Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Commonwealth seemed lifeless as ever. Evelyn’s grip on her pistol flexed slightly as she surveyed the area, checking for hostiles. 

Danse’s heavy footsteps behind her and the dry, crackling breeze were most of what she heard. 

She was uneasy, more so since Maxson told Danse he was banished from the Brotherhood of Steel. They prowled the Commonwealth, armed to the teeth and protected behind walls of armor. 

Danse had fortunately managed to get his own armor together, but Evelyn sure as hell didn’t want to get into a fire fight with the Brotherhood. She didn’t want anything to do with them ever again. She should’ve listened to Deacon before she-

The thought came to a slamming halt. Before she what? 

She remembered the thought that crossed her mind when Deacon told her to be careful. 

I’m only there because of Danse. 

She’d been led to believe, through Paladin Danse’s word, that the Brotherhood of Steel was good. He seemed trustworthy so she believed him. She believed him right up until she first heard Aurthor Maxson open his damn mouth. Then she thought that Danse may have been tricked. She would’ve left but she didn’t want to leave Danse or Haylen. 

So the answer to Evenlyn’s question of ‘before she what’ was ‘before she got attached.’

She wasn’t really sure she ever had an actual chance not too. Danse’s soulful brown eyes cut through Evelyn in a way she hadn’t realized to be possible. Every time he’d spoken to her, open and honest, as hard as it had been for him, she couldn’t help herself, the idea of a life without him grew more and more terrifying. 

Even after only meeting Nick Valentine, Evelyn knew the synths weren’t the problem. It was where they were coming from (the fact Shaun led the Institute was still something that stung deeply and she was having a hard time coming to terms with it). 

The sound of vertibird blades startled her out of her train of thought. Evelyn jumped, snapping her gaze up to the sky, she saw it approaching from the west. 

“Danse, hustle,” Evelyn threw a command over her shoulder and bolted towards the nearby gaggle of houses. Dogmeat ran after her with a bark. They needed cover and fast! 

She rounded the corner of the house, it actually had a door! It wasn’t boarded, they’d be able to get in! 

As she collided with the door, it remained closed and she heard the rattle of chains on the other side. 

“ Fuck, Danse, hold on.” 

“What is it?” 

“Door’s chained shut, stay under cover until I get it open on the other side,” She hissed, vaulting over the rickety porch railing and rounding the back of the house, the vertibird was getting closer! 

There was an open window, she holstered her pistol and gripped the sill and dragged herself up and over, landed gracelessly inside and crawling across the ground before scurrying to her feet to quickly undo the chained door to let Danse and Dogmeat inside. 

Her companions entered, Evelyn winced with every heavy step Danse took and she quietly shut the door, redoing the chains and lowered herself to the ground, Danse knelt in front of her, watching intently. 

The vertibird stopped overhead, hovering. Evelyn’s blood roared in her ears as she heard the loud recognizable thuds of power armor hitting the ground from a long fall. Danse made to move but she held a hand out, no he needed to stay still. 

“Still…” she mouthed before putting a finger to her lips. The weight of his armor would draw attention when he moved. Her hand slowly lowered, coming to a rest on Danse’s arm. “Just be still,” she whispered barely audibly. 

Danse nodded. 

Footsteps began to move around outside, gravel and dry soil crunching. 

“Sweep the area,” came the crackle of a radio. 

Fuck. She carefully went across the ground, there was a door. It led somewhere, she gestured to Danse. 

“Carefully.” 

Danse came closer, and Evelyn opened the door, leading the way through. 

It was a root cellar. But with the chains on the door and the fact they couldn’t get in, knights wouldn’t risk going through windows unless they thought there was something useful to the Brotherhood inside. This being the blasted ruins of a small community somewhere near Concord and Sanctuary Hills, Evelyn doubted the militant forces of the Brotherhood of Steel would think to find anything useful in a ruined old home.

“Can we talk,” Danse asked, his voice low but not quite a whisper. 

Evelyn pressed an ear to the door trying to tell if they were close but then turned to Danse. She was fairly certain they wouldn’t come in. 

“What do you need?” 

His eyes on her were somewhat calming. Danse was always calm, even in the face of his death, morose, but calm. 

“Why are you so worried?” 

That caught her off guard. 

“It’s the Brotherhood, Danse. I’d really rather not fight them if we don’t have too. Not only that but what if it’s someone we know?”

They wouldn’t hesitate to shoot at Danse, and Evelyn, having gone as far as pulling a pistol on Arthur Maxson to protect Danse, would have no choice but to return fire. 

Maxson she hadn’t had a problem pulling a gun on, the others however… not as much. 

She didn’t want to hurt people she cared about. It was the same dilemma facing her when tasked with killing Danse herself. She’d never forgive Maxson for assigning the task, even if she was glad of the outcome. She’d just learned her son was an adult and in charge of the damned Institute and Maxson didn’t seem to bat an eye at what that might have meant to Evelyn and how it would affect the way she dealt with things. 

Why tend to the emotional state of your soldiers when there was a synth who needed killing, after all? 

“I… understand,” Danse responded awkwardly. 

So they knelt together on the steps, Danse, Evelyn, and Dogmeat, the latter of whom had nosed his furry head under Evelyn’s arm and demanded pets, perhaps sensing her distress. Dogmeat had been very helpful on her journey from Vault 111 to the place where they now stood. 

A few minutes passed and Evelyn felt safe enough to move and go back out to at least check. So she crept back up the stairs and through the door, Danse followed carefully but still hung in the doorway leading down to the root cellar, he stopped her though, reaching out and hooking an arm around Evelyn’s waist. 

