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It didn’t take very long for Hancock to realize that waking up next to Kathy was the best feeling he had ever experienced. Sure, they had slept in close proximity before when travelling, sleeping bags pushed close together in a futile attempt to conserve warmth, but that was absolutely nothing like waking up in her arms. Even his beloved chems were no match for the way she’d pull him closer in her sleep while muttering sweet nothings under her breath. To be frank, he was absolutely head over heels for her.
Soon after their reunion, the two had set out into the Commonwealth towards Hangman’s Alley. Though Hancock had insisted Preston could take care of the settlement himself Kathy had brushed him off, mentioning that she wanted to get the hang of travelling again anyways. So, they departed with little more than the clothes on their backs and a stern warning from Nick Valentine. “No funny business,” he had muttered, pulling Hancock aside by his arm and giving him a withering glare. None of that mattered in the end, because a moment later he and Kathy were off on another glorious adventure, just like it had been before.
In a few days, the raiders terrorising Hangman’s Alley had been taken care of, but instead of heading straight back to Sanctuary, Kathy had headed in the opposite direction. Hancock knew exactly what was waiting on at the end of the trail. When he asked Kathy about why they were headed to Goodneighbor, she simply shrugged and said “I miss it.” The wistful look in her eye broke his heart a little bit. He wasn’t going to deprive her of happiness, especially after everything he had already done, so off they went without a second thought.
Goodneighbor was as it had always been, beautifully trashy. In the couple of days they had stayed there so far, the days were filled with paperwork and the nights were filled with… well, that could stay between him and Kathy. That was another thing that made him regret leaving the Commonwealth. Causing Kathy pain was enough to make him despise the choice, but the build up of paperwork waiting for him in his office wasn’t very pleasant either. Farenheit had taken care of everything time sensitive, thankfully, but that still meant months worth of trade agreements, complaints, and suggestions were collecting dust on his desk. There weren’t enough Mentats in the world to make the workload easier. He trudged through it, though, apologizing to Kathy for the delays all the while. Often, she would creep in as the sun settled down on the horizon, pulling him away from the endless work and down to the Third Rail for a drink. Hancock was eternally grateful for that.
So there Hancock was, knee deep in his previously ignored mayoral duties but choosing to ignore them yet again, instead watching Kathy sleep next to him. Usually in the mornings he would be out of bed as quickly as possible to smoke and get himself ready for the day. This morning had simply felt different to him. It seemed impossible to move and risk waking Kathy from her dreams, the idea of leaving her arms becoming increasingly displeasing.
He vaguely remembered them sharing a bottle of wine and a canister of Jet the night before, that was until he almost passed out from exhaustion. The look on her face had been priceless, a mix between adoration and pity. Hancock would face a super mutant suicider head on if it meant she’d look at him like that again. It was strange, Hancock had never felt anything like that before when it came to women he’d been with in the past. Kathy was unique. Kathy was indescribable. Kathy was… Kathy.
She shifted a little in her sleep, snuggling closer to Hancock’s chest, and he thought he could melt. It was so rare to have a moment of contentment and peace in the Commonwealth but if anybody deserved it, she did. Suddenly, he noticed she was wearing his shirt as a nightgown, wrapped snugly in all it’s ruffled glory. When sharing a bed with Kathy, Hancock found he forgot all about his need for chems or a smoke. The sound of her breathing, every once in a while being interrupted by a soft snore, was enough of a drug.
“What am I going to do with you,” Hancock whispered, carefully running a hand through Kathy’s short, red hair. She made a soft noise in response, but stayed deeply asleep against his chest. It briefly crossed Hancock’s mind that only a few months ago he had run from this feeling. He had denied them both the opportunity to experience what, to him, was an entirely new and wonderful reality. The guilt he felt was present in every moment of every day since then.
“Did you know,” he said, talking to Kathy despite the fact that she could not hear him, “that I’ve never had a girl the way I have you?” It was embarrassing, but admitting it took a weight off Hancock’s chest. “I’ve been with a lot of people Kathy, you know that, but never like this. I didn’t want them to stay in my bed or wear my shirts. I wanted a quick fuck and a night’s worth of good memories. I want so much more from you.”
Across the room, their tricorns rested together on Hancock’s dresser, along with Kathy’s discarded uniform. It was strange. The Statehouse had been his resting place for years, but now, for the first time, it seemed like a home. He remembered distinctly that when they had arrived in Goodneighbor and unpacked from their journey, the first thing Kathy had done was put her clothes away in his almost bare dresser. Well, it was their dresser now, their room, their Statehouse, hell, their Goodneighbor.
“I’d follow you to the ends of the world,” Hancock’s tone was reverent now, and he gazed down at Kathy’s face. “Sister, you’re stuck with me till the end of time, because nowhere is home without you. You’ve got me hooked.” His view drifted now, looking out the window at the view of Goodneighbor and the rising sun. “I love you Kathy, and somehow I’m gonna find a way to make you happy.”
Hancock had never told her out loud before, and even though she was fast asleep it held a lot of weight. There were moments he was sure that it was implied in his words or actions. Jumping in front of her while raiders shot at them meant I love you, keeping watch for an extra couple of hours so she could rest a bit longer meant I love you, telling her to stay safe while she snuck into a mirelurk nest meant I love you but he didn't say it outright. The declarations were deceptive, almost sneaky. It felt good to make it known to the universe. He said it a few more times under his breath, like a prayer meant only for her, the only god or goddess he would ever need.
“If you get sappy like this every time, maybe we should stay in Goodneighbor more often,”
Hancock looked down suddenly and was met with Kathy’s sparkling green eyes staring up at him, smiling widely. He tensed under her and she felt it, sitting up with a jovial laugh placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.
“How much of that did you hear?” He relaxed a bit, smiling back at her as her face flushed in embarrassment.
“All of it,” Kathy said, looking anywhere but Hancock’s face, “I figured I’d pretend to be asleep and see if you kept talking. Sometimes it worked on Nate,” She winced a bit at the thought of her former husband, but the mood wasn’t soured. “Now get over here, you don’t have to get to work quite yet.”
Hancock chuckled, but did as he was told, resting his head on Kathy’s soft chest and breathing deeply. Most people in the Commonwealth smelled of grit and oil, but not Kathy, never Kathy. There was something sweet and floral about her skin, even while sticky with sweat. A part of Hancock theorized that she had a stash of pre-war perfume, but the deep recesses of his heart liked to think it was because she was made for him. Through time and space, no matter what, she was made to lure him to her side.
“Well, I guess you know all my secrets now,” Hancock said, relishing in the way Kathy’s laughter rang through the room.
“I’m sure you’ve got more in you. How about you take the day off? We could do something nice together,”
“Whatever you want Kathy,” Hancock smiled, already drifting back into a light sleep, “I’ll give you whatever you want.”
“Oh, Hancock?” His eyes opened, looking at her expectantly. “I love you too, more than you know.”
Hancock felt like his heart had exploded. Now he knew that waking up next to Kathy wasn’t the best feeling there was to experience. There was no better feeling in the world than knowing he was loved.