[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

[reformedcriminal]

He's extremely difficult to read, but I think he's warming up to me. Or at least warming up to the idea of me being Director.

[He rests his cheek on the top of Zetta's head. After what happened with Sutton, he'd like to curl up with her or Riley now.]

I should also tell you that I slept with Zellweger and Lone again.

[capcious]

[He's being cuddly. Even after hearing about Nathan and Zellweger, it's a sign of how much the surface mission truly shook him. She rubs her thumbs in slow circles on his back and rests her head on his chest. Otherwise, though, she doesn't let the realization show; outwardly, she snorts in amusement.] Did you? I thought they were trying to pretend they didn't ever in the first place.

[reformedcriminal]

And I'm sure they'll do the same again this time. After all, it wasn't me they had sex with, it was the Silver Shroud.

[His arms wrap around her a little tighter.]

[capcious]

[... he's really not doing well. She leans back, not pulling away, but she wants to tap her finger under his chin.] I'm hungry. Feel like tagging along as I go grab something from the cafeteria, gorgeous?

[reformedcriminal]

[Thank god for how well Zetta knows him. As terrifying as the prospect was back in the early days of their relationship, it was a godsend now.]

I could do with a snack.

[capcious]

[Zetta rises on her toes to kiss him properly, even if quickly and chastely, then starts to pull away, letting her hands linger, tracing along his hands before she's out of reach. She crosses over to Deacon and Riley and lightly settle one hand on Deacon's shoulders, leaning in to kiss the top of his head. The other, she strokes her fingers through Riley's hair, making his eyes flutter.] We'll be back soon.

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon tilts back his head to look up at Zetta before she goes.]

Bring something back for me, yeah?

[capcious]

[Zetta grins. Always thinking with his stomach.] Yes, alright. [She trails her fingers along Deacon's shoulders as she walks away towards the doors.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran triggers the door to open and holds it for her, waiting to follow behind.]

[capcious]

[Once they're out in the hall and the door is closed again, she reaches to thread her fingers with Ferran.] I'm thinking a nice, abandoned old lounge. [A beat.] And then we can swing by the cafeteria on the way back to get something for Deacon.

[reformedcriminal]

Perfect.

[In other circumstances, this would be a prelude to snogging. But this time, he needs to talk.]

[capcious]

[Zetta rubs her thumb over Ferran's knuckles as she leads the way. While she's been cooped up in the Institute, she started to explore the disused areas -- She was sure it'll be useful, and it's certainly proving as such now. She knows just the place, with plenty of couches for them to settle down on and cuddle as much as Ferran needs without interruption. The lounge is silent save for the distant hum of the Institute's generators and lit dimly only by service lights running along the bottom of the walls.] Here we are, gorgeous. Make yourself comfortable.

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran leads them to one of the couches and sits, urging Zetta to join him.

Just sitting next to each other isn't enough, however. Ferran wants to plaster himself against Zetta's side, arms wrapped around her. Or maybe rest his head in her laps and cling to her knees. Yes, that's exactly what he wants.]

[capcious]

[... oh, Ferran. Zetta smooths a hand up and down his back, the other starting to stroke through his hair.] Jesus, love. What the hell happened up there?

[reformedcriminal]

I murdered a farm hand. I shot him in the back.

[He doesn't feel an ounce of guilt over it. Just a creeping queasiness for the sake of his family.]

He deserved it. [Ferran hissed with venom.]

[capcious]

[Zetta doesn't think she's ever heard him like this. Her brow furrows, trying to decipher it. She understands now, though, why he didn't want to tell her when Deacon and Riley were still in the room. She drags her nails along his scalp in a slow, light scratch.] What did he do?

[reformedcriminal]

He abused his wife and kids. They died because he was such a shit father. Selfish. Drug addict.

[And that's why Ferran had been terrified when Zetta told him she was pregnant. Men, with few exceptions (like Riley and Deacon) are shit. And he's not one of the exceptions. He'd only been able to keep from bolting because he knew that Riley would be there and would be an amazing dad.]

Taffington Boat House.

[capcious]

[... shit. The family that had died there... She breathes out heavily through her nose. It all makes sense now. What happened to them and why. Why Ferran is the way he is right now. She leans over, folding herself around Ferran, holding him tight and kissing his temple.]

[reformedcriminal]

[He wishes he could have killed some of his mum's boyfriends like he killed Sutton. But he was too young then and the world was too "civilized."]

Don't tell Riley and Deacon.

[capcious]

We should at least tell them you found the settler. They don't have to know you killed him, but they're going to pick up on how upset you are. We might as well explain the part that matters. [Because, no, Zetta doesn't care at all that Ferran killed him, even if he shot him in the back. For the way he'd ruined his family, and for what this has put Ferran through? She doesn't doubt that he deserved it.]

[reformedcriminal]

[He rubs his cheek on her lap.]

All right.

I staged it to look like he was killed by Gunners. We can go with that.

[capcious]

Perfect. [Zetta strokes her fingers through his hair again.] I love it when you're clever, darling. [And she kisses his temple again, too.] You should know, too, that Deacon asked Riley about his grandfather not long before you arrived. He only got the barest of information, but when he saw how Riley was about it, he didn't push it further. So I rather think the both of you should get pampered tonight.

[reformedcriminal]

I suppose the universe designated this the day for all sorts of bad childhood memories.

[But he's able to relax under Zetta's touch.]

Maybe we'll even find out what happened to Deacon. Although then you'll be surrounded by the broken husks of your damaged spouses.

[capcious]

Spouses and fiancé, [Zetta reminds him with a grin,] but close enough. [She doesn't imagine Deacon will let the wedding happen until all of this is over. Further motivation, then.] I'd be amazed if we ever do get the truth out of Deacon about his childhood. I do wish he'd tell us, but I can't say I'm exactly holding my breath.

[reformedcriminal]

[Voicing what happened out loud, and Zetta's hands on his head, has helped steady him. He sits up, still feeling a little hollow but the queasiness has faded away.]

Perhaps if we provided enough alcohol.