“Wait, hold,” he whispered. 

Footsteps outside, near the front of the house and Evelyn froze, listening. She wasn’t quite sure how Danse heard that before she did but she was grateful. She carefully made her way back to him, tucking herself into the hollow his hunched over form made. Such a thing had been his idea, since he noticed she preferred to go around without power armor. At one point in their adventures together he had yanked her back and swept around her as a field of fragment mines went off, which would have shredded her if not for Danse’s quick thinking. 

Nate had told her about the bond between siblings in arms. It was a strangely intimate thing that had the tendency to sneak up on you. One day the person sitting at your side was nothing more than a friendly stranger and by morning they were the most important person in your life at the moment. She had thought at the time that he could have been exaggerating. But now? Now she knew. The idea of losing Danse was enough to send her into a panic on some days. 

She wondered what Nate would think now, seeing his wife, without him in the wilds of a wasteland that they’d once called home, killing almost instinctively, hunting without a single tear. Fearless, at one point perfectly bloodthirsty after helplessly watching her world be ripped away from her again. 

First by the bombs, then by a bullet. 

The Evelyn Jennings who exited Vault 111 was an entirely different creature than the one who had entered it. 

She wasn’t sure if Nate would have recognized her for the same person. 

“Clear, falling back.” 

She let loose a sigh of relief but didn't move until she heard the vertibird going away. 

“Alright,” she laughed softly as Dogmeat brought her something he’d found and tucked it into storage. “Red Rocket isn’t that far away, we can rest soon.” 

“Understood,” Danse told her, standing. She smiled at him. Sometimes she just couldn’t help herself.  He was so… delightfully awkward at times. How someone standing at seven feet tall in power armor could ever be cute was a mystery to Evelyn. Yet Danse managed to pull it off. 

She let out a sigh of relief when the old gas station came into view. If someone asked her where her home was, Evelyn wouldn’t really be able to decide between Sanctuary and the truck station. Red Rocket gave her a touch more privacy, after moving the desk and installing a door, the back room served as a very nice bedroom. She’d found Dogmeat here as well, so the place had a fondness in her heart. 

When she wanted to be around people, however, was when she went to Sanctuary. 

Entering the station she let down her pack and it hit the ground with a thud, she still almost got startled by her Brotherhood of Steel power armor standing in the garage. Danse ducked in behind her, armor clomping along. He wondered why Evelyn didn’t like to use it when it made that much noise. 

She had some brahmin meat she might like to grill tonight, and a few adjustments she wanted to make to her pistol. Maybe a little catnap first though, she was weary, tired from sleeping out in the wilds, with one eye open, watching, expecting. 

“Can you keep an eye out for a bit, I just want to lay down for an hour or so, then I can get started on some dinner for us,” Evelyn spoke to Danse, a smile tugging on her lips at the idea of ‘us.’ 

She liked that they were a team, and Danse liked it too, based on his awkward yet sweet confessions in the past. There wasn’t anyone the other was closer to. 

Danse’s already easy stroll slows to a stop as he pivots to look at her, nodding and tilting his rifle slightly in her general direction with affirmation,“Of course, rest well.” 

She got a fuzzy feeling in her chest at his bid and nodded, “I always do with you on watch.” 

There’s the slight stutter of his surprise in his gait, “That’s uh-good to know.” 

Evelyn chuckled to herself as she went around the counter in the front and through the door, she swung it shut behind her in a swift movement and collapsed onto the nearby bed. 

Safe. 

She hadn’t known how much she had taken it for granted before. But she had it again with Danse at her side.

She woke up and stretched with a groan, her spine popping pleasantly. She could hear Danse’s heavy footsteps just outside the exterior wall. She wanted to replace the blown out windows one day; it might reduce how much outside actually came in . A bloatfly had flown in once and caught Evelyn off guard. Her startled shriek had caused Danse to come running, rifle ready. 

This time, thankfully, there were no critters in the station, other than Dogmeat of course.

She went to her pack, grabbing the materials she needed and exited the station, waving at her companion as he strolled by and went around the back of the building. Dogmeat followed closely at her back, the pads of his footfalls a comfort to her, after all this time since she emerged from the Vault, alone and terrified. There were a few nights where all Evelyn could do was curl around Dogmeat, bury her face in his fur and sob . She felt like he was the only thing she had in the world, on the way to Diamond City. 

Then she came across Danse and his squad, screaming when Dogmeat launched himself at a ghoul, teeth burying into its neck and sending the both of them spiraling towards the ground. 

She’d never fought so ferociously in her life up until that point. She had to protect the only thing she had in her life. 

Evelyn thought that maybe Dogmeat had done such a thing to connect her to Danse. Mama Murphy described the German Shepherd as ‘his own man’. Maybe he had seen Danse before, while he and his squad were doing their recon work, and after coming across Evelyn, thought that she would benefit from meeting Paladin Danse. However awkward and unfriendly Danse may have been at first. 

She stoked a fire under the cooking spit, picking up the old grill she’d found to cook on then put it in place. She seasoned her steaks, letting them soak in some wine she’d found and a mix of herbs she’d managed to scrounge up (after clearing it with Carrington that they were safe to eat). She could’ve done this before the nap but her bed had been calling her name something fierce. Besides, letting it marinade would give her time to work on her weapons. So she set the steaks in a bowl, covered it and turned around to head back to the weapons bench. Danse was coming around the opposite corner just as she did. She ducked inside and turned into the garage before laying her 10 mm pistol down. She saw an add-on she liked earlier on a caravaneer’s weapon and thought she might be able to replicate it. 

