the tower.

[shortstraw]

It started in Novac, in that lovely Dino Dee-Lite Motel by the dilapidated gas station.

He had told her they could be found in the upper corner room, living the Post-War American dream. If not there, they had others: cabins, bunkers, safehouses, and the like. He gave her all the map points, confident in their future whereabouts. And above all, he was certain they would never be in the New Vegas, beneath the bright lights of the Strip.

The motel room had been empty. The Brotherhood safehouse and the cabin by Jacobstown also held no occupants. After traveling nearly the entire width of the Mojave Wasteland, moving from town to fucking town, she finally caught a whiff of him in Freeside.

The crier for Mick & Ralph's had seen a man matching Alex Seattle Geer's description lately, headed directly into the heavily guarded gates of the New Vegas Strip.

Judas, Sarah had thought. Blood betrayer. She then walked the road back to the Dino Dee-Lite Motel, to that cozy little upper room in the corner, and left Alex a very nice surprise.

Three days later, after finding the presidential suite of the Tops woefully empty, Sarah corners a man in the streets. Their exchange proves short, and with his pockets noticeably heavier, the guy walks the short distance to the center of the road. There, with the Vault Dweller looking on, he straightens to attention and produces a piece of paper from his pockets.

"Ladies and gentleman of New Vegas, may I have your attention please?" he reads, voice clear to the nearby bystanders and vigilant Securitrons. "It is my absolute pleasure to introduce to you a Very Important Person--" The man looks over his shoulder briefly, a quizzical look on his face. "Why is it capitalized?" he asks.

"Go on," she mouths, waving lazily at the gathering crowd.

He shrugs and continues as directed. "Someone who has traveled a great distance and sacrificed a good deal of time, bullets, and money to be here with you fine folks. She is the Champion of the Holy Thirteen, the Swan Song of the Master and His Most Unholy Unity, the Keeper of All Your Dogs, a Sometimes Friend to You and I... I present to you: The Vault Dweller!"

Comments

[duraframe]

Especially a guy like Neil?

ED-E makes another rude sound, then makes the effort to slow down his communication. You're a great Neil. Alex loves you.

Thus, everyone should love Neil, as Alex is a perfect judge of character.

[goodfight]

Alex loves you.

Oh, Lord. Neil turns beet fucking red, and his resolve weakens just a bit-- Wait, no. This is still a horrible idea, Neil Park.

"...And I appreciate that. I really do, but not everyone is like Alex," he continues, flustered. "People protect their personal space, and you gotta be close to someone to be able to do that. My dad wouldn't even hug me once I got out of my--"

He swallows, pain touching his dark eyes.

"Never mind. Just... A hug ain't like a handshake."

[duraframe]

To the northwest, two individuals are approaching and would be in range shortly. Both are known, and one is linked to ED-E's internal systems. It takes everything in him not to burst out in gleeful beeping.

Instead, he focuses and remains serious.

One person, ED-E beeps willfully. Hold one person and you can do what you want going forward.

[goodfight]

Without thought, without warning, Neil watches ED-E mournfully.

"Can't I just-- I don't know." He breathes. "Hold you?"

[duraframe]

ED-E beeps a cascade of surprise and affectionate shyness, his plan waylaid. I can't hug you back....

[goodfight]

The eyebot reacts with surprise before speaking. Neil makes out the words, the I can't hug you back, and finds himself smiling wistfully. "You'd be hugging me back in spirit," Neil expands. "Besides, I'd rather get one from you than nearly anyone in this godforsaken wasteland."

[doubletap]

A low, amused voice murmurs somewhere behind Neil. "Nearly anyone, you say?"

[duraframe]

The lack of a potential hug leaves him somewhere between relieved and disappointed, but Alex makes it okay. ED-E sings a victory trill at the sight, before burbling happily.

[goodfight]

A familiar voice out of nowhere has Neil Park almost jumping straight out of his boots. "Jesus F. Christ!" he yelps, whirling around with a hand clutching his chest, as ED-E trills his signature victory melody.

He collapses to his hands and knees at the sight of Alex, fingers gripping the dry earth. "Fuck my life, Alex," he gasps. "You scared the shit out of me..."

[doubletap]

Normally, Alex would be all over the puns of Neil kneeling in front of him, but it isn't the time. Instead, he sinks to his knees in turn, reaching for Neil to hold. "Sorry about that," he says quietly. "But I think my kid was insisting that you hug someone. And it damn near might as well be me."

[duraframe]

Hugging. And not ED-E hugging. How sad. And makes him feel a little left out.

So he buzz-beeps to Sarah, still hiding, wondering if she feels left out, too.

[shortstraw]

Boy howdy, the baby bot's much improved. Just catching a Vault Dweller hyped on Stealth Boy is like hitting a bullseye in the dark. She waves to ED-E as a greeting, currently satisfied to let the two men interact in silence.

[goodfight]

Alex kneels in front of him, and it's just so goddamn hard. So utterly impossible to resist slipping into the guy's arms when Alex reaches for Neil. Alex loves Neil, yes, but Neil also loves Alex.

