Chapter Text
It ain’t all fun being the vault nuisance. Okay, maybe it’s a little fun, but you have to be business-like when the overseer cuts you part of his deal. A nuisance for hire ain’t a bad living, you just gotta watch your back.
Butch Deloria, what a badass, he thought. Ladies couldn’t get enough of the Butch-Man, well Susie Mack couldn’t. Her obsessive beady eyes followed him everywhere. It drove Wally crazy how infatuated his sister was with his gang’s leader.
“That’s what you get when you gotta mug like this,” Butch smirked with a cigarette dangling between his lips.
Wally scoffed, “Just keep your hands off my little sis, okay?”
“Ain’t my fault she can’t get enough of me,” he gestured to himself. Leaning on the wall outside the diner, he continued, “Plus she’s the one who can’t keep her hands to herself.”
Wally shoved his fists in his jacket pockets, “Whatever, asshole. Listen, I don’t like this deal the overseer cut us.”
Butch took a long drag of his cigarette before blowing the smoke directly into Wally’s face. “Last I heard I was the leader of this gang, and the leader does what he wants. Besides Wally, we ain’t gonna have to worry about trouble from the security no more.”
“That’s if we deliver.”
“You’re a smart kid. You just gotta get your head out of your ass. There are no ifs.”
Wally looked exceptionally peeved. The anger he suppressed was evident, but he was a pup to Butch, maybe not in size, but Butch had toothpick and Wally had lost his blade months ago in fight with security.
Wally glared at his feet before quickly storming down the hallway, probably to take his anger out on some punching bag like nosebleed.
Nosebleed, of course, was Butch’s favorite way of relieving anger, and boy could she take a hit.
As much as Butch liked loitering around harassing the people of the vault by pulling toothpick out or making obnoxious comments, he wasn’t in the mood to be idle. He had an urge to make some real trouble. Not necessarily an urge, more like an itch that wouldn’t be relieved unless he caused trouble, and he was the best at causing trouble.
Turning into the diner he saw the two losers he’d thought Wally was after. Amata and little miss nosebleed. He assumed Wally was in search of someone who would put up more of a fight, and that made Butch all too glad at the opportunity now presented to him.
Nosebleed had her hair tied up in a tight bun with not a single strand daring to escape. That especially made Butch’s skin crawl. He despised her attempts to be perfect. Her counterpart, Amata, wore her's in a similar fashion, but with a tad less perfection. Stray hairs sprang out in all directions where she failed to control the natural curl of her hair.
“Well, lookie who’s here,” Butch smirked as he stalked up to their booth, “My two favorite gals.”
Barely glancing up from her Nuka-Cola, nosebleed said, “Hello, Butch. Come to steal another sweet roll?”
Amata chuckled, but turned her gaze after she saw him glaring down at her.
“Didn’t taste so sweet the first time with your nasty ass spit all over it.” Butch recalled nosebleed’s tenth birthday. Remembering how much he loathed her then. How much he still loathed her.
Letting his anger for her subside he shoved his way into the booth making sure to jab his elbow into one of her ribs. She flinched away not bothering to continue her snide remarks, all confidence giving way to frustration that showed heavily upon her face.
Good, the little weakling is getting pissed, Butch thought.
He had always enjoyed riling her up. Her face would get all scrunched up like she was biting her lips in order to keep them closed. So, he’d keep pushing like he always had until she couldn’t hold her tongue anymore. Then the real fun would begin.
Her attempts at a fight were so pathetic that it almost wasn't worth it after she’d take her first swing. It only took a bit of shoving and she’d basically trip over her own self in the process making his job all the easier.
“Sooo...nerds, who’s gonna buy me a drink? I’ve really got a thirst,” he smiled dangerously at nosebleed.
“I’ll gladly buy you something if you leave us be, Butch,” Amata offered.
He had an evil look about him that seemed to be making Amata nervous. “Mmmm. I think I’d like to stick around and catch up with nosebleed. Maybe you should scram, princess.”