“Feeling creative,” Danse asked warmly as he came in behind her. 

“Maybe a little, I saw a mod I want to try out earlier, might give my pistol a little more bang for my buck.” 

“You’re quite the weapons maker. Sometimes it’s hard to believe you came from a time that was so much softer as well as you deal with the Commonwealth.”

Evelyn didn’t say anything in response but nodded. Sometimes she didn’t understand how she made it through so well herself. She had been a lawyer . Nate had shown her a few basics on how to survive in the wild in case the worst happened. But his idea of the worst had been getting lost on a hike or stranded in the middle of nowhere if their car broke down, not total nuclear fallout. Of course he had been worried about that as well, however, Evelyn wasn’t sure if he had a contingency plan if that ever happened. She did, however, have some of the lessons her late husband taught her to thank for her continued survival in the Commonwealth. 

She tested the new reticle, taking aim at a nearby radstag. It felt good, easy to use. She’d see if it genuinely worked in close combat. 

“If you have a moment,” She honestly jumped, she hadn’t been expecting to hear Danse so close, turning to find Danse out of his power armor. He raised a brow just so, “I have something… personal, I’d like to discuss.”

“I always have time for you,” he tensed further, almost hunching in on himself, “Take it easy, Danse. Whatever it is, I’ll help you through it,” She could see how tense he was now, the power armor did a lot to hide his body language. 

He frowned, canting his head downwards, “I don’t know if anything will help me work through it.” 

A jolt of worry passed through her and she set her pistol in its place on her hip, grabbing his wrist, “Whatever it is, I’m here for you, no matter what.”

He sighed, the hand in her grip turning to hold onto her and he led her inside the station. His power armor stood nearby her own in the garage, he led her to the couch she’d set up, wanting to make this place as much like a home as she could. They sat down and she stared at him, worry creasing her forehead. 

“I’ve spent my entire life… or at least what I perceive as my life… following a plan to shape my own future. But since my banishment, I feel lost… almost like I exist without purpose. For the first time since that moment I signed up with the Brotherhood, I don’t have all the answers. I don’t have a plan, and it scares the hell out of me.”

She sighed, laying her free hand on his shoulder. He still held her other in his grip. Fingers curled around hers so delicately, carefully, skin warm and calloused. She never would have guessed he was a synth if she hadn’t known. 

But that was the point of them, was it not?

“I… uh,” even the best laid plans fell apart, “Do you really need a plan?” 

He furrowed his brow, mouth setting in a grim line, “That’s not the point.”

“Then what is?”

She was trying to be gentle, empathetic, really but he snapped at her, “Don’t you understand? Everything I had, everything I knew is gone. In the span of a few hours, my identity was ripped from me and my world turned upside-down. At least what you had was something tangible… something real. Your husband, your son… They were living, breathing humans who loved you and cared for you.” Pain seeped into his voice and Evelyn’s chest tightened, “Those sons of bitches who created me couldn’t even be bothered to implant memories of having siblings or parents!” Evelyn’s heart cracked. She hadn’t thought about it. Danse’s family was the Brotherhood, and up until he didn’t have them… he must not have missed the one he originally belonged to. “…I don’t even know how much of my own past is artificial and how much is real. Can you even imagine that? I started out as nothing, and I’ve ended up as nothing… and I don’t know what the hell to do about it.”

Fear gripped her heart, her fingered curling tighter around Danse’s wrist, as though if she held onto him tight enough, he wouldn’t go away. Evelyn was so, so scared of Danse going away. 

“Hang in there, Danse, you need to fight this thing,” her voice was weak, barely there. She had meant to sound stronger, so not to worry him. 

“I-I’m not giving up yet, Evelyn,” he cuts himself off with a slow sigh, “I suppose you’re right. Maybe I’m just missing the point. My life’s starting over, and I need to come to terms with everything I’ve lost and everything I’ve gained.” Evelyn smiled at that. “Which includes something important you’ve made me realize,” he gave her a gentle smile, thumb stroking her wrist, “I don’t know if it’s friendship, or an anomaly in my programming. After all, I’m not really human; but whatever it is, I can’t deny that I’m feeling closer to you than anyone else I’ve met.” Hope was trickling into his voice and the tension was ebbing from Evelyn’s shoulders. 

“I feel the same way, if anything ever happened to you, if I ever lost you… I just-I don’t know what I’d do. After everything I’ve lost, your loss would be my end, I think.” 

Now she just felt tired, this whole ordeal; Danse getting out his feelings is important but sometimes it felt like a real rollercoaster. 

He raised his head, looking at her with wide eyes, looking shocked, “Are you saying you’re… in love with me?” And the stress was back with that question! It wasn’t a statement she would disagree with… just that Danse being the one to realize before Evelyn about her own feelings was certainly not something she would have expected. “After everything the Brotherhood taught you,” not as much as one might think, Danse. “How could you be in love with… well, a machine?”

Evelyn felt a white hot lick of anger at her heart and she knit her brows, damn the Brotherhood, damn the Institute, Danse was so much more than a machine ! “Being human isn’t just what you’re physically made of, or how you were born. Being human is an experience , Danse. It’s…love and loss. It’s asking questions and seeking answers. It’s… feeling emotions that sometimes you don’t understand, but trying to figure them out anyways. It’s… trying to figure out who you are as a person. You’re not a machine , Danse. In fact, you’re more human than most people could ever hope to be.”

An earnest, shy smile spread across Danse’s face. His hand moved, entwining their fingers and he held tighter, “You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that.” There was a brief pause between them, “Look… I’m not going to lie to you. You’re going to have to be patient with me. Coming to terms with these… Well– human feelings, is going to be a very difficult journey. But if we tackle those obstacles together, I think this relationship could last a very long time.” 

