Chapter Text
Following the trail of Hank Mclean wasn’t a straight line, Cooper had said being side-tracked was a part of this world and Lucy was able to see first-hand how right he was.
Scavenging became such a large part of their daily life. Lucy had to learn how to resource manage very quickly, and while Cooper knew the ins and outs of it, he was used to looking after one person, himself. Now he needed to make sure Lucy and the dog were fed, watered, and sheltered too. It was an adjustment they both still adapting to.
But the days passed and while they still had their differences they would cause a fiery clash, they grew a solid bond, strengthened by the fact they had someone they could rely on to watch their back. To fill in the mirror opposite missing pieces in their character.
So they worked as a time, ensuring that no stone was unturned, no toolbox unopened or duffle bag or grave or campsite unplundered. Water. Food. Meds. Those were all necessities. The difference between life and death. But they managed pretty well, they made a great team.
Survival stayed at the forefront, but occasionally they would find indulgences.
They had dispatched a few fiends while on a narrow road of a ghost town, Lucy went through their backpacks while Cooper was rummaging through pockets of the dead and butchered bodies on the floor. They didn’t have much time, there was a younger teen with the pack and when the pup ran, Lucy convinced him to let it go.
In all accounts a terrible decision, but he had held his shot for her. Conceding to move on and expect a familiar face in the next few years to try and take a bite out of him.
He rushed but he was thorough, and he would be very grateful for that. He groped something metal in one of the dudes and when he pulled the object out he let out a low whistle. “Boy howdy, ain’t seen a premium brand since that one death claw nest where one tried to naw my nuts off.”
Lucy looked up from the pack and blinked slowly as she processed that. “…What?”
He didn’t elaborate. “Darling, It is gonna be a good night, tonight. You find anything good?”
“More rad-away, some raw meat… radstag, I think” he walked over and tilted his head, inspecting the food. He looked at her with a serious expression.
“Sweetheart, remember this. You don’t waste no good fortune found out here. No saving for special occasions, you do that and-” he kicked the bodies of one of the dead men. “You’re just the middle man for some other lucky son’o’bitches like us.” He grinned. “Tonight, we are having ourselves a time.”
The pair made their way back to the dilapidated shed they were using as shelter for the night. They had started a small fire while the sun was still setting, cooking up all the meat first so it could be extinguished before it was dark. They sat together gnawing on the well-cooked meat that was fresh and hot. Dogmeat got her share and some pieces of Lucy's before Cooper made her sit and keep watch by the door. They ate their fill and relaxed while they could, clinking their water canteens.
Lucy was flipping through one of the magazines she had collected, holding it under a small patch of moonlight when she saw Cooper pull out the metal pack. That had piqued her interest and she shifted closer to him, watching as the ghoul pushed open a hole and tapped out a small cylinder-shaped object.
He held it up in his fingertips for her to see. “This, sweetie, is a cigarillo, the smoothest way to get poison into yer blood. Might be smaller than a cigar but this baby still scratches that itch and doesn’t bother with no filter. She’s looking to be a genuine Dominican-made beauty, I believe this one is honeyed.” He said with a huff, out of habit it ran it by where his nose should be, imagining the smell it once had.
“I remember seeing them in movies. I thought they were trying to ban cigars and cigarettes. The damage that can do to your lungs…. I don’t get why people liked them. Those can cause irreversible damage you realise, even death?” she shook her head but she lingered on the smile that stayed on his face.
“Well, that parts not really a problem for a near-immortal, now, is it?” Lucy gave up any further protests. “What when I was a little more human, I had these fresh, nothing more satisfying than a whiskey in one hand and one of these in the other after a long day’s work.” Nostalgia in his eyes.
Lucy watched as he pulled a knife out, cutting the tip easily against his thumb. He went through the well-practised motions with ease. Placing the tip in his mouth before he fished around for a lighter from one of the many pockets in his long coat. it took a few tries to light but the cigarillo burned quickly as he puffed at it. The small camp they were in was filled with its scent.
He took a slow pull, holding the smoke within his mouth before tilting his head and letting it slowly release the whisps from his mouth, smoke curls up catching the moonlight that permeated through the breaks in the shed. “Oh, that is sweet.” He moaned in satisfaction.
The sound surprised Lucy and he found herself staring. “It does kind of smell nice,” Lucy admitted with an aura of curiosity. Even if she knew the dangers Cooper made it seem appealing.
He took another pull, the flame at the tip lighting his face, eyes reflecting the spark that allowed her to see him watching her back from the shadows. Taking the cigarillo from his lips, he held it out to her between two mismatched fingers.
“Oh… no thank you. As I said, It’s unhealthy and with the amount of cardio we do each day-”
He interrupted her with a low chuckle. “Look goody-two-shoes, we’ve been doing a lot of bad things. One taste won’t hurt, besides, not like we could find enough for you to blacken those pretty, clean lungs of yours.”
He waved the cigar in front of her until she gave in to the temptation. “Okay, just one try can’t cause too much lasting damage, not any more than just living out here does I guess.” She tried to copy how he held it. Her eyes would dart to him as he brought the mouthpiece to her lips, worried she was doing it wrong.
Which she did.