“You should just go or-”
“Or what?” Butch smacked toothpick on the table, “You’ll go running to daddy?”
Before Amata could pipe up, nosebleed responded, “Just go, Amata. He’s here to bother me. You wouldn’t be allowed out for a month if you had a run in with a tunnel snake.”
Always being the noble patron, already Butch was grinding his teeth, “Listen to your girlfriend, princess.”
Amata hesitated only for a moment before standing to leave, a look of concern crossing her face, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Evie”
Nosebleed gave a reassuring smile, “Of course.”
After Amata's hasty departure, he turned on her. “Now, where were we? Oh yeah, my drink.” He snatched the Nuka-Cola from her hands, smirking as he took a swig.
“If that will be all today, I have important things to attend to,” she began to get up, but he didn’t move an inch to let her out. Instead, he kicked her feet out from underneath her, so she fell backwards into the booth.
“No that will not be all,” he mocked. “What does a loser like you have going on that’s so important anyway?”
A bit disheveled from the fall she glared harshly at him with fists clenched, “A decent job for one.”
“So, you think playing nurse is better than being a distinguished barber?”
“A distinguished barber?” she scoffed.
“Yeah, a distinguished fuckin’ barber,” he got dangerously close, “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, at all.” She inched herself away, “Maybe if you actually did your job instead of causing trouble around the vault.”
He felt a flash of anger rush through his body, “Maybe we should see if you can do your job and patch yourself back up after I’m done with you.”
Problem with Nosebleed was she would never back down from a fight. Her determination and reckless mouth never ceased no matter how many times Butch, ,taught her a lesson.
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“And it won’t be the last,” he grabbed toothpick off the table. Pressing his thumb to the button on the handle, the blade shooting out in an instant.
“What do you want, Butch? Me to beg for your mercy, bow down to you, kiss your ass?”
He twirled the blade meticulously between his fingers, “All of that would be nice.”
“Well, you can forget about it because I rather you stab me than have to spend another insufferable minute being antagonized like this.” She slammed her hands into his chest barely budging him.
“I’ll make you a deal, nosebleed,” he loved playing games, “You let me cut that ugly ass hair of yours and I'll let you go bruise free.”
Her hands went instinctively to her auburn locks, “No way, you'll butcher it.”
“What’s your point? Your hair already looks like shit.”
Flustered, she removed her hand and tapped her foot anxiously. “How about I make you a counteroffer?”
He almost spat his soda out, “Pfft, like you have any power over me. What's to stop me from holding you down and chopping it off right here?”
The tapping continued, “The satisfaction of knowing that you win and…”
“And?” He insisted. The fact that she'd finally admit defeat to her superior was a damn good reason for him, but if she was going to offer him more than who was he to refuse.
“And,” she continued, “I’ll teach you how to shoot.”
He gave her a doubtful look, “And how in fuckin’ world do you know how to shoot?”
“You remember my tenth birthday, right?”
“How could I forget? You basically poisoned me with your cooties.”
She rolled her eyes, “You’re a child.”
“You better get to the point real fast, nosebleed, or you and your stupid counteroffer are done for,” he spat out, growing more irritated by the minute.
She sighed, “Fine.” Then lowering her voice so only he could hear, whispered, “My dad managed to pull a few parts from around the vault to make me a BB gun for my birthday.”
“Bullshit. Only security has access to firearms.”
“I mean this isn't exactly a deadly firearm, just for mere recreational purposes for the most part.”
“Why would I want to play with a toy that can't even harm people?”
“It teaches you how to aim so when you get your hands on a gun, and let's face it, you probably will, at least you'll know how to use it and not look like a complete novice.”
Butch thought it over briefly because he didn’t like spending too much time in his head. He figured he’d lose his dangerous tendencies if he actually took the time he ought to thinking about his life choices. Hell, if he started doing that he’d probably turn into nosebleed. The thought made him shudder.
Without further hesitation he made up his mind allowing a mischievous smile to creep onto his face.
“You got yourself a deal, nosebleed.”