Evelyn smiled brilliantly, joy bursting forward from her core and slipping out of her in a wispy laugh, “Of course Danse! Of course, for you, I have all the patience in the world.” She reached up, tenderly caressing his face, smoothing her thumb across his cheekbone. 

It felt so good to touch someone like that again. He hummed, eyes slipping shut and slowly they just fell into one another, arms wrapping around each other, holding them close, Evelyn tucked her face into his neck. He hummed, his voice a soothing rumble that she felt through his chest, and his hand slid into her hair. 

For some reason, she began to cry, not from relief or joy, she wasn’t even sure why. Danse pulled back, his hand remaining on her head with concern in his eyes.

“Evelyn, what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong I-”

She shook her head, struggling for the right words… finding that perhaps something Danse before could shed light.

“You…” her voice trembled, “You remember when awhile ago during one of our talks, you said something about having a bond with someone and losing them?” Danse nodded, thumb stroking her cheek lightly, his eyes softened just so. “I never thought I could care about someone the way I cared about Nate, let alone… feel it stronger. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Nate, still do, really… I wasn’t unhappy with him… but losing him, even though I witnessed his murder, didn’t destroy me the way I fear it would be if I lost you.” He gasped softly, twining her hair around a finger. “I-I don’t know maybe I just… need to take a little while to figure out how to express the way I feel.” 

Danse smiled, chuckling, “At loss for words for once, Evelyn?” 

She laughed softly with him, her… bad feelings subsiding for the time being. 

“I guess I don’t always have the right thing to say,” she confessed. Danse hummed warmly, kissing her forehead before securely wrapping her in his arms again.

“That’s quite alright, my love.” 

She smiled into his shoulder, feeling the fuzzies take her over.

Paladin Danse- well he wasn’t Paladin anymore… simply Danse. Coming to terms with it was still difficult, but Evelyn was helping. 

Evelyn Jennings, a living relic from a time long past, had done more for him than anyone he’d ever met. He was fully ready to accept his death that day at Listening Post Bravo, until it was her who showed up. Why her? Why the one he loved? While he questioned it, even regretted it… a part of Danse had been grateful it was her who had come. He couldn’t explain it, but the way she made him feel, even in his suicidal state, he was glad he got to see her one last time, even if the only thing she did was round the corner and put a bullet between his eyes. 

He hadn’t anticipated seeing her pretty green eyes brimming wet and her face tear streaked. 

“ I can’t handle this, Danse. He ordered me to kill you, but I can’t handle this. I already lost my family, I don’t want to lose my friend.” 

Evelyn’s suffering was what broke the haze and made him think clearly again. He had been acting…selfishly. He hadn’t thought about the way his death would affect others. 

Sitting together in the Red Rocket Station, as she clung onto him, Danse mused on his banishment further.

“I thought you would have a hard time carrying out my orders so I followed you to make sure.” 

Danse felt like she was about to crush his wrist as she froze, trembling in front of him as she stared at Arthur Maxson. 

“And why was that , Elder Maxson? Why on Earth would I have a hard time following orders to kill someone dear to me after LOSING MY DAMN FAMILY?” 

She had that heavy long nosed pistol in her hand, aiming it at Arthur and Danse froze for the first time in his life. 

Arthur Maxson stared cold and expressionless at the image of fury that was Evelyn Jennings. 

“I will help you deal with that later, Knight Jennings, but right now you have to do what the Brotherhood commands of you.” 

Arthur actually offered to help her? 

“I don’t have to do shit , Maxson.”

That started Danse, “Evelyn, stop. I’m not worth it. You can’t kill him, the Brotherhood will hunt your forever if you do.” He reached for her wrist but she stepped out of his reach, glaring at him from the corner of her eye. 

“Listen to the synth, Jennings. Don’t throw your life away for a machine.” 

Something in Danse snapped, he suddenly saw  Evelyn’s argument, understood her view points… he stepped forward, shaking his head with a scowl. 

“After all I have done for the Brotherhood… all the blood I spilt in our name, how can you say that about me?”

“You’re the physical embodiment of what we hate most. Technology that’s gone too far!” Arthur twists, swinging out an arm emphatically, “look around you Danse. Look at the scorched earth and the bones that litter the wasteland! Millions,” he raised a hand, eyes alight with passion and hate, “maybe even billions have died because science outpaced man’s restraint-”

Danse wasn’t responsible for those things! He wasn’t even responsible for his own creation! 

“Danse didn’t do those things! The war isn’t his fault, why are you acting like he personally dropped the bombs,” Evelyn swept in, defending him with almost the same exact words he was thinking himself. They were so in sync, how had he never noticed before? 

“How can you not see how dangerous this is? It’s a machine that thinks its a human! A machine that has its mind erased, its thoughts programmed… its very soul manufactured.” All those things were true… but how did that make him any less real? “Those ethics that its striving to champion aren’t even its own. They were artificially inserted in an attempt to have it blend into society!” 

How did that make them any cheaper than a human growing and learning in the same fashion Arthur Maxson did? He grew up on the Brotherhood, his bloodline was the Brotherhood. Had Arthur any opportunity ever to learn anything different than what those around him wanted him to learn? 

But Arthur wasn’t wrong. 