She breathed it in and managed to hold back her coughing fit for only a second seconds and it had taken effort. “Ugh, that burns, no that was awful! No, thank you.” She promptly handed it back to him.
He laughed heartily and took it back. “You don’t breathe it into your lungs, the fuck did they even teach down there in the vaults? Your education is severely lacking.” He hummed and took another puff for himself, savouring it before sitting up. “Maybe a baby girl needs baby steps. You ever heard of shotgunning?”
She squinted her eyes, looking off to a random spot as she thought. “… is that when you call an assigned car seating?”
“Yeah, didn’t think you’d know.” He said quickly before patting his knee. “Alright sweetheart, open up for me.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Excuse me?”
“Your mouth, darling, don’t get excited. I’m going to take a drag, take the brunt of it so you don’t gotta ruin that pretty face choking on it. You breathe in when I breathe out, this time, just taste it and let the rush hit your system. Just don’t go cough into my mouth, greenhorn, not ready to share that many germs with ya. I have no idea where you’ve been.” He shifted his seat on the mattress to turn towards her. “Now then… open for me.”
She gave him a flat look before she turned on the mattress, folding her legs under her as she faced him. “Okie dokie, I do believe new worldly experiences will help me with my understanding of the people here. I am willing to try. Though I believe we already shared germs through the mouthpiece.”
“There is a movie term for that…” he muttered.
She hummed for an explanation but he ignored it and flicked his gaze down to her lips. She opened her mouth like she was going to be fed something and he chuckled. Cooper placed his fingers on her chin to push her lower jaw back up. “Impressive but you can relax.” He kept his hand there as he took in a pull before drawing in close.
Lucy’s eyes fluttered close as he got close. It was intimate already with him just being this close. It made the air heat up and tingle, like it was thicker and pressing against her eyelids closed.
He Exhaled.
She Inhaled.
She did her best not to breathe it in this time, it swirled against her lips and tongue. Even though it still burned, he was true to his word and it wasn’t as bad as the first time.
“Better?” His voice rattled, and Lucy could feel it vibrate the air between them.
She pulled her eyes open again and nodded to him. Cooper was still in her face looking over her. She cleared her throat when it got irritated but didn’t cough this time. “Much better. Though I’m feeling a little lightheaded and warm.” This close she could see that he had been a handsome man before he changed. His hazel-green eyes ever still very human.
“You might feel a little dizzy the first time, just let me know if you’ve had enough.” He didn’t know why he was doing this. Not just the act, he liked pushing her, see what way the odd woman would fall when being faced with objectionable behaviour. But he was being gentler about it than he ever had before. But she was sweet and trusting in this moment and he wanted to explore this side of their relationship. Cooper tilted his head to the side so he could take another puff before leaning back into her and blowing the smoke gently over her lips. “Heart rate might pick up a bit too.”
“Oh, so that’s why…” She murmured.
That gave him pause but he decided not to risk asking. They fell into an easy rhythm, Cooper holding the smoke for a moment before breathing it into her lips. About the fourth pass, Lucy’s eyes fell closed again, heard him breathe in again he was so close. She swayed a little, their lips brushed, just barely but their lips were so dry the skin caught.
But he pulls back quickly. “Still good, darling?”
“Yeah. A-Okay, Sheriff.” She hummed “I’m feeling relaxed actually.” This time he leaned he lingered for a moment and she dropped her forehead against his. The nicotine had helped make her feel a buzz but truth be told the closeness they were sharing here in this small space seemed to be affecting her just as much.
“Enjoyed it that much, huh? Guess this is the first real stimulant you’ve tried. Might just ‘ave given you quite the filthy habit.” He whispered but his words moved through her. “Almost at the end.” His hand cupped her jawline again, tilting her head up to meet his. They moved in closer again.
He exhaled and she inhaled.
Neither knew who moved in first but their lips pressed together, smoke getting caught between them. It started soft but Cooper’s hand curled around the back of her head. Lucy curled her hands into his shirt keeping him close. The smouldering end of the cigar was dropped to the floor, forgotten as the two tried to taste each other under the blanket of smoke that stuck to their tongues.
The shed seemed to become smaller, the two of them holding on to each other, desperately holding onto the few good things left in this world. The small pleasure of touch and want. It was more dizzying than the nicotine and just as addictive.
they had kissed for a while though it felt like no time at all by the time Cooper pulled away first. He was half expecting a fight to rise between them but Lucy still held that serene expression on her face. “Is that how shotgunning usually goes?” She asked it would have sounded naïve if it wasn’t for her smirk.
“No… not really.” He admitted.
“You know it wasn’t so bad. Maybe we can… try it again sometime. No waiting for special occasions was the rule, right?”
He withdrew from her space, the cool air of the night filling in the space now between them. “What happened to it being bad for your health?” he huffed.
She reached for him and teased her fingertips at his jawline. “I’m finding a lot of things are bad for me up here. I think I need to pick my battles with which ones I allow in.”
Cooper takes her fingers in his own and pulls them away, squeezing them before letting them go. “Hope you learn to pick the right ones.” He shifts away, finding a spot to sleep for the night as the last of the sparks die out on the cold floor.