[closed] the only constant is change

[capcious]

Who: the Fallout AU crew
Setting: the Commonwealth
Summary: BoS things, institute things
Warnings: Fallout warnings, smut
Other: [original notes] [first post] [second post] [third post] [fourth post] [fifth post] [sixth post] [seventh post] [eighth post]

- minor timeskip to when the BoS has its feet under it again, shaun asks riley to go up and keep an eye on them and deacon goes with
- they get assigned to a BoS squad composed of AU versions of chancellery guards (paladin archimedes o'hallan, knight-captain anthony norris, lancer-sargeant alex reyes, knight riley reynolds, knight everett wynter, knight henry "hal" saller, aspirant 'jack' "deacon" 'priest')
- maybe some minor quests involving getting to know them, gotta get some solid Bonding going
- sarrith (sarah, secret enclave remnant) and sal's romeo and juliet romance
- that one quest where you get the nukes from the glowing sea for the BoS
- wynter's mistake and gradual ghoulification and the position it puts the squad in
- blind betrayal

- shaun announces ferran officially as his successor
- ferran dealing with the short institute quests that result from that
- shaun discovering ferran's a slut and trying to talk to him about it
- zetta freaking out bc they're spending all this time waiting for her to recover and dealing with the BoS, and not having the time to try to figure out a way to save shaun
- zetta, in general, driving shaun slowly up the wall because she's cooped up and needs to be kept occupied or else Bad Things Start Happening, why is this shaun's life, this was not what he was expecting at all
- ferran going on missions with x6-88 / house divided, warwick
- nathan and zay's one night stand with ferran becoming not a one night stand any more
- at some point we need to have nathan call deacon a mongrel to his face so zetta can go positively nuclear
- zay finding out nathan is taking buffout

- build towards the railroad and institute being on better terms (not *stable*, but they need to be in a position where they're willing to make an alliance at the battle for bunker hill and afterwards to take the BoS down)
- probably need to do a meeting with dez and carrington, bc jfc (and ferran being the next director makes it easier to make negotiations on the institute's behalf though shaun probably doesnt fully trust him with that wrt the railroad yet, shaun needs to see ferran make decisions that benefit the institute OVER the railroad for that)

- mass fusion happens before battle for bunker hill, lighting a fire under the brotherhood's ass (still use it as the faction cut-off point?)
- at the battle, brotherhood wins -- keeping them a legitimate threat and serving as the push for the institute and railroad to work together against them

[image] [lyrics]

well, oh, it seems you're a lot like me
you dug yourself into places you never thought you would be
but don't you fret, and don't you mind
the only constant is change,
and you never know what you'll find

yeah, tomorrow i might wake up nice and clean
and i might believe the things i said i didn't mean
and this might turn and wind up just the way we'd dreamed
and i might become the things i swore i'd always be

Comments

[gallifreynpcs]

[Hal admires Elder Maxson, he really does. But...]

My father died fighting for Elder Lyons' ideals. But...it wasn't going to work if it tore us apart.

[inhonorof]

[Is it going to work now, when the Brotherhood is making enemies everywhere they look? When they're making enemies with nearly the entire Commonwealth? ... but. Riley doesn't know if that's the right thing to say. It probably isn't -- It isn't good for his cover, at the very least. He reaches over to gently place his hand on Hal's shoulder and give it a squeeze.] I'm sorry, [he says softly, for Hal's father.]

[gallifreynpcs]

[Before Hal can answer, Anthony pokes his head in the trailer door.]

What's the holotape you found? Anything good?

[inhonorof]

[Riley startles a little on reflex -- which, he's actually glad for, maybe strangely, but it means that since there's no danger, he's starting to grin, also on reflex. He doesn't think he'd be able to do that so easily otherwise.] Nah. Just some story someone recorded.

[gallifreynpcs]

[Anthony snorts a surprised laugh at that. Hal was so excited to find it, too.]

Sorry, Hal. Better luck next time.

[He pulls another holotape out of his pack and holds it out to Riley.]

I'm guessing that this is probably more domestic stuff, but can you check it out?

[inhonorof]

Yeah, no problem. [Riley reaches to accept it. As he goes through the motions of swapping out the other one, he... can't help but ask, which means he's about to embarrass himself. He sounds sheepish.] Vertibird on its way?

[gallifreynpcs]

Yeah, vertibird's on it's way. Jack decided not to take it. Uh...Alex said that they were going to race but I'm really not sure if he was being serious or not.

[inhonorof]

[Riley can't help but laugh.] I wouldn't doubt it, honestly. [He can just see it. They really didn't go too far, and they cleared the way between here and there, so Deacon has a safe path to follow. It'll be okay.]

[gallifreynpcs]

[Anthony's brow furrows in confusion.]

I'm pretty sure the vertibird is going to win.

[inhonorof]

You haven't seen him when he's motivated. [The vertibird probably is going to win, though.] If you want to see him move really fast, then we should start setting food up.

[ersatzeverything]

Did someone say "food?"

[Deacon staggers into the trailer, huffing and panting and flushed. Outside, the whir of a vertibird grows closer.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley bursts into laughter, loud enough that he covers his mouth with a hand on reflex because he's surprised by how loud he is.] Like I said, [he manages, still laughing. He's going to have to tell Zetta about this later; she's going to love it. He pulls a chair out from behind a desk and holds a hand out for Deacon; he deserves a sit-down.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon takes Riley's hand and dramatically flops into the chair. He used up the last of his breath to make his entrance.('Cause who could resist a cue like that? Not him.) So it's gonna be a couple seconds before he can talk again.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley leans over to kiss the top of Deacon's head.] The best part is, with you in here, Alex isn't gonna see you, which means he's gonna think he won.

[gallifreynpcs]

[Hal and Anthony laugh at that. Deacon just gives a thumbs up of approval.

Hal asks:]

But seriously, how did you get here before the vertibird?

[inhonorof]

[Riley starts to fish out a can of purified water for him.] Wait, don't tell us. Save the story for when Alex walks in. [For one thing, it'll be funnier, and for another, Deacon needs some time to get his breath back and recover, the madman.]

[gallifreynpcs]

[That sends Anthony and Hal snickering again.

Anthony starts going through all the storage in the trailer, looking for anything useful.]

Can't think of a guy who deserves a prank more.

[inhonorof]

I know I made it sound like I got him back for before, but I'm not sure if it was really all that even. [Riley smooths his hands along Deacon's shoulders.]

[gallifreynpcs]

Even if you were even, he's got five pranks on me that we're not even for. And a bunch on Anthony, too.

[Hal adds.]

[inhonorof]

Why am I not surprised?

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon's breath is gradually returning to normal and the vertibird rotors roar as it lands in the center of the trailer park.]

Quick, get me something to prop my feet up on, so I can look like I've been waiting forever.

[inhonorof]

[Riley laughs, and he uses a foot to push over a wooden crate over for him.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon props his feet up on the crate and waits and tries to relax and breathe deep and get the last of the flush of exertion out of his face.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley decides to help out some more by sidling up behind Deacon, sliding his hands to his neck to massage, thumbs digging into muscle.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon moans and drops his chin as Alex shouts outside.]

Hah, vertibird wins! Suck my exhaust, Priest!

...

Whaddaya mean he's in the trailer?