“It’s true. I was built in the confines of a laboratory, and some of my memories aren’t my own. But when I saw my brothers dying at my feet, I felt sorrow,” so much sorrow… “When I defeated an enemy of the Brotherhood, I felt pride,” the kind of pride that was addicting. He would do anything to continue chasing that high, “And when I heard your speech about saving the Commonwealth, I felt hope,” such naive hope, “Don’t you understand? I thought I was human, Arthur,” he leaned forward, pleading, the sun glinted off of Evelyn’s pistol. “From the moment I was taken in by the Brotherhood, I’ve done absolutely nothing to betray your trust and I never will.”

“It’s too late for that now! The Institute has foolishly chosen to grant you life. You simply should not exist. I don’t intend to debate this any longer. My orders stand.” Maxson spoke as he turned his eyes onto Knight Jennings.  

The telltale twitch and click of Evelyn cocking her weapon, “How brave of you to say, Elder Maxson, you, a person whose birth is a blessing, telling someone like Danse he shouldn’t exist.”

The evenness in her voice was unsettling, Danse knew that kind of calmness, and he was sure Arthur did as well. The kind of calmness of a person who had faced down all other options, saw they were not viable, and committed to the only one left. 

Bloodshed. 

If he could just soothe her, just enough for her to calm down and make the right decision. She didn’t have to go back to the Brotherhood after this, but she couldn’t kill Maxson and ruin her life…

“It’s alright. We did our best.” A pause to carefully think out his next sentence, “You convinced me that I was wrong to be ashamed of my true identity and I thank you for it.” Something else… just on the tip of his tongue… She didn’t deserve to hear that. She shouldn’t have to live with the memory of killing someone who loved her so wholly. All he was grateful for was that he was able to see her one last time. Even if she was the last thing he saw. “Whatever you decide,” please make the right choice, Evelyn. Spare yourself, not me, “know that I’m going to my grave with no anger and no regrets.” 

“Touching!” Maxson spat. “Either you execute Danse, or I will, Knight, the choice is yours.”

Stillness, no movement save for the dead leaves being jostled by the dry breeze. 

“Tell me… Elder Maxson, did you come here alone? In your paranoia, did you board an empty vertibird and fly after me across the wastelands?” Her voice was ice in Danse’s veins. “Did you tell anyone where you were going?” 

Maxson would not have the opportunity to pull his own weapon in defense, Evelyn’s weapon was primed and ready. The second Maxson made a move to defend himself or execute Danse, the twitch of her finger and Arthur would be dead before he hit the ground. Evelyn Jennings did not miss. 

“You’re choosing to betray us? After everything the Brotherhood has done for you,” Maxson spat.

“And what has the Brotherhood done for me that it isn’t trying to take away this very moment? A set of nice power armor? A bed on a fancy airship? Exactly how am I in debt to the Brotherhood of Steel, Elder Maxson?” Arthur actually seemed to be at loss for words. “Because from where I’m standing, the Brotherhood is the one who is in debt to me. So you listen to me, Arthur Maxson.” There was a brief moment of silence between the three of them. Elder Maxson’s wide eyes were actually showing his age. He’d never been met with someone like this before.  He’d met a Vault Dweller before but not like her . At that moment it was easy to have seen her as a mother once, she sure as hell was talking like one, especially one who was dealing with a willful child. 

“I’m listening,” he almost stuttered. 

Evelyn gave a pleased, no smug hum, Danse could practically hear the way her lips curled tightly into a closed mouth smile.

“Danse has done nothing but save lives and protect the ideals of the Brotherhood. He gets to walk away today. He gets to go on living and doing good, because I’m not going to snuff someone just because of where they’re from. And if you so much as move to kill him, I won’t hesitate. Other than Danse, I have almost nothing. I watched helplessly as my husband was slaughtered with the very gun in my hand and my son stolen from me, forever. I’m not going to stand by helplessly again, and I’m not losing someone else, not today. I am not someone you want to cross. So Danse isn’t dying today. Not just because you ordered it.”

The audacity of someone who has nothing left to lose…

She hadn’t gone back to the Prydwen that day. She all but collapsed in the bunker that night and just slept. Danse didn’t know why, despite the fact that she had all but said he was her entire world, and watching your entire world almost be torn away from you… that had to be exhausting. 

He wished she’d go back to the Brotherhood eventually. He knew she was officially taking a sabbatical, but something in him told her she wasn’t going back. Not with the way she was working with the Minutemen. He occasionally mentioned something about her working with the Brotherhood and all that would do was conjure a sour look on her pleasant face, she’d try to hide it behind a smile or laugh awkwardly and turn away from him.

Danse really only recalled her even saying ‘Ad victoriam’ twice; once when asking what it even was, and second, an awkward unsure muttering her first visit to the Prydwen. She was a fine warrior, and Danse respected that, but he wasn’t sure she was loyal to the Brotherhood. He loved her more than he had anyone else in the world, so it might just have to be something he accepted. If Danse truly loved her, he couldn’t try to control her. 

If he wanted to keep helping people, he’d have to do it through the Minutemen. He did enjoy helping Evelyn when a settlement was under attack and seeing the difference actually being there for people made. 

He was brought out of his long train of thought with a soft snore from Evelyn, he smirked, looking down and seeing her very much asleep. She had moved, resting her head in his lap and Danse had been subconsciously threading his hand through her long brown hair. He hadn’t realized she was growing it out until he saw just how far he had to bring his hand to let the strands go to their full length and slip through his fingers. She did keep it in a bun or ponytail most days, occasionally braiding it and sticking a hubflower in the braid when she was “feeling fancy.” 

He hummed softly, continuing to play with her hair as she slept on peacefully. He was so proud of the fact she was so relaxed and trusting that she fell asleep in his lap. He caressed her face, cupping her cheek in the shallow of his palm. 

