[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]

Yeah. I doubt it's as boring as you're saying.

[ersatzeverything]

It really is boring, and that's not a lie.

I seriously just ran as fast as I could. I can do a pretty good sprint and knew from watching our flights that Alex'd have to do, like, pre-flight checks and stuff and that it'd take him a few minutes to get the vertibird off the ground. I bet on the fact that I'd have enough of a head start and the trailer park was close enough that I'd be able to win the race.

[inhonorof]

[Riley laughs.] Okay, I guess that is kind of boring. But it's still great. No wonder you were dying when you got here. I think the best part is that no one's ever gonna believe you actually did it. Zetta and Ferran are going to think I'm helping you with your lie if I agree.

[ersatzeverything]

I know, right? Now I get to say that I won in a race with a vertibird, and no one will believe me. It's awesome.

[inhonorof]

[Riley loves how much Deacon loves things like this. He thinks, maybe, that it's the secret of it -- knowing what's true and what isn't. It's funny, too, when it's something like this, harmless and just fun, but... It always seems to Riley like it means more than that to him. No wonder he gets along so well with Zetta and Ferran. Secrets like this are, for them, a game -- It's making their privacy, something that makes them feel safe, into a game, just for the people they trust to be behind those walls. Riley, still smiling, kisses Deacon again, just as softly as before.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon closes his eyes and soaks in the sensations. Riley's lips moving against his, Riley's hand warm on his back. He's calm and relaxed in a way Deacon rarely is. Riley's just like that. It's like a super power.

When the kiss ends, he murmurs against Riley's lips.]

Uh, by the way, don't tell Alex how I did it. Pinky swear.

[inhonorof]

[Riley begins to giggle.] Yeah, okay. I won't tell. Pinky swear. [He removes a hand from Deacon's back so he can hold up his pinky.]

[ersatzeverything]

[He hooks Riley's pinky with his own and shakes.

And then leans down and licks Riley's pinky fingertip. Because it's there.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley laughs outright now.] I don't think that's how that's supposed to work, [he teases.]

[ersatzeverything]

It's like a spit in your hand and shake-slash-pinky swear super combo.

[inhonorof]

Okay, that makes sense. But I don't know if I should be offended or not. Do you really think you need the extra insurance? You that worried I'll tell anyway?

[ersatzeverything]

Nah, I trust you.

[Deacon says it casually, but he means it. Really really means it. And Deacon only trusts, like, four and a half people. (Tinker Tom is not "all there" so Deacon can only trust half of him.)]

[inhonorof]

[A warmth glows in Riley's chest at that, and he can't help but kiss him again.] Thank you.

[ersatzeverything]

Hey, you earned it.

[Deacon shifts to get more comfortable and rests his head on Riley's chest.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley slowly brushes his hand over the top of Deacon's head, down the back of his neck, before settling on his back again. He lets his eyes lull closed.] I really needed this, [he says, as softly as he can.] Today's just been... I don't know.

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon breaths out slowly, like Riley's hand skimming over his shaven head is coaxing out everything that's pent up.]

You can totally pet my head as much as you need to. [Deacon mumbles against Riley's shirt.

Okay, he should probably give this a serious answer too.]

It was a lot of fighting in one day. [He doesn't think that's all that Riley means, but it's a way to start Riley talking.]

[inhonorof]

[It takes Riley a moment to catch on what he means about the petting comment, but then he starts to grin again. He brushes his fingers against the base of Deacon's neck.] Yeah. But it's not... it's not just that. [Riley hopes... it'd be okay to talk about what's bothering him. But even as quiet as he can be, it might be... not safe. He tries to think about how to phrase this.] Getting to know everyone... It's making it harder.

[ersatzeverything]

[Hazards of being a spy, pal. Deacon thinks but he doesn't say. Can't say, not here. Also a hazard of being a spy: saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and getting be-deadened for it.]

I know. Just...try to focus on the big picture, yeah? And know that we'll help as many people as we can.

[That's safe to say.]

[inhonorof]

[His breath hitches. He burrows his face against Deacon's head for a moment. His voice is muffled.] Yeah. I... hope we do. I really -- [He takes a breath that doesn't help to steady him as much as he hoped it would.] I keep being reminded of Alaska. ... everything about it. Down to... Shaun. [A beat.] Alex is... a lot like him.

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon rubs his hands over Riley's shoulders in soothing strokes.]

Unlike Alaska, none of 'em are gonna die. I promise. [He might be lying. Depending on how the chips fall, he might end up being responsible for their deaths himself. But if it comes to that, he knows now not to involve Riley in that mission. Riley doesn't deserve to be inflicted with that kind of guilt.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley knows Deacon can't promise that. He knows. ... but... he appreciates that he's trying. Very softly, he says,] I hope you're right.

[ersatzeverything]

I'm always right.

...although I might be wrong about that.

[inhonorof]

[The corner of Riley's mouth twitches.] I hope you aren't. [He brushes a thumb up under Deacon's ear.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon closes his eyes. That caress by his ear feels surprisingly awesome.]

Here's a thing I'm definitely not wrong about: you're going to do your damnedest to make sure everyone stays safe. And so will I.

Also, if you decide that you want to invite Alex to join the relationship, we're definitely gonna have to talk. And possibly build a bigger house.

[inhonorof]

[Riley's expression starts to soften, but then that last comment startles a laugh out of him.] What makes you think I would?