[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

[capcious]

[It's around this time that Riley returns from his trip up top to make sure the surface is still clear. Some part of Zetta relaxes as he comes into her view. He notices her watching, and he offers her a small smile, but stops by Ferran instead of joining the conversation proper. As he leans in to kiss Ferran's temple, her attention starts to slide back to Carrington so she can reply. But as she opens her mouth, she hears Riley speak up, loud enough he clearly was trying to get her attention.] Where are they going? What? [Zetta half-turns to look where Riley's looking, towards Nathan and Zellweger.]

[bostoncrossing]

[Carrington glances to where Zetta is looking and rolls his eyes.]

Oh, for God's sake. He wasn't nearly this bad as an eighteen year old. Good men and women died here and all he can think about is his prick.

[capcious]

You've got to be kidding. [But, no, Zellweger has his fingers threaded through Nathan's and is following him out with a rather intense expression on his face. Greeeaat. Now she knows what Zellweger looks like when he's turned on. She didn't need that in her life. She raises her voice to call out to them.] Oi! Get your asses back here.

[timesbureaucrat]

[Nathan freezes. Then, after a second, turns to face Zetta.]

I was under the impression that the meeting was over.

[He's trying very hard to look innocent, despite the slight flush to his cheeks.]

[capcious]

[She rolls her eyes.] Yeah, and we're not gonna wait around for you to finish getting ravished before we head back.

[timesbureaucrat]

I wasn't expecting you to wait. We arrived separately, we can leave separately.

[capcious]

Yeah, and I can think of exactly one reason why you'd want to do that, and it isn't happening. This place's history matters, and we're not gonna let you go and fuck on top of it. [A beat.] And I'm not talking about the Pre-War history.

[timesbureaucrat]

What other history is there? I shouldn't think you'd be so protective over a pre-War intelligence gathering installation. Given your views on America.

[He hasn't forgotten that rant.]

[capcious]

[Zetta restrains a sigh and glances at Deacon and Carrington. This isn't entirely hers to tell; if they want her to not outright tell him, then she won't. Obviously, the Institute knows the Railroad's history here, even if the general populace, appparently, doesn't have any fucking idea, so she doesn't see the harm in it, but she'd still rather ask permission, here.]

[bostoncrossing]

Before you arrived, I'd spent three hours gathering up the bodies of my friends.

["Friends" isn't quite the right word. More like family, the same way that the Enclave survivors are family. They didn't always like each other, but they were bound together.]

This was the Railroad's headquarters before your Institute friends slaughtered everyone.

[capcious]

[... fucking christ. Carrington did that alone. Zetta doesn't think she could manage burying her old neighbors even with the support of her husbands. (... look, it's just easier to group Deacon in that way, even if he isn't quite yet, okay?) She reflexively reaches for Deacon's hand.] Just fucking come back with us.

[timesbureaucrat]

[Nathan so was hoping to find the General's office.]

Now? I thought you were talking to Dr. Singh. And you can hardly bring him back to the Institute.

[capcious]

[Zetta rolls her eyes.] We're more or less done. We're sure as hell not going to take another half hour.

[timesbureaucrat]

Very well. Then let's leave.

[He and Zay can continue this in his quarters. Not as exciting as the desk of an Old World general, perhaps, but it will do.]

[capcious]

[Zetta can feel herself relax as Nathan finally caves. Thank god. (Zay, though, puffs out a breath of annoyance. Dammit, after all that build-up...)] Alright. Let's get a move on.

[ersatzeverything]

If we all relay at once and see who gets there first does that make it a relay race?

[inhonorof]

[Riley glances at Deacon in surprise. They'd kind of been dancing around the fact that Deacon's been down there with them. But with that comment... Carrington will catch on. But... He also knows Deacon well enough by now to know that he doesn't slip -- only very rarely. So... he... wants Carrington to know...? Well... He can ask about it once they get back. (He's a little glad Zetta has to focus on dragging Nathan back with them; he was a little worried she'd try to delay going back.)]

[bostoncrossing]

[Carrington's eyes widen in surprise. Deacon going to the Institute? Deacon returning to the Institute?

But he says nothing. There's nothing he can say. Deacon will do what Deacon wants to do and he's in no position to contradict him now.]