God, he loved her . So much! Danse had never felt this deeply and intensely for someone ever. How had they managed this? He worked with others alone before. He had traveled with others before, other knights, none he sponsored but definitely helped ease into the Brotherhood, but he never developed these feelings for anyone before. Danse hadn’t even known feelings and emotions could go this deep. 

Suddenly she jumped up, “The STEAKS! SHIT!” and bolted out of the room. 

Chapter Text

They were crawling through the ruins of Lexington, Evelyn was looking for asbestos or oil, he couldn’t remember. He would have if she’d told him but she’d mostly muttered it under her breath, she was trying to build a robotics station and she was missing a few key elements. 

He was also taking a few days out of the power armor. Evelyn was a force of nature, and she rarely wore hers. She blazed her way through the Commonwealth, not a fear in the world. Danse thought maybe he could learn a thing or two from her. He noticed the smile on her face when he caught her looking, the way her eyes lingered on his shoulders and arms, he had to admit, he did like the way he looked with the bomber jacket on, it was just a bonus that she enjoyed it too. 

They walked through the back of the store, feral ghouls lurked in the building. Danse wondered from time to time, if they just stayed in the places they were in when the bombs dropped, or if they wandered through the wasteland. Perhaps it was a mix of both. Evelyn was checking every nook and cranny they came across, her dark brows knit tightly in concentration. He just watched her, her movements both decisive and contemplative, lips parted just slightly. 

Her eyes went sharp and he tilted his head as she snapped her head up, pistol raising, twisting and facing him in the blink of an eye and the bang of the gun echoed in the market. It was followed by a quiet grunt and a thud. Danse turned around, seeing a ghoul settling on the ground, dead. Danse raised a brow, turning to look at her and she relaxed. 

“Are you okay, Danse,” she asked, coming to her resting stance. 

“Oh… uh, yes.”

She raised a brow with a small airy laugh, “If you say so, hon.” 

He went rigid not having expected the pet name, affection was slowly dribbling into their relationship. Establishing it hadn’t made things… rosy, as he had once been led to believe by hearing Initiates speak about romance. 

She turned back around and continued going about her business, muttering to herself and pocketing anything she deemed valuable, he had questioned why she grabbed certain things once and it ended up with her getting snippy. 

“All those mods you liked watching me make so much were made from a bunch of random junk I found in the wastelands, Danse!” 

He had to commend her on her resourcefulness, but at the time he had been her commanding officer and thought he should reprimand her and he hadn’t been able to fully commit to one or the other and ended up merely stammering at her about weapons maintenance. 

He did enjoy how crafty she was, though. 

They walked further into the back of the building.

“I used to work at a grocery store, when I was saving money for law school, I rose through the ranks. Started out as a lowly cashier and fought tooth and nail to make it to bookkeeper. With all the damned nepotism I thought I’d never make it. By then I’d saved enough to get into school though. I did work through it, however, had a nice little nest egg. It’s how we afforded the place in Sanctuary Hills,” Evelyn mused as she perused through the boxes and shelves. Danse smiled to himself. He would have loved to see the world before the bombs fell. 

She was born into that world. Born and aged, and even brought life into it herself. 

She however, also saw the birth of this world. 

“DANSE!” She shoulder checked him, moving him to the side of the hallway and she fired a perfect shot right between the eyes of yet another ghoul. It fell without much flair. As she reloaded, she raised her attention to him, tucking away the empty mag. “No offense, but why aren’t you watching your six? What kind of trained soldier isn’t watching their six?” 

Danse tried to stutter out a response, “I-I seem to be unable to properly focus.” 

She smirked in a slightly cruel way, “Yeah no shit, did you rest well last night? When was the last time you ate?” 

It was strange, since being banished from the Brotherhood, he did have a hard time keeping a survivable schedule. If he didn’t eat with Evelyn, whether she was the one who cooked or him, he often enough forgot to eat and drink. 

“I don’t know… perhaps not.” 

She cooed, holistering her pistol and reaching up, gently caressing the side of his face. “Danse… you gotta remember to take care of yourself. I think there was a diner a few buildings over we can stop at and eat,” she told him. She looked around one more time, before cutting her losses and heading towards the freight entrance. “Aw hell,” she cursed causally as three ghouls crawled up out of their hiding spots. 

She had a way of just… slowing battle down, for lack of a better term, being able to calculate enemy paths, bullet trajectories, weak points and hiding spots in such a way that was incredibly surprising for someone who had lived the life of a lawyer and then housewife and mother then cruelly tossed into this world. 

Just three simple shots.

“Hostiles clear!” Danse called out of habit, a habit taught by the Brotherhood to prevent wasted ammunition. A senior officer calling for ceasefire tended to work well enough. 

“They sure are. Did you notice earlier, when we took out that ghoul together in the doorway back there,” she asked, coming closer and grabbing his jacket at the zipper with a grin. “I thought it was nice, a real good show of our teamwork.” 

He smiled at her, laying his hands on the small of her back and pulled her a little closer before dipping his head and putting a kiss to her mouth. Evelyn gave a pleased hum and kissed him back, moving sweetly and gentle against him. 

Danse had seen it a time or two, a couple in the Brotherhood sneaking a kiss in a calm moment on the battlefield, a young knight leaning down to put a kiss to an equally young scribe’s head just before jumping off a Vertibird to clear waiting enemies to make the area safe for their loved one. In this world, one never knew when their last kiss would be, so taking the opportunity to get another at every given moment was important. 

Evelyn learned that lesson before she ever even got here. 

