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As I’ve come to know, Piper Wright, troublemaker journalist of Diamond City, is a woman as stubborn as a mule. Never content with letting life just roll out punches at her. Piper could probably stop life in its tracks and punch it right back. Well, maybe not exactly punching it right back. Violence isn't her kinda thing, despite her knack to follow me into firefights with mercs, raiders, or whatever kind of shit the wasteland threw at us.
The reporter, on top of trying to better the world around her, and being headstrong 24/7, was the best thing to come out of waking up from that freezer. If anyone was the embodiment of doing good for people for no reason except that it was right, it was Piper. However if you told her that, she’d probably point at me instead, or maybe Dogmeat. Anyways, in turn for just simply a story, she practically jumped at the idea of helping me find my son. While travelling together I would find it hard to keep my gaze off of her. Piper being around me just felt right. Soon enough, flirtatious comments flew out my mouth before I even knew I spoke them, and at some point, whenever I looked at her, I never wanted to look away.
Anyways, maybe it was her inquisitive nature that came with an extra side of unshakable determination that was the cause of the reporters headstrong attitude. Both of which being rather useful attributes for a reporter of the hard truth. Or it could just very well be that I find it very difficult to say no to such a lovely woman. In short, it's easy for her to get her way with me, especially when it was for the best.
Like now for instance.
It was just after we completed a Railroad assignment of securing some supplies for HQ. We had been able to survive this super mutant ambush while trekking back to Diamond City to rest. There wasn't too many of them, but enough of the green bastards to be a nuisance. With admittedly reckless combat tactics I ended up with a dislocated ankle, a bullet hole in my left arm, and surely a future scolding from Piper. It’s not my fault the streets of Boston we're more rubble than street. Pushing Piper away from that bullet, and getting hit with said bullet, I will admit was my fault. However, I could proudly proclaim that the reporter in red came out unscathed. I probably could have gotten off with just a warning and few glares as we walked to Diamond City. Piper was never too fond of how many times I've gotten hurt protecting her.
For my survival, I thank the scientists of the past for stimpaks, and I give greater thanking to the god-awful aim of the average Commonwealth muties. But then the adrenaline wore out. As did painkillers too. The awkward position of my foot was somewhat noticeable. Pain at that moment had decided to create a visual representation of itself upon my face. Then it started to rain, and not just some drizzle. Heavy, ‘gonna leave you abso-fucking-lutely soaked in ten seconds flat’ kinda rain. Reminded me of when I visited Boston, or literally any notable place in the eastern half of the Massachusetts Commonwealth, as a kid and it would always rain. It was clear that getting back to the city right now wasn't an option.
I let out a whimper of pain as I try to take a step with my bad foot. Looking down to the wound in my arm, it's easy to see that despite the stimpack, it would still need to be cleaned and bandaged.
“Dammit...We gotta find someplace to fix this…” I say as I attempt balancing on one foot. As well as dismissing the pain from the other foot. I thank my luck as I realize where we are. That’s because there's this familiar apartment building just down the street and across. I point to it. “There should be good, I spent a night there once while trying to get a scope of the city.” I flash Piper a smile. “The elevator works too. Maybe we can get a penthouse apartment. How ‘bout it Pipes?”
The commonly talkative reporter simply nods my way in agreement. Silently, she slings one of my arms over her shoulders. Then one of her own around my waist. I would've teased her about liking to be held by her. It's clear that something's up with her though. So we continue to the building in a cold damp silence. At least I can rely on how warm her holding me feels.
I let my memory guide us to the elevator, and up to a room that I knew would keep out the rain. We slip in the apartment without trouble, after I had unlocked it the first time I was here. It's a little dark so I turn on the pip-boys disgusting green light. Piper lays me down on a worn to hell, yet uncharacteristically soft, couch as she begins to unload her pack for medical supplies and we both discard our soaking coats. Then wordlessly, she cleans up and bandages my arm, cringing whenever I wince with how it much it stings. Popping my ankle back into place is another story, full of more pain and a few swears not-so-under my breath. Somehow I manage to let out a small thanks despite the pain, Piper doesn't give a reaction. In her silence I can hear the sound of heavy rain. She's frowning, and seeing that just sets something inside me the wrong way. I'm about to speak but she beats me to it.
“Is there a bed?” Piper asks.
“Um, just in that room right there.” I answer while motioning to it.
I'm expecting her to just go in and not see her until morning. It isn't something she'd usually do, but it's what I'm hoping for. Instead she's trying to help me off the couch. Before we've had full on arguments over who gets the bed. It was almost like a game of ours, one where no one wanted the best prize. Piper would often win, casting my golden tongue to shame, and leaving me with a bed. I usually won in the end, making sure that by morning she awoke in said bed.
“Hold it right there. You've already lugged my ass over here, you get the bed.”
“Blue, I'm not arguing with you tonight. You got hurt, and stimpacks do wonders but not miracles. You've got to rest.” Piper snaps at me, her voice lined with frustration.
