Summary: MacCready keeps watch with a terrible headache while y/n sleeps.
CW: Smoking, explicit language, opposites attract trope, newly established relationship, they/them pronouns, GN!Reader, and tiny fluff.
WC: 1.2k
Song For Vibe: Silent Hill 3 Mall Scene - andrewa
A/N: First time writing a fanfic in a LONG time. Be nice to me lol. Also, writing this with a terrible headache. xx
MacCready groaned lowly, burying his face into his hands. He pressed his palms firmly against his eyes, squeezing them shut tightly. His head had been throbbing relentlessly for a while now. It started once he and y/n had cleared out a Super Duper Mart, but that was over 3 hours ago. Now, they had both set up a temporary camp in an abandoned cabin, seeking shelter from a late night rad storm.
The sky outside was dark, accented with sickeningly luminous streaks of sallow yellow and green. Some stars were still visible through the radiation that hung in the air, but only slightly. The rads certainly weren't helping his headache, that's for damn sure. However, it looked like the storm was slowly fading, which was a good thing. MacCready just hoped it was sooner rather than later.
His hand trailed down to the left pocket of his duster coat, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. With a swift flick of his lighter, he lit the "cancer stick" as Lucy used to call them, and took a drag. He held it between his fingers, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. Smoke fluttered past his lips, disappearing into thin air within a matter of seconds.
"God..." He murmured, biting his tongue to prevent a curse from leaving his mouth.
Through narrowed eyes, he turned to look at the grimy sleeping bag on the cabin floor that y/n was sleeping in. The only light, besides the moon, was the neon green that came from y/n's Pip-Boy. MacCready had noticed that y/n turned it on often, especially if they were resting or sleeping. He had to admit, it was pretty handy when they found themselves outside at night, or in a dank cave. But, it was endearing how they used it as a nightlight as well.
When y/n first hired MacCready, he was tempted to say no. It was clear, and still is clear, that y/n is not a person he usually works with/for. He's not a bad guy, but he isn't the friendliest one either. MacCready isn't a stranger to violence and thievery. But, y/n tends to try and solve things calmly and morally. He's not against it, not at all, he's just not used to that life style. He grew up in a world that took from you, which meant you had to take back. He never even thought about giving or receiving, and he most certainly never thought about getting back in a relationship with anyone anytime soon. Yet, here he was, in a relationship with y/n, as of two weeks ago.
Lost in his thoughts, MacCready didn't even notice that y/n stirred awake. With their body still wrapped in the sleeping bag, they sat up, eyes barely open. It was only when they cleared their throat that MacCready noticed. His eyes widened slightly, and he took a puff from his cigarette. It hung loosely between his fingers, and he watched as y/n slowly got out of the sleeping bag.
"RJ? Did...did the storm pass?" They asked sleepily, voice meek and rough from their disturbed slumber.
Y/n was the only person that MacCready let call him RJ. It was something only people who were really close to him could refer to him as. And, even though he had only been dating y/n for two weeks, they had been traveling for months before that. Maybe their romantic relationship wasn't too progressed yet, but their companionship and friendship was. There was a large amount of trust and reliance between the two of them.
He shook his head, gesturing towards the hole in the wall of the cabin. Through the broken and rotting wood planks, y/n could see the yellow glow in the sky. They sighed, nodding their head in disappointment. It was nice to explore the Commonwealth, but getting caught in these rad storms sucked, unless you were stocked up on Rad-X and Radaway. Even then, it's not like it was fun.
MacCready expected y/n to go back to bed, so he turned his head back to the large hole in the cabin wall. He readjusted his position in the old wooden chair he was sitting in, slightly groaning at how uncomfortable it was. The cigarette lit up when he took a drag, casting a faint orange glow on his face. The smoke left his lips, curling upwards, and fading into the air. A creaking of wood caught his attention, and he quickly whipped his head to the side. Instead of finding a molerat or, God forbid, a deathclaw, he saw y/n sitting on the floor next to his chair, bundled in their sleeping bag. They didn't say a word as they leaned their body against the chair, resting their head on his knee.
"What's, uh, what's up?" He asked, his voice coming out more awkward than he intended.
The sound of booming thunder rumbled through the sky. A sudden pulse of putrid yellow lit a portion of the night air. Immediately, y/n scrambled between MacCready's spread out legs. Zipping their sleeping bag up further, they pressed themselves as close to his inner thigh as possible, placing their cheek against his knee. His eyes widened, not by much, and he took another drag from his cigarette.
"Not used to these storms, yet. They..." Y/n trailed off, a shaky breath leaving their lips.
To MacCready, this was just a normal storm. Sure, the radiation was dangerous, but the noises were like white noise at this point. Though, he could see why it would freak the living daylights out of y/n. After all, they were in that vault for two centuries (and some change). The storms before the war must not have been as loud as these ones. No wonder it's so terrifying...
He's not that affectionate of a man, especially when it comes to romance. It's not that he doesn't like it, it's just that he's not good at it. So, it surprises himself when he reaches out, placing a hand on the top of y/n's head. He gives them a few head rubs, then starts to run his fingers through their hair. The faintest hint of a smile tugs on his face, and he takes a final drag of his cigarette before extinguishing it on the sole of his boot.
"Yeah, these storms are a bi-, um..." He says, smoke spewing from his mouth and nose before he continues. "They suck. But..."
MacCready trails off, unsure if he should even say what he was going to say. He cares about y/n, truly, he does. However, it doesn't make it any less scary. It doesn't make relationships any less scary. He's taught himself that care and love are weaknesses, but he wants more than anything to give and experience those two things...
