Work Text:
It was a quiet night in the Third Rail. Nick was sitting at the bar nursing his second drink of the evening. He was staring at his notebook, pencil in hand. Scrawling out a few lines at a time and scribbling them out moments later. Hancock’s handkerchief was balled up in his other hand. He had been trying to write out his thoughts in a letter to Hancock since the night he gave him the embroidered cloth. He was sick of agonizing over it so he just decided to show up and talk things over in person but as luck would have it, the mayor was out checking on the patrols around Goodneighbour for the evening, so Nick was trying his best to keep his courage high while he waited for his return.
Whitechapel Charlie glided down the bar to refill Nick’s glass.
“You an’ the mayor finally stop dancin’ round each other?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nick tried to subtly cover his writing.
“For a bot named Valentine, you sure are thick in the head.” The bartender scoffed.
“I ain’t takin’ advice from the likes of you, Charlie. Keep it to yourself.” Nick covered his notes more aggressively.
“I’ve seen my share of lover’s spats workin’ the bar is all. You look lovesick as all hell.” The Mr. Handy quipped as he jetted back to the other end of the bar dragging a dirty rag across the countertop.
Ugh. If that chatty Mr. Handy knew he had it bad for Hancock, everyone in town must know by now. Nick sighed and downed his drink. He looked down at his notes and saw a lightly feathered pencil sketch of Hancock he’d done from memory. Damn.
~
Magnolia was in the middle of her set when an explosion echoed throughout Goodneighbour. The walls shook and dust fell loose from the ceiling of the old, repurposed tunnel. There was shouting and running up the stairs. People poured out into the street and fled wherever they could. Nick ran towards the commotion.
He heard people shouting. Some kind of bomb went off near the front gate. Super mutants probably. A few people are injured. The mayor is down.
The chaos passed in a blur. People helping each other moved debris and carried out the bleeding. When the commotion settled, Nick found himself sitting in the back lab at The Memory Den resisting the urge to tear up his notebook in frustration.
Hancock was lying in a cot next to him, bandaged up across his torso and hooked up to an IV. He’d been hit by some shrapnel and hit his head, but the Doc said not to worry. Ghouls usually were a lot tougher than humans. Even though Nick couldn’t help but feel a tinge of fear. Waiting and unable to do anything productive to help.
A memory from the original Nick Valentine popped into his head. Whispering to doctors in a hallway. Waiting outside Jenny’s hospital room. Feeling useless.
He tried to shake off the memory. He’s going to be fine. He’s always fine. Nick told himself. Still, he looks so fragile in this state. Nick studied the scars and new scrapes on Hancock’s skin. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been staring but he snapped out of his trance when he saw the ghoul’s eyes flicker open.
“Augh that fucker got me good, huh?” Hancock scrunched his face and flinched as he felt the bandages down his front.
“Hey John, take it easy. You’ve been out for a while.” Nick said as he stood up and fussed around the bed.
“How long was I out?”
“3 days.” Nick adjusted the supplies on the bedside table. Nudging and realigning the water can and stimpack. “You had a lot of visitors but the radiation you needed to heal kept a lot of them from staying long.”
“Ah, so that’s why you’re keeping watch on me? Metal man can’t die of radiation poisoning, right?” Hancock leaned back into his pillow.
“Well, not the only reason, but an added bonus.” Nick chuckled.
“I’m glad to see ya, Nicky.” Hancock groaned and gently tried to stretch without agitating his wounds. “Could get used to waking up next to you.” Nick felt his face start to heat up. How is it so easy for him to say stuff like that? He thought.
“Hancock.” Nick started. “I wanted to tell-” A timer on the nightstand started ringing and the detective froze.
“Oh, that’s for your medicine. Here.” Nick pulled a faintly glowing blood pack out of a cooler next to the bed and started unhooking the IV tubing.
“Didn’t know you knew medicine Val.” Hancock sounded impressed.