“Come on, let’s get you something to eat,” Danse nodded, pulling his rifle from its place and Evelyn her pistol. “You know what small thing I miss?” 

She hit the button that opened the shutters and Danse tilted his head, “What?”

“Being able to walk through the streets hand in hand with your lover. It was such a small thing, but… sweet. Waltzing through the streets, window shopping, going into cafes, getting a coffee and a pastry. I… kinda wish it’s something I could’ve done with you,” she turned her head towards him, a longing look in her eyes. 

Danse wouldn't have even existed then. But he understood her desire to be able to do soft things with him. Oftentimes he thought about being in training with her. The intimacy of it, going through basic with someone you loved. Danse had watched other couples sneaking off to get amorous, smiling at Cutler’s knowing laugh, and he remembered playing along when his friend lied to help a couple remain hidden from commanding officers looking for one or both of them. 

He wondered what Cutler would have thought of Evelyn. 

“I’m sure I would have enjoyed it.”

She smiled at him, he honestly loved that smile. It was a heady mix of… smittenness and disbelief or some kind that Evelyn seemed to hold just for Danse. 

“You are… so fucking cute. ” When she smiled like that, she had the cutest dimples. 

She didn’t give him much of a chance to reply before leaving out through the open doors. ‘Cute’ wasn’t a term a lot of people would use to describe Danse. ‘Cute’ wasn’t a word Danse would use to describe himself. 

The ruins were bathed in a welcoming moonlight, Danse wouldn’t say he was comfortable per say, but he was at home in a way, trailing behind Evelyn as she worked their way through the broken and cluttered streets. The diner she had spoken about was within eyesight when they left the market. She made a beeline for it and Danse didn’t blame her, even though there was quite the large hole blown into the wall of the building, it was better than being out in the open on the streets at night, or in the day really. 

They settled into the diner after sweeping for hostiles, Evelyn grabbing her pack off her back and headed over to a booth empty of… occupants and began laying out what they needed for their dinner. 

Danse came over, not wanting to leave all the work for her, “Can I help?” 

She smiled at him, affection in her eyes and she handed him a plate, “You can set the table while I cook up some grub with that fire over there,” she dug out what looked to be cuts of radstag and some vegetables from the gardens in Sanctuary. She also unlatched the grill Danse carried and headed over to the nearby burning fire. 

He looked through their belongings, sitting the plates down and setting out silverware and cans of water.  Although he had never imagined this being his life, he was… quite content. Yes he missed the Prydwen, and Scribe Haylen, Knight Rhys occasionally too, but there was just something different about this life here, at Evelyn’s side as her clearly preferred travel companion, and lover , (how could he forget?) that just seemed to fall right into place and feel natural.  

“I know I’m usually the one who is all confident and secure… but can I ask you a question, Danse?” 

He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, “If there’s something wrong I want to know.” 

She smiled wistfully, her gaze on the sizzling meat and roasting vegetables in front of her. 

“I just… do you ever regret meeting me? I know I saved your life back at the police station but also… if I hadn’t enlisted with the Brotherhood… They wouldn’t have found out you’re a synth. You’d still be there.” 

Danse’s eyes widened, he truly hadn’t been expecting that, his hand touched down briefly on the table before he went over to Evelyn, seeing concern in her eyes. Where did her sudden worry come from? 

He took her hands in his, raising them and lightly kissing her knuckles.

“I’ll never regret meeting you, Evelyn. I did lose a lot because I met you, but… I’m learning what it means to be… free . I didn’t really enjoy selling scrap at Rivet City but, I know the life I’m living now is more similar to that time before I joined the Brotherhood. Even then, I didn’t feel free. I felt trapped. Scavenging was going to be all I had, but now, something about this life with you, having an inside look at how it makes you feel, makes it better in a way. I have more purpose here.” 

Truth was, now he had… opportunity. If Evelyn could go from being a widow out of time searching desperately for her son, to the competent, beautiful warrior who stood in front of him, Danse could be anything he wanted. He could make any difference he set his mind to, with or without the Brotherhood. She inspired him every day they woke up with one another. Or any day after she’d left him at the Red Rocket Station, he’d patrol, waiting to see her coming up over the horizon, working her way across the land back to him. There was always a great surge of joy when he saw her returning, vibrant blue and gold vault suit standing out against the dry brown scenery. 

Of course that vibrant suit also made her a horribly visible target. 

Maybe that was why she was so hyper vigilant, always listening, always looking when she was out in the open. 

“Look at you… becoming so eloquent,” she teased with a smile, reaching up and lightly scratching his stubble. Danse smiled at her, seizing her wrist and putting a lingering kiss to her palm before pulling away.

“I think I’m learning from you quite a bit.” 

The sweet intimacy of the moment broke off when the softness in her eyes evaporated and the face of a predator swept over Evelyn’s features. Her comfortable, leisurely stance went rigid and she tensed, as though waiting to pounce, her attention snapped towards the opening and she turned from him, dropping to a crouch.

“What’s that noise? Do you hear that,” she whispered as Danse crouched next to her, trusting her instincts. He strained his ears, in fact, hearing something. Loud thuds echoed rhythmically through the streets. She made her way over to the hole in the wall to look out. He followed close by, hovering over her as though he were still in his power armor. He’d probably only admit it to her but he did like being so close to her. He could stealthily hang his head and take in her scent when they were like this. He looked out over her shoulder at the street and they saw a behemoth supermutant.“Oh shit, I hope you like your steaks on the rare side, Danse,” she clipped, turning around and hurrying back into the diner. He turned following her too, grabbing some cloth and helping her remove the grate from the fire. 

