[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]

[... 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.

[capcious]

[Zetta leaves her hand on Ferran's back, smoothing it down until her hand is resting on his opposite hip so her arm is around his waist.] It would have to be a hell of a lot of alcohol. Deacon'll complain about it being too bright even with his sunglasses on tomorrow if we get him that drunk. It'd be a hell of a lot of fun otherwise, though. [She kisses his jaw.]

[reformedcriminal]

He complains about the daytime being too bright even with sunglasses on even while sober.

[Ferran drapes his arm over her shoulders.]

[capcious]

[Zetta snickers and leans into him. It's nice to actually get time alone with him. Whenever Riley and Deacon were busy with the Brotherhood last time, Ferran was too busy dealing with whatever Shaun set him on.] So imagine how much he'll bitch when he's hungover. [She traces her knuckles along his cheek.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran smiles down at Zetta.]

We'll have to save the drunken confessions for when Deacon won't have to subject his delicate blue eyes to sunlight the morning after.

[capcious]

[Zetta hums in agreement, grinning, though the softness at the edges of her expression betrays the playful conversation.] It's for the best. I would've never heard the end of it tomorrow.

[reformedcriminal]

And we wouldn't want to spoil your otherwise fun trip back to HQ.

[Where they'll have a grand old time explaining to Dez that they're teaming up with the Enclave.]

[capcious]

[At that, she snorts.] Christ. You'd best keep Riley well and occupied so he doesn't worry himself out of his mind. We'll probably be gone all day. [Deacon will probably have them relay up to somewhere in the west so they walk the breadth of the Commonwealth on the way to... well, wait, they moved HQ. She doesn't actually know where it is. Hmmm. Still, the point stands: Deacon will still likely make them walk the entire Commonwealth to disguise the location of HQ.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran smirks.]

Don't worry, I'm sure I'll think of something for us to do while you're gone.

[Because after they get back, Riley will be leaving with Deacon to return to the Brotherhood. So Ferran will have to claim his time with Riley while he can.]

[capcious]

Oh, really? And here I thought it'd be such a hardship for you. [Zetta has no doubt what Ferran's going to "happen" to think of. She wonders if she should strategically leave out some purified water for them before she leaves. God knows Riley's going to need it.]

[reformedcriminal]

I'll refrain from the obvious double entendre, even though you set it up so splendidly.

["Hardship."]

[capcious]

That's because if you didn't, I'd have to hurt you, [Zetta answers, her tone all faux sweetness with an expression to match.]

[reformedcriminal]

Is that supposed to deter me or encourage me?

[capcious]

Oh, it was certainly intended to deter, but knowing you, I suppose I should've known better.

[reformedcriminal]

You know I think you look magnificent when you're violent.

[He thinks of the early days, when he made it his mission to provoke her into smacking the back of his head as much as possible.]

[capcious]

Compared to everyone else, who have been smart enough to learn to get out of the way, [she drawls, thinking of the same thing. It became a game between them, to see how long it took before he annoyed her too much to bother resisting. ... god, it's weird to think about the time they were still strangers. Now, she can't imagine her life without him.]

[reformedcriminal]

I've always acknowledged that you're the brains of this arrangement. And I'm the beauty.

[He smooths his thumb over her temple.]

We should get back to the others.

[capcious]

Mmmm. [Zetta leans into his touch, then turns her head to kiss the heel of his hand.] Whenever you're ready, darling.