The younger man lifts his arms to curl around Alex's torso, holding tightly. "Sorry," he mutters, for the first time sounding broken as he feels.

[doubletap]

You've got nothing to apologize for and It's okay are both lies, because Alex knows that Neil is blaming himself for leaving the dog to die alone, and it's really not okay, not in any way that matters. Alex hears ED-E's sad beeping, but right now is giving himself to Neil.

The kid clings on, and Alex holds him. "...It'll be okay. I'm going to be right here."

[duraframe]

If this was anything else Alex asked him to do, ED-E would loudly demand a thank you, but Neil is so sad and it's making ED-E sadder, so he hovers a bit away, coasting closer to Sarah. You don't want a hug, too?

[shortstraw]

Child hugs child while the last child feels a little left out. Poor kids. All three of them, so fucking gay. It makes her sad and glad and awful somewhere in that heartless chest of hers.

Sarah fizzles out of stealth, her lips frowning beneath the plague doctor mask. "'Course I do, ED-E," she replies, stepping close beside the eyebot. "Boys, you've got miles of arms between the two of you. Make it a threesome."

Poor choice of words, but eh.

[goodfight]

It's pathetic hanging onto Alex like this, feeling fucked up and like utter crap, and besides, Neil remembers. He was geared up to hug ED-E as a mourner might another, as a sad friend might another, before all of this. It'll be okay. Of course. I'm going to be right here. He wouldn't want it any other way.

But ED-E deserves what was promised. Deserves affection and gratitude for his care and understanding. Hearing that sad beeping has the man looking up at Alex, ready to tell him to wait a moment--

When for a second time today, Neil has a fucking heart attack.

The Holy Mother Vault Dweller appears out of freakin' nowhere (the static hinting at the cause being a Stealth Boy), saying the exact thing he's about to suggest. Neil stiffens in Alex's arms, cursing loudly.

To which Sarah merely says, "Hi, dearest."

[doubletap]

Neil has a second heart attack, and Alex moves to sit, dragging Neil into his lap. "I brought mommy," he comments. "She finally came to visit."

Alex looks to ED-E who is hovers halfway between the pair and woman. Alex smiles. "Good job, kiddo."

[duraframe]

The three talk and ED-E feels more like he's home. They are missing one person, and if for that, they would be a few states to the east, sitting around a campfire nursing bruises and laughing. He murmurs sorrow, then realizes Alex is talking to him.

Smiles genuinely and praising him. I tried, he explains.

"You did great," Alex replies.

[shortstraw]

'Mommy' smiles beneath her mask, eyes crinkling at the trio. Alex pulls Neil into his lap like his lover is also his bouncing baby boy and praises ED-E. Good, good.

"Came at the best time," she replies, "or the worst. It's all about that perspective."

[goodfight]

'Mommy' says hi. Almost on automatic, Neil says, "Hey, Sarah."

He thinks to respond further by calling to Dogmeat, but timing's a mess. So is his head. Alex shifts Neil into his lap, and the latter attempts to smile at great-grandma. He mostly succeeds.

His words, however, lock on the topic of ED-E. "He was the best caretaker a guy could ask for," Neil confirms, signaling the eyebot to come closer. When ED-E complies halfway, still out of arm's reach, the man waves him over again. Until the kid's right there.

Then Neil reaches to hold him, as promised. As he, Neil Park, wanted.

[doubletap]

The man in his lap reaches to hold his eyebot child without embarrassment, and Alex wonders for the first time what happened in the days they were together. Alex reaches to pat the top of ED-E's chassis, then wraps both arms around Neil's torso, marveling at how they always fit together.

And planning to grumble about the signs of weight loss. Later, though. Now isn't the time. "Always the best time with you," he says to Sarah.

[duraframe]

ED-E returns to the pair when Neil waves, first with distance and then closer to the sitting men. When Neil reaches to him, he doesn't quite understand, and it's only when his arms close around the metal sphere of his body that ED-E comprehends. Alex is here, but Neil is still reaching to hug him.

He gives a quiet trill of surprise, resisting the urge to jolt away. He burbles confusion and affection, and when Alex reaches to pat him, ED-E thinks he understands.

It's family. And family is there for each other.

He lowers more, making it easier to reach.

[shortstraw]

Neil smiles like his dog got shot, and it's some kind of hell knowing how much of that is pretty spot on. Sarah inhales slowly in the warm confines of her mask, eyes taking in the tragic conglomerate of men and bot. This mismatched family minus one.

"All about perspective," she repeats.

[goodfight]

They'd been close before, but it was never like this. They've exchanged kindness and concern, but there's nothing quite like holding your child's bestie when your child's dead and gone. It strikes Neil, straight to his damaged core, that the four of them have been family for all this time. That it took one of them dying alone for the realization to truly sink in is--

Neil keeps his hands steady, giving the ED-E enough room to separate at his leisure. Alex closes over his torso after patting the eyebot, allowing the younger man to breathe. Furthermore, ED-E buzzes closer, which prompts a small smile from Neil.

"See? You can totally hug back," he says hoarsely.