The smell of cooking meat would certainly draw the behemoth’s attention. She usually tried to avoid fights like this, Evelyn could clearly handle them, Danse would prefer to fight, supermutants were a danger to the people of Commonwealth but if Evelyn didn’t fight, he wouldn’t either. She’d gotten onto him for that a time or two too, usually accompanied with a rather forceful jab of a Stimpack after he got downed for trying to fight a whole encampment by himself after Evelyn didn’t join him. 

He had been a little annoyed that she hadn’t joined him on occasion but Evelyn was very task oriented and she didn’t like getting off track. 

“We could’ve come back later, Danse. You know how hard it is for me to keep my 10 mil ammo out here.” 

It was true. It was tucked away in old safes or if she was lucky she’d find a few bullets on other fallen enemies. The only time Evelyn could find her ammo in large quantities was when they were at vendors and shops. 

So Danse tried to follow her lead more often than not.

“Danse get the plates and stuff. I want to eat behind this counter so even if he does come this way he won’t see us,” he nodded and veered off, heading back towards the table, frowning slightly about the placements but gathering what he had placed down and returning to her. 

She was already huddled behind the counter, but she moved as soon as he returned and carefully moved a booth in front of the opening. 

“I suppose more fortification can’t hurt,” Danse commented as she served the steaks and the vegetables. 

“Nope, they sure can’t,” Evelyn agreed with a good natured smile. 

It was strangely cozy in their little alcove, the light from the now dying fire could almost be romantic, Evelyn sat close to him, shoulder to shoulder. 

“The steaks are really good though. I’ve never been a fan of well cooked steaks,” Danse whispered, Evelyn nodded at him with a grin before taking a bite of her own. 

“I used to prefer medium well but medium rare has kind of grown on me over the years,” she told him. Danse nodded as well, taking a bite of the lightly roasted vegetables. They fell into a comfortable silence as they continued their meal. However, she didn’t seem to really relax as the footsteps got closer and closer, then would fade away as the giant made its rounds. “How are you feeling Danse?” 

He was impressed how she made food good even now in the ruins of civilization. Evelyn had a wonderful way with what little spices were edible that remained. 

“I think I’m doing better, I’m sorry if I made you worry.” 

Evelyn hummed, leaning up to his side and putting a kiss to his cheek, “Worrying about partners is part of a relationship from time to time, Danse. If I’m not with someone who’s wellbeing I’m concerned with, why am I with them?” 

Danse gave her a weak smile, leaning in close to her and nuzzling her hair. 

He’d remember that, when he was worried about her. Evelyn usually took care of herself while taking care of others, but he saw, a time or two, when they were on the Prydwen together, the look in her eyes in the early mornings. Danse just worried that in her taking care of others, Evelyn may neglect herself. 

Trauma was unavoidable when one was a soldier, however Danse knew Evelyn’s trauma wasn’t entirely from the Brotherhood, if any at all. She had visited the outside of the vault with him a time or two. There were fifteen graves nearby. 

“I watched helplessly as my husband was slaughtered with the very gun in my hand and my son stolen from me, forever.”

She didn’t default to the pistol she had been holding that day, that long nosed heavy pistol that hung on her left hip, she used the heavily modified (rather nice looking) 10 mm pistol. The .44 pistol she used in the most dire of straits. A veritable hand cannon that Danse admitted he also liked the look of. At least until Evelyn used it to take aim at Arthur Maxson. 

“Can I ask you something,” Danse whispered as the giant walked by the storefront. 

“Always.” 

“Why do you carry the gun that was used to kill your husband?” 

She tensed up at his side, her hands smoothing down her thighs before picking at some dirt on the ground. 

“Well… it’s a good gun… I had been planning on shooting the person who had Kellog take Shaun with it. You know in a poetic way, ‘this gun destroyed my world so it’s going to destroy yours’ sort of way. But that didn’t go as planned.” 

Yes, he remembered the tears in her eyes upon returning from the Institute. He also remembered her knocking on the door to his quarters and coming to Danse of all people for comfort. He’d been happy to do it, listening to her sob, her agony over losing her son, not just to the Institute, but to the ravages of time itself. He was older than her now, and in charge of the Institute. He was the Brotherhood’s sworn enemy and the biggest danger to the Commonwealth. 

If Danse had ever thought she was going to defect, it would have been shortly after then, to protect her son. 

Never in a million years did Danse believe Evelyn Jennings would defect because of Danse. 

Again, it still wasn’t official, but he… Danse knew. Even if Evelyn went back to the Brotherhood, Maxson might just banish her the second she set foot on the Prydwen for her actions with the Minutemen. He wasn’t entirely sure Evelyn would mind that. 

“Do you want to get going? We could down that behemoth and hunker down here for the night or Red Rocket isn’t that far away, we could probably make it there before sun up,” Evelyn whispered, her hand laying atop his between them. 

Despite the behemoth outside, their situation was… comfortable.  

However a bed would be more comfortable, even if they hadn’t gotten around to sharing a bed yet. With turrets set up around Red Rocket, Danse was able to relax with Evelyn instead of insisting on taking watch while she slept. He had a feeling it was something Evelyn did on purpose, she wanted to spend time with him, not on patrol. 

“Did you get what you were looking for,” he asked her and she grinned that grin, that slowly growing one that ended in the cheekiest smile and the brightest eyes. Before she could respond he leaned forward and cradled the back of her head in a hand, capturing her mouth with his. Sometimes he just couldn’t resist kissing her. Especially when she looked so damn cute. 

Evelyn was cute, that was definitely something that he could say with 100% confidence.