn and Danse. The only thing they were able to do was watching each others back as best as possible. Or passing notes to each other in an unnoticeable way to the others around. Looking at each other was a risky game to play. People could interpret all sorts of things into such looks and go and tell the elder. Small gestures of affection like brushing each other in a delicate way... It was all impossible.

So, before they left the room Danse took Kathryn into a dramatic hug and kissed her passionately.