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She couldn’t get used to the feel of radiation tingling her skin, or the dirt caked under her once beautifully manicured nails. Her hair used to curl into the most sultry bun at the back of her head though now she could barely keep her grisly hair together. Oily fibers clung to the back of her sweaty neck, her face damp under the sunlight. Katherine used to be a painter, water-color to be specific. In her home she kept a hidden room where all her paintings lay from curious eyes, Nate’s to be exact. He treasured her paintings despite him never outright telling her so, nevertheless she found her pieces hanging in the kitchen or in Shaun’s room. Once she even caught her husband instructing Codsworth where to put her next “masterpiece” as he called them. Every single one. When she awoke, she had hoped to be greeted with her husband’s loving gaze and signature smirk that deepened the one dimple on his right cheek. She stared down at her hands in disgust.
“You alright, sister?”
Katherine glanced up at the ghoul and reassured him with a forced smile. “I..Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking is all.”
He gave her a once over before shrugging his shoulders and walking leisurely into Sanctuary where Dogmeat happily greeted the pair. Katherine’s faulty smile was replaced with genuine happiness as the shepard licked at her fingers, huffing in approval before trotting to Hancock’s side. Her gaze followed the canine’s path until she was staring at the back of the scarlet frock that hung of the ghoul’s lithe frame. He walked with a certain swagger to his step that oozed confidence, almost exactly like Nate. She risked the chance to walk beside him and jogged over to Hancock, her eyes cast to the dirt. Her feet dragged against the ground until she felt a hand clasp over her shoulder. Katherine looked up at the ghoul with a raised brow, her reflection prominent in his charcoal eyes. It almost looked like a black and white photo.
“Sure you’re okay?” he asked, his raspy voice vibrating his throat as the words came out softly.
The longer she stared at him the more lost she became. Katherine wanted to smack herself for ever comparing Nate to Hancock or vice versa, it was cruel. Nevertheless she didn’t hesitate to remove his hand from her, only to hold onto it tightly. She couldn’t bare to look at him.
“Just...hold my hand for a bit, John.”
A soft hmph was all he gave as a reply and his hand tightened on her own, lacing their fingers together. Despite the odd looks they received from their companions, Hancock walked in stride beside her with a faint smirk on his face. Katherine’s cheeks flushed at the sight and she glared at him.
“What’s so funny?”
“Hm?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re smirking. Why?”
Hancock skidded to a stop and turned to her with a bewildered look etched into his ghoulish features. He raised their intertwined hands before her eyes. “Not everyday people see a ghoul like me holdin’ hands with a woman like you.”
Katherine’s deepened into a bright scarlet hue. “You could probably have anyone you wanted, Hancock.”
He tried not to laugh. He really did, but couldn’t stop the chuckle that rang through his chest. “Sunshine, there’s no one else ghoul or smoothskin that I’d rather be holdin’ hands with besides you.”
The sentiment was deep and Katherine could almost hear her own heartbeat thrumming in her ears. It was in an instant that he made her forget about her old life, even forget about Nate even for just a little while. Now that she thought about it, they were utterly opposites she and Hancock but then again opposites attract, right? Nate was her first love, but if she had to pick her last it would be Hancock no matter what.
She smiled up at him, allowing their hands to drop back to their sides tightly wound together. “Good, because you’re the only ghoul for me.”