The Knight and the Paladin - A series of Oneshots

29 Arthur Maxson and the turmoil of his feelings

A steel blue gaze, embraced by the fine lines surrounding it's eyes. A nose, severely broken, but prominent and commanding non the less. Hair slicked back in military style while the sides and the back were shaved. A thick beard caressing cheeks and covering half of a long scar on his right cheek. The bulk of his body covered in the black leather of an officer's jumpsuit, hidden under his beloved battle coat. Black combat boots to protect his feet. His body belonged to a twenty year old man, but his face looked twice his age. He often had struggle with sleeping at night, thinking of the next steps to take in their campaign against the Institute. The rings under his eyes often felt like unnecessary weight which dragged his face down. No one knew how he felt inside, not even his best friend. He was tired, and wanted nothing more than peace to finally settle down. He shook his head and turned around... to look at... her.

Her teal colored hair was falling, from the Kaysa hairstyle, down onto her back in gentle waves, a few strands hanging out and caressing her face. Just like him she wore several scars on her face. Some were just fine lines, the others red and angry against her sun kissed skin. He remembered that she had an encounter with ferals ghouls a few months ago and shuddered at the thought. She wore the reddest lipstick he ever saw, catching every man's stare, making them think twice of what they wanted to say when she walked by. A hint of rouge on her cheeks made her look even more healthy then she already was. Elegant black lines were drawn around her eyes, bringing out their ocean blue color. He often found himself staring at them, losing himself while doing so. A body rounded with perfect curves covered in... a black officer's jumpsuit? Well, who ever gave it to her must have known how good she looked in it. And he wanted to promote her to Paladin anyway.

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The way she walked, with that soft sway of her hips, it turned heads all over the Prydwen. And he found himself staring at her all too often as well. Every time she was onboard she sat with his best friend. The way she looked at the paladin, laughed at what he said... The Elder couldn't control the butterflies in his stomach like he controlled the emotions on his face. But he knew he couldn't have her. He didn't even know her that well to gain feelings for her, yet he did. He bet that all his brothers must have had a crush on her. She was always kind, knew how to behave when a commanding officer was around and she helped who ever needed help. She even took the time and told the squires a few stories about her missions. One time Arthur came by as she told the kids about her mission of the search for the lost recon squad Artemis. Hearing her talking about it, it made the whole ordeal even more real behind his eyes. He saw what she told the kids and shivered several times. He thought that he never really thanked her for saving the life of his most respected field officer, his best friend. He really needed to promote her as soon as possible. Some of the children were quivering when she told that her commanding officer already was dead when she came back to the med bay, but brought back from the brink just in time to make a full recovery. She heard them sniff and changed to the story where she and the paladin were at Diamond City and how they brought home a little kitten. The squires began to laugh, they loved her. It was needles to say that he admired and respected her on a high level.

Her life was a mess, yet she still managed to stay positive most of the time, serving for a purpose much bigger and greater than her own life. It was hard not to love her. A wastelander with a history, more grim than his own, yet she kept smiling. With sad eyes maybe, but she smiled and won the hearts around her with ease. It was then that his brothers and sister started to look behind all her scars, to find out she wasn't that bad as everyone of them thought. That was the cornerstone he needed for her promotion.

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Paladin Danse and his subordinate Knight Kathryn Kay stood at the command deck, waiting for their Elder to turn around. As he did he wore a proud smile on his face, a new set of holotags in his hands which clinked as he held them out to the knight.