“Dr. Amari showed me what to do.” Nick set the new IV bag up on the stand. “I’ve had a lot of practice since you’ve been asleep.” They both watched the dark colour bleed down the line of tubing and into Hancock’s forearm. Nick could see bits of interference scattering across his vision as the radioactive blood flowed into Hancock. Fuzzy film grain pooled around the ghoul like a ghost.
“How do I look?” Hancock said refolding his arms behind his head.
To Nick’s synthetic vision it looks as if the ghoul had been dusted with sparkles.
“Prettier by the minute.” Nick replied with a smile.
“Hah! Get outta here you ol’ softy.” Hancock burst out laughing. Then he quieted down, and his voice grew serious. “Is Fahrenheit okay?”
“She took a blow to the chest. Broken rib. Doc said she’ll recover fully.” Nick replied. Hancock sighed deeply.
“She jumped in front of me, you know? I was ready to take the hit.” Hancock gritted his teeth.
“She’s your bodyguard. Kinda comes with the job, don’t cha think?”
“I don’t like when people do that. Take hits meant for me.”
“Fahrenheit’s probably the toughest person in Goodneighbour. Well maybe except for KL-E-0.” Nick added quietly.
“I know but she’s human, I’m a ghoul. I’m a lot sturdier.” Nick stared at Hancock. His argument didn’t carry much weight from under the covers of a hospital bed. “What’s a bullet or a mini-nuke to a ghoul?”
“That doesn’t mean you’re immune from being blown up.” Nick cut in.
“We don’t KNOW that.” Hancock said with a grin breaking the tension. Nick chuckled. “I just don’t like when people try to take my pain. Pain meant for me. I can handle myself.” Hancock sighed.
“Is it so bad to have someone willing to sacrifice so much for you? People like you Hancock. You inspire them.” Hancock looked down and sighed. “I’m starting to understand that’s one of the reasons why people are drawn to you Hancock. You make them believe things can get better. Things seem not so hopeless when you’re around.” Nick said as he leaned back on his chair.
“Hmm, yeah well-”
“That, or the free chems.” Nick smiled.
“Alright, I’m done with the heart to heart.” Hancock dramatically raised his hands in exasperation, wide grin on his face. They both laughed but Hancock’s chuckle evolved into a rattling cough. Nick pulled a familiar handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it up towards him. Hancock glanced up at the fabric as he attempted to hold back his coughing fit.
“Aww, you kept it all this time? Alright, heart-to-heart back on!” Hancock’s face lit up. Nick’s fans whirred louder as the ghoul opened and closed his hands repeatedly as he handed over the handkerchief.
“Here, take some water. Try to rest.” Nick tried to temper his excitement by double checking that the end table was still organized. Shifting the same glass of water and the same stimpack. Hancock smiled gently as he watched the synth’s nervous fidgeting. When he was satisfied that everything was in order Nick settled back in his chair. “Let me know if you need anything else.” He said as he raised his notebook back up.
“Lie next to me?” Hancock’s dark eyes grew wide as he tried his damnedest to look pitiful. Nick inhaled sharply at the unexpected request. Hancock saw the synth’s glowing pupils size him up, trying to deduce the ghoul’s sincerity. Hancock eased his sore body to the side and patted the ratty mattress in invitation.
Nick quietly rose from his seat. Hancock held his breath as he watched the detective shuck off his jacket and place his hat on the chair. Hancock was still not used to seeing the detective without his trademark trench coat and tie. And he didn’t’ think he’d ever seen him with the top buttons of his shirt undone. Hancock swallowed thickly trying not to cough or move or even breathe so as not to snap himself out of what he thought must’ve been a dream. Nick showed no hesitation. Notebook in hand, he slid next to Hancock and sat up against the headboard. Hancock blinked in surprise. He didn’t expect Nick to agree. At least, not so easily.
“How’s this?” Nick asked. Snapping the ghoul out of his trance. Hancock smiled as he cuddled up into Nick’s lap.
“Feelin’ better already.”