[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

[inhonorof]

If we can get Codsworth to run down here and pick them up, then at least they'd have somewhere out of the elements to stay until we can pick them up. It's not like Dogmeat ever actually sleeps in his doghouse, anyway. [He's probably been sleeping in their bed since they've been gone.]

[ersatzeverything]

What're we going to do with them until Codsworth gets here? I'm pretty sure Paladin O'Haladin isn't gonna be okay with, like, us sharing our supplies with the pupsters.

[He rubs his thumb over one of their wrinkly, hairless foreheads. They look like a cross between a dog and a mole rat.]

[inhonorof]

[Deacon............. Well, at least it's not when O'Hallan is around.] I know. [Guilt claws at the inside of his chest.] But... I don't know how much they'd be able to do solid food at this point, anyway. So I don't know if there's anything we can really do to feed them, not with what we have. They're just going to have to hold out until Codsworth gets here. [Riley isn't aware of the way he's gently bouncing the puppy on his arm, the way he used to with Shaun. It's instinct.] The main problem is gonna be keeping them warm. [It may be fully spring now, but it still gets chilly. And while it's mildly uncomfortable for humans, he thinks it's likely a bigger problem for puppies.]

[ersatzeverything]

Maybe move them into one of the trailers where it's a bit more sheltered. And they can sleep in my sleeping bag when I'm not in it. Hell, they can sleep it in when I am in it. Pretty sure we'll all fit.

I can't believe you're going to all this effort over mutant hounds.

[inhonorof]

[Riley manages not to laugh at Deacon, but he can't keep himself from grinning. But that grin falters at Everett's words. He exhales slowly.] They're helpless, [he says quietly, not looking at him.]

[gallifreynpcs]

They're hounds. They're mutations.

[Riley grew up in the Old World. He should understand better than anyone how wrong creatures like this are, these things that are the result of deadly science left in careless hands.]

[inhonorof]

They're babies. [... his voice cracked a little that time. Damn.]

[gallifreynpcs]

They're still abominations.

[inhonorof]

As if they had any choice to be what they are. This isn't -- [Riley can feel his hands shaking. He doesn't want to do this.] I'm not... I'm not changing my mind.

[ersatzeverything]

Neither of us are.

I mean, I can't believe you're getting so worked up over puppies, pal. [Deacon throws Everett's earlier sentiments back at him.] Just let us do our thing.

[inhonorof]

[That feeling from earlier is back, and all Riley wants to do is curl up against Deacon and hide away from the rest of the world. Except it's not exactly the same this time. He wishes Zetta and Ferran were here. Except Zetta would snarl at Everett like he's an enemy, and Ferran would be shot on sight. ... the Brotherhood aren't their allies. This just... It just reminds him of that. He'd instinctively tried to make friends with them, but there are some lines that... he isn't going to be able to cross. Ones that matter. He managed to forget how much the Brotherhood made him feel like he was Pre-War all over again.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon picks up one of the puppies and holds it...uh, her, by the looks of it...up for Riley to take. They can carry two each.]

The quality of mercy is not strain'd.

[He read that in an Old World book once. Riley reminds him of it now.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley doesn't recognize the quote, but he can tell that it is one based on the way Deacon said it. He gently takes the puppy offered to him and holds it against his chest with one arm, bowing his head to softly kiss her little head. This is a mistake, because the puppies smell awful, but Riley fights against the instinctive way his nose wants to crinkle.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon chuckles and takes up the remaining two puppies.]

Let's get these little guys someplace warm.

[inhonorof]

[They were meant to group back up in the middle of the trailer park, so that's where they head, with Riley and Deacon holding two green puppies each. Dread sits in Riley's chest like a weight as they approach the rest of the squad. O'Hallan is probably going to hit the roof, if Everett is anything to go by. He really doesn't want to have to keep fighting for this.]

[gallifreynpcs]

[Hal stops what he's doing--clearing trash and debris from the center of the trailer park--and peers at Riley and Deacon.]

Is that...?

[Nope, he can't figure it out. Green wrinkly balls.]

What is that?

[inhonorof]

Puppies, [Riley answers, more feebly than he intended. He holds them closer to him -- protectively -- without entirely realizing it.] There was a hound. She was trying to protect her puppies.

[gallifreynpcs]

O'Hallan's not going to be happy about this... [Hal warns them.]

[inhonorof]

I know. [Riley's voice is tight this time.] But, I can't... I can't. [He looks around them.] Where... is he?

[gallifreynpcs]

With Anthony. They've got the radio set up and are reporting back to the Prydwen. So you've got a bit of time to prepare what you're going to say to him.

[inhonorof]

[Riley doesn't know what else he can say, other than what he told Everett. He looks down at the puppies in his arms. They've settled down by now, and he wonders if it's because they got used to being held or if it's because of the proximity of each other. He has to figure out a way to do this. He just... He doesn't have any choice. He looks up at Deacon, heart in his eyes.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon looks back at Riley and makes a decision.]

If you can set up a bed for the pups, I'll go talk to Hallan O'Paladin.

[inhonorof]

[He breathes out -- in relief, though he isn't entirely conscious of it.] Okay. [He leans over to kiss Deacon's temple, a quiet thank you.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon grins. This is gonna be fun.

But then purses his lips in perplexity because he can't take his two puppies with him and Riley's arms are already full.]

Hey, Hal, congratulations, you've been chosen to be the bearer of two adorable little puppies. Aren't you lucky? Yeah, you're lucky. Here you go.

[inhonorof]

I have an idea. If we collect curtains and rags from the trailers, we should be able to make them a nest that'll help keep them warm.