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The Courier was a strange woman. Her choice of companionship even stranger. But Vulpes Inculta was an even stranger man for letting his mind wander and wonder about her. Their meeting at Nipton had sparked his curiosity. How it would be to travel the Wastes as her side.
Vulpes let his mind wander once more as he took the road for New Vegas. The light of the city rivalling the night stars. She must have been walking the same road as him earlier. He would have caught up to her if not for that ambush earlier. Nonetheless, they would meet once more in New Vegas. Caesar had said it so.
Mars had other plan for their path thought, it seemed.
His feet slowed as he made out two figures ahead, the fire in front of them casting grand shadows on the ground. But one of them was undoubtedly that beeping floating machine of her.
How long had it been watching him?
Vulpes did not wonder for long as it started beeping at the Courier. She turned around and meet his gaze, the fire’s light dancing across her face. She stayed silent long, studying him. Vulpes wondered if she had recognized him from Nipton. If she did, would she draws her weapons? Rush to attack him?
Vulpes’ hand flexed around the Ripper as she slowly lifted an arm and, motioned to the wood log next to her. Inviting him to share the fire. A strange offer to offer to someone in the wastes. Vulpes took her offer and sat on the log next to her. The fire warming his shivering body.
A silence settled between the two of them, interrupted by the howling winds of the Mojave. Vulpes focused on the fire, occasionality stealing a glance to Six. Her focus shifting back to the carving laying in her hands. Rotating it in every way, deciding where to strike.
It had been the first time since Nipton that they stood so close. Vulpes could only see so much through his binoculars. His eyes focused on her hands, shifting the little carving. Rough hands covered in calluses and cuts yet they carried a certain gentleness to them. Her fingers sliding across the wood, silently observing it. Vulpes wondered how it would feel to be held by them before tearing his eyes from her. Stopping his daydreaming before it shamed him.
The Courier broke the silence, her low voice mumbling “...Did you get injured?”, settling the wood carving down on the ground. Vulpes whipped his head to look at her, finding her gaze already set on him. It had changed much from the eyes her met at Nipton, amongst the pain and fires.
“I did indeed, an ambush”, Vulpes answered, the wolf’s mask rising naturally. “How did you notice?” he continued, taking the opportunity to watch her face. The scar on her forehead had started healing. smaller cut cast across her face from various encounters. One of them ran across her nose and Vulpes dreamed of running his finger against it. Her eye bags had deepened yet her gaze remained focused. The same she carried when they met. His reverie was cut when she spoke again.
“Your bandage, it need cleaning” She spoke, motioning to the one sticking out of his shirt. Vulpes’ hand flexed around the injury. He had knew it needed cleaning but most of his supplies had been lost during his earlier ambush. Was that what she needed? To ensure he could not heal from an attack? Vulpes focused on his hands, flexing and relaxing, thinking of any possible exit.
For all of the Courier’s gentleness he had observed in her travels. he also knew of the anger she reserved for those she deemed guilty.
Vulpes’ plan were cut short when he felt a hand on his arm, instinctively wanking it away. Whipping his head to look at her. The Courier’s head cocked to the side as she exhaled a laugh. She silently motioned to the supplies she had taken from he bag. And despite all of his training, Vulpes did feel a little foolish.
The Courier extended her hand once more, twisting it to invite Vulpes’ own. He laid his hand on hers, sliding across her calluses and cuts. Their warmth beaconing him closer.
The howling Mojave had fallen silent.
All Vulpes could now hear was his own heart.
Her hands glided across his forearm. Gently undoing his sleeves and pushing them upward. Unveiling the bandage and carefully unravelling it. She let go of his arm for a moment to set it down, her warmth already missed. The Courier took his arm in her hands, sliding them across it to assess the injury. She stopped her hands at each cut covering his arm. Each movement sending him a jolt. She cleaned the wound and secured the new bandage. The next step would have been to lower his sleeve and yet, neither Vulpes not the Courier moved to end it. Her fingertip dancing across his skin as her other hand captured his hand. Settling her fingers between his, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb.
What a strange courier. What an even stranger legionary.
They stayed there for awhile, hand in hand. Silent yet thousands of words flowing between them. All stopped when her floating machine started his incessant beeping once more. Motioning that their rest had ended. her hand lingering before she rose and gave him a smile. Disappearing once more into the sleeping Wasteland. The ghosts of her fingertip dancing atop his skin, lingering for the entire night.
If she had piqued his interest at Nipton, she had now seared his mind.