Work Text:
"I'm a good, good neighbor..." Piper sang along to Magnolia's voice as she polished her sub-machine gun, Spray 'N Pray. It had stuck by her side nearly as long as McCallister had. The neat-o-keen part about it was that the bullets exploded on impact. McCallister had finally fixed the radio in the Red Rocket garage, and she was craving Magnolia's songs. It just so happened that everyone was out doing something or another today, and she had the free time to listen to the radio, undisturbed.
She sighed at the dirt caked under her nails and pulled her hat from her head. She wiped at the sweat on her brow and tossed her rag aside, not really caring where it landed. The gun gleamed in the sun, making her eyes sting as she asmired her handiwork. She put her hat on and leaned against the weapons workbench, elbows sitting on the metal surface. Her right foot tapped in unison to the song's beat, hips swaying lightly in tune. She was pefectly content out here, away from Diamond City, away from most of life's troubles. That's why she yelled and jumped when a hand touched her shoulder. In an instant, she whipped her body around and drew her 10mm pistol and placing it into a gut.
"Hm, didn't think you of all people would wanna shoot me, Piper," McCallister said, chuckling.
"Dammit, Blue, you scared me...you—you didn't call me Pipes like usual,"
"Sorry, Pipes, I didn't mean to scare you. I called you Piper because I was concerned,"
"It's fine, Blue. Weren't you supposed to be taking care of some Raiders?"
"Yeah, but MacCready said he'd do it, and he took Cait with him. Think he's got a thing for her,"
"Probably does. And what about you, Blue? Seein' anyone special?" she said, trailing her index finger down the front of McCallister's black BoS uniform.
He grabbed her by the wrist to stop her, face as hard as stone. She looked astonished, he'd never actually rejected her. Like, ever. It was all a big hoax though, as he grinned and pulled her to his chest, kissing her forehead and wrapping his arms around her back. She felt the slight stubble on his chin and cheeks rub against her forehead when he rested his chin against her.
She looked up, leaning away from McCallister long enough to take in his facial features before she captured his lips with hers, putting up a good fight for oxygen. They battled back and forth for control, a game of will, until Piper finally gave in and let McCallister lead. When they both pulled apart for air, she spun around, pushing him against the workbench. Without much a fight, she used her dominant hand to push him into a sitting position, where she followed suit and sat in his lap.
Her body molded perfectly against his, as if they were made to piece together. Her head rested in the plane where his shoulder met his chest, her dark hair a mess under the back of her cap. She didn't have her usual red leather coat on, instead she wore his plaid shirt and her scarf and jeans. She smelled of Hubflower(her scent) and gun oil (his own), a beautiful mixture of brilliance and musk. The thing they both loved about their relationship was their combined ability to make it work with and without words.
Seemingly from nowhere, green filtered their vision. Thunder clapped and lightning struck the earth as Piper sighed. She truly hated these radiation storms with a passion. The storms scared her, that much he knew, but he didn't know why. Piper shivered against him as tear beads formed in the corner of her eyes, but she blinked them away as she stood and rushed to the button that controled the garage door. It sealed and McCalloster stood and ventured to the trunk in the corner, and rooted around the inside of it. Moments later, when Piper settled in his lap again, he wrapped his BoS Bomber jacket around her shoulders. She quit shivering almost instantly.
"Thanks, Blue,"
"Anytime, Pipes,"
"You know, I have my coat in the office turned bedroom,"
"I figured as much. But you look pretty good in mine,"
She didn't have to see his face to see the grin he was wearing. Right corner of the mouth higher than the left, the same with his eyebrows. She'd fallen in love with it instantly. And the way he trusted her right off the bat, helped her get back into Diamond City. He didn't see her as Piper, the nosy reporter or Piper, the story teller. To him, she was just Pipes. And she was completely fine with that, because he accepted her just like she was. There was no faking at all. She could be as wild, weird, loud and quirky as she wanted to be with him, and vice versa. He draped arm over her right shoulder, and rested it against the left side of her rib cage, which broke her rom her thoughts.
She turned her neck and said, "Hey, soldier boy?"
"Yeah, reporter lady?"
"Just wanted you know that I love you, Blue,"
"I love you too, Pipes," he said, punctuating his sentence with a kiss to her lips. She tasted like bubblegum and Nuka Cherry. And man-oh-man did that drive him crazy.