But then, they look at him. Fuck. They look at him with those puppy dog eyes. Those scared, dependent, and beautiful puppy dog eyes. They weaken his resolve. They break down any barriers he puts up. They tear his defenses down, exposing the center of him. The heart of him. The core of his heart and soul, where he tries to keep everything contained.
"But, I'll take care of you, sweetheart. I always will..." He practically murmurs, clearing his throat as he flicks his extinguished cigarette away.
A little smile spreads across y/n's face before they turn away from him. He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding, simply staring at the back of their head. Y/n relaxes their body against his inner leg, sighing as they close their eyes. MacCready continues to stroke their hair, fingertips occasionally massaging the base of their head.
A/N: My headcanons are always really long and detailed bc I love making them. So, sorry if this one is really long. I love MacCready.
Personality:
He is smart when it comes to survival, but not when it comes to robotics or science. In situations like that, he's the equivalent of a drooling baby.
Super sarcastic. He tends to "lighten" tense situations with humor. He'll see a group of raiders/super mutants/etc and say shit like "Oh, well here comes the welcome wagon!"
Even though he is only 22, he has been through a lot of shit. Because of this, he isn't easily trusting of others, and he is very reserved. He is always suspicious of people until they give him a reason not to be.
MacCready isn't really arrogant, but he knows he's dangerous. He knows he's a good shot. If someone pisses him off, he'll inform them of this fact by subtly revealing the pistol on his hip.
"Wanna watch your tone?"
Once you further your friendship/relationship with him, he'll become more and more comfortable with opening up, and he'll show concern/care for you more. However, if you aren't that close, he simply does not give a fuck.
He's not insanely tall (5'10), but he's still intimidating when in his presence. It's hard to explain, but his "resting face" is piercing. It's like he's staring into your soul...
He's very desensitized to death because he saw so much when he ran with the gunners, but he hates seeing people in pain.
He's horrible with small talk, tells terrible jokes, and can be an asshole (though, he doesn't mean to be)
When you get close with him, he can be pretty protective. It's sad, but ever since Lucy, he's felt like a failure for not being able to save her. So, whenever there is an opportunity to help you, he jumps at it.
Once your relationship is strong, he doesn't like it when you travel without him. It's not because he's jealous, but because he's worried something bad will happen when he's not with you. He doesn't want you to end up like Lucy...
HUGE piner. The more he travels with you, the more he grows fond of you. He'll find himself thinking of you, even if you're not with him.
He'll hear a song on the radio and think "this reminds me of them"
This man is extremely violent when he needs to be. He'll threaten people, and his threats are ALWAYS promises. He isn't afraid to kick someone's ass, especially if they are a piece of shit.
Hobbies:
Collects comics. Specifically, Grognak The Barbarian. He knows everything about them and nerds out if he finds a comic.
When he isn't traveling with you, he chills at a settlement and listens to Diamond City radio while modifying his weapons.
Because he was a farmer for a little while, he likes to tend to crops in his free time. It reminds him of Duncan and Lucy.
He taught himself how to read back in the Capital Wasteland, and he'll occasionally read old books he finds.
Random:
He literally hates Radroaches so much. They make him so uncomfortable. Gags whenever he sees one.
His favorite colors are mossy green and sunset orange.
Believe it or not, he actually takes care of himself. He bathes (when he gets an opportunity), brushes his teeth when he can find toothpaste, and brushes his hair everyday.
Misses Little Lamplight so much. Sometimes, if he's at a settlement, he'll sleep in a cave near it, or sleep with blankets covering his head to mimic the darkness.
Random Things He'd Say/Do:
(Sees a tripwire, nearly activating the trap. He clutches a hand to his chest.) "My heart just fell to my as-, uh...let's keep going..."
(Stops walking to look at a bird, eyes narrowing.) "Think it'd taste good?"
(Stubs toe and bites on his tongue. Instead of cussing, he lets out a shaky breath, putting his head against the wall.) "Ouch."
(Y/n trips, making MacCready roll his eyes.) "Jesus, stay aware of your surrou-" (Trips and faceplants.)
(Y/n and MacCready are at a trading outpost. It's clear that the trader is trying to swindle y/n. MacCready takes a drag from his cigarette, pointing it at the trader.) "You want me to snuff this out in your eye, dude? Stop dicking around with us."
Hey all, just checking back in before the new year. How's everyone doing? I'm genuinely curious and I've missed you all!
Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be posting any more content for a while, if ever. I don't have the motivation to write as much as I did.
However, I'm really into art again! I created an insta account specifically for my art, which you can find here. Support would mean the world to me, truly! I take commissions and even got my first one not too long ago!
Now, on a more serious note, I've been having a hard time. I've really let myself go. I've gained weight, I've been lazy, and I haven't done anything productive lately. Moving across the country, away from your friends, away from everything you know, is a big thing. It's huge. And even though I'm back in the state I was born in, with all my family, I still feel alone.
Drawing gives me a sense of purpose. It gives me control over something. Because, as of right now, I have no control over my life. I'm just spiraling down an endless staircase and everytime I try to take a step...I slip.
So please, follow my new insta, follow my art account on Tumblr. It means more than you could ever now. Ask for a commission, I'll even lower the prices, please. I know this sounds desperate, but I just need a purpose. I need to feel like people need me for something. I need to feel needed.
Thank you for your support. Thank you for your kind words. Thank you for reading my fanfics. It made me feel wanted. I need that now more than ever because I have no one.
I hope everthing is okay and never forget that you are loved by many
Thank you so much. I have been taking a break because of my mental health, and I just don't have motivation to write as much as I used to. But I'm keeping myself busy with a job and thats good. I hope everything is good for you stickparrot <3
baratheonpilled
prguitarman
dededos
