Ad Victoriam (Danse x reader)

Welcome Aboard

I had a dreamless sleep when I heard chattering from behind the door. I was wide-eyed, it felt like I didnt even close my eyes. Groaning, I got up and fixed myself, drinking some water to get rid of my morning breath. Codsworth began whirring and clinking.

"Good morning, mum! I do hope you slept well, if not perhaps we could snag a Z or two on the vertibird?"

"Verti- huh? What do you..." I trailed but sure enough I heard it, faint beating, sounded like paper slapping a wall. But it grew louder and louder, vibrating throughout the station. A heavy thump signalled the chopper had landed, and I was just zipping up my jacket when Danse opened the door. He seemed surprised, as if he had forgotten I was in here, but it was fleeting, and immediately he was back to his normal face.

"Why arent you ready soldier? We need to be on that bird in 5."

"Dont get your panties in a bunch. I'm ready, c'mon Codsworth."

I stomp up the stairs, followed by Codsworth's whirring and Danse's armored footsteps. I opened the door and the sun gleamed off the top of the vertibird right into my eyes, I fumbled around to get out of the blind spot and found someone manning the vertibird, wearing clothing similar to Haylen's.

"From now on, you need to address me as Paladin Danse, or just Paladin. Understood soldier?" Danse leaned over to me and I nodded. "Yes sir, Paladin."

We boarded the Vertibird and Danse grabbed at a bar on the ceiling. "You're going to want to hang on."

I looked up at the bar above me, there's no way I can reach that, vertibirds are made for men that are a foot taller than me wearing power armor, making that bar nearly three feet above me. The vertibird hopped into the sky and I wobbled, watching the roof sink below us. Luckily Codsworth's head was in the way, I lurched over him and he grumbled, pushing me back into the vertibird towards Danse, who placed a hand on my hip.

"Be careful." He smirked and I felt heat rushing towards my face, I turned towards Codsworth and let out an exasperated thank you.

Both Danse and Codsworth said: "You're welcome." I snorted as Danse side-eyed Codsworth while he simply looked over the commonwealth. "The view from up here is simply dashing, mum! We really must do this more often."

After a moment or two passed, a large blimp came into view and took my breath away, this thing was massive! There was a landing strip where other vertibirds were coming and going, like bees in a hive. I tried to move towards the opening of the vertibird, but Danse still had a grip on me.

"Wait until we've fully docked."

"Oh uh, sure thing Da- uh, Paladin." That was going to take some getting use to.

We walked off the dock onto the walkway and Danse turned left, towards a small room that looked somewhat like the captain's room of a ship. Inside was a man in a captains uniform hovering over a couple of initiates. He saw us and quickly strode towards us, saluting to Danse before asking for a report.

Danse told him about the cell tower not being strong enough to send a signal to Prydwen, "That's when y/n showed up. Together we ventured to ArcJet and acquired a deep range transmitter, which gave Scribe Haylen the ability to finally signal for a Vertibird and supplies. Lancer-Captain Kells, I'd like to enlist y/n as initiate."

Kells eyed me up and down. "Very well, she's under your force though, so it's your ass that's going down for any of her mistakes."

Shit, if that didn't make Danse nervous, it sure as hell made me nervous.

Kells waved Danse off, but told me to stay, I kept my eyes forward and listened to Danses footsteps fading away. Kells paced in front of me.

"As you heard from the dialogue, I'm Lancer-Captain Kells, second in command of this airship reporting only to Elder Maxson. So... you're what Paladin Danse has taken under his wing. You dont look like a soldier to me."

My mouth twitched, ready to throw back a smart comment, but I'm not on free grounds anymore, I have to be a soldier.

"Looks can be decieving, sir."

He looked down on me, God it'd be so easy to sucker punch him right now, square in his throat...

"Taking in runts like you have always proven to be a threat to the Prydwen and her soldiers." He sighed. "Which is why we make it a top priority to scrutinize every initiate's file. Danse believes you'd make a hell of a soldier, and a damn good addition to the Prydwen. He's our best soldier, and his word may as well be from the brotherhood's book. Welcome aboard soldier."

He saluted me with his right hand curled into a fist on the left side of his chest and a slight bow. I did the same and was dismissed. Making my way through the giant metal door at the end of the walkway, Danse stood waiting for me on the other side.

"Good, you're here just in time for Elder Maxson's speech to other initiates. Go take your place, soldier."

I walked past a set of steps and a ladder before finding a room completely walled in with glass, giving us the perfect view of the commonwealth.

Danse wasn't kidding when he said the Elder was the youngest in BoS history. If it weren't for the beard, Elder Maxson would look like he's still in college, yet he's here, ordering an entire fleet of soldiers.

As his speech ended, his gaze landed on me, he didnt exactly look happy, but that's been his only expression so far.

"Paladdin Danse spoke highly of you, initiate, dont let us down. I want Danse to show you around the Prydwen and the bring you back to inform you about your next mission. Ad Victoriam." He saluted me and I reciprocated, turning around to follow Danse up the ladder to the upper deck of the Prydwen.