“I can stay here-” Now, I never doubted the reporters strength. But that doesn't stop me from letting out a surprised gasp as she lifts me off the couch and takes me to the bed. It takes every bit of self restraint to not make a joke about buying me dinner first.
Piper drops me on the bed before turning to leave the room. I manage to grab her hand before she even takes a step. I know something's definitely wrong, I'll be damned if I sleep on that. She tries pulling away but my grip tightens a little more. My turn to be stubborn now.
“Blue…”
“I'm not letting go till you tell me what's wrong.” Piper turns back at me and it's only then I realize that I'm actually holding her hand. My mind wants to wander on how it feels. Focus Nora. Keep your homosexual thoughts at bay, now is not the time. “Please, Pipes.”
She lets out a deep sigh before speaking. “You really can't figure it out?” She says rather incredulously.
“Never had the right amount of perception to be able to decipher the vague hints that women drop.” My lips curve into a smile. “It made college into a more romantically awkward period of my life…” I pull into a more neutral expression as I continue. “Point is, I'm bad at assuming. Just please help me understand what's wrong.”
I'm a little surprised as Piper begins to relent. She moves to sit with me on the bed. I shuffle a little to give her more space while trying to hide a wince of pain. Her hand stays held within mine . For a moment I watch her shoulders tensely rise and fall with every breath.
“You know when we had that conversation and I had went on about moving to Diamond city, and you pretty much being my only friend? It may have sounded nuts but I wasn't saying it for my own health.” She turns away from me. “All I've got is just the paper, Nat and you, Blue. I'd rather not have the amount of things in that list go down to just two.”
Piper tugs to take away her hand and I let her go this time while I replay her words in my head. As soon as I comprehend what she's saying, I begin to feel like an idiot. How could I not piece that together? Nora, you are an idiot...I choose to shove that revelation aside as I try to figure out what to say next.
“Piper, I'm not going anywhere any time soon.”
“That’s hard to believe that with what's just happened Blue!” Pipers raises her voice, clearly agitated.
“I've gotten shot before-” she turns to face me before cutting my sentence off.
“Because you constantly charge in without thinking!”
“I know it's reckless, but Piper, I'm just trying to get the job done and make sure you're safe. I guess my own safety doesn't cross my mind as much…”
“Then things have to change Blue! You know that I can take care of myself more often than not. And I know I can't ask you to just give up on leading the Minutemen, or carrying out missions for the Railroad.” I get a glance at her eyes, they're glossy, like she's about to cry. Her voice comes out weaker the next times she speaks. “But If you keep this up, one of these days there's gonna be a bullet that hits where a stimpak can't fix!”
Tears start flowing down Piper's face. I've been travelling with Piper for a while now, but I had never seen her cry before. I begin to have a hard time keeping my own eyes from tearing up just from the sight of her. Piper's hands go to wipe her face as her breath hitches into a sob. A pang of guilt hits me right in my chest, and it hurts. It takes a few seconds to collect myself before I speak again.
"That won't happen Piper. I won't allow it." The threat of tears draws closer, I look away in order to evade their attack. "I have to find Shaun, I need to make a home of this world, and I want to make you smile. I admit, I've got to be more careful, but trust me when I say this. Nothing is going to stop me from achieving what I have set in mind."
Trusting myself a little more, I turn back to see that shes got her face in her hands. I'm not sure of whatever progress my words may have accomplished, maybe physical contact would help. I inch closer to her and reach to lay my hand on her shoulder. Before I even touch her, I find myself attempting to stifle a gasp as Piper pulls me close and wraps her arms around me.
“I can't lose you, Blue. I can't…”
“You won't.” I reassure her while returning the hug. “You won't, things are gonna change. I promise, Piper, with all my heart.”
Silence falls between us as Piper clings onto me, quietly crying on my shoulder as I trace patterns on her back. This woman had become the greatest friend I've ever had. There was very few people who had cared for me as much as she does now. Hell Piper very well might be the only one of those people to even be alive. In this moment I want to say so much more. To give words to the feelings she's caused within me. To make sure she knows that she's the reason I believe anything can turn out right in this apocalyptic-aftermath of the world. To tell her that I found love that I believed to be lost to me forever, and that I found it within her.
Piper ends up falling asleep as she is within my embrace. I let out a chuckle before returning to silence as I realize that she's gotten her way with me again. The quiet highlights the sound of our breathing, and reminds me that it's still raining. I want to move and give her space on the bed. But Piper's grip lingers in slumber, to the point where if I remove her, It would surely end with waking up the reporter. What I can do though is awkwardly shut off my light.
This entire situation leaves me feeling warm all over. We've shared a bed before, but never have we been this close while doing such. I look down at her sleeping figure, her torso calmly rising and falling with each breath she takes. Ideas and notions of all sorts start rushing around within my head as I feel slumber nip at the edge of my consciousness. Most of it I can't keep a grasp of long enough to even prepare a comprehensible train of thought But, there are three words come into the forefront of my mind, and I don’t stop them as they leave my lips.
“I love you,” it comes out as a whisper. But it feels like I'm shouting it for the world to hear me.