Formal affairs (Maxson x f!Sole) : Chapter XVIII Shadow play
A/N: written with a concussion so took a while to finish. Hope you enjoy it, please do let me know what you think of it!
“ I am looking for the Sentinel?” A scribe was waiting and straightened up the moment Ingram pointed at Sole. “ You found her.”
“ Maxson has requested your presence.”
Sole got from under the power armour she was working on. “ Any clue why?”
“ Some people from the Citadel have arrived. I don’t know who they are but they most certainly outrank me, ma’am.” Sole cursed under her breath.
“ Any idea who those people are?” He shook his head.”I heard them say they wanted to surprise you.”
Sole noticed the two people were dressed as the diplomats she had gotten to know before she was shot. She wondered if they were there to implore Maxson once again to just leave her be so there was no more discord among the higher ranks of the Brotherhood. There to tell him she didn’t belong there, nor in his bed. The feeling of dread shifted instantly as Maxson looked up and the figures turned around. Alice and her husband Ryon were the ones standing at the command deck. Not someone to usher her out. She hadn’t realised she had been holding her breath until she exhaled again. A deep sigh, relief washing over her. Alice was, as usual, kind enough not to ask her why she seemed so relieved.
“ Sentinel, it’s good to see you again!” Sole shook hands with Maxson’s ex once more. She smiled back at her, shooting a quick glance at Maxson. He looked back at her instantly but didn’t show any concern. He could be really difficult to read from time to time. She couldn’t tell. Neither could she from the face of Alice’s husband. But Alice sounded cheerful at least, she tried to focus on that as she decided to ask the million-caps-question; why the hell were they there so far away from home?
“ It’s great to see you again but what brings you here? Is everything all right?”
“ We’re okay. We won’t be here for very long, Sentinel. We are expected at a meeting, this is just a pit stop. But I wanted to let you know that the man we have apprehended is currently jailed and that he has sold out some of his co-conspirators. We believe that each member who participated in the assassination attempt has been dealt with. I also found out, although not thanks to this one …” Alice shot an angry glare in Maxson’s direction “that some officials had requested your removal from the Brotherhood or for you to be stripped of your rank due to the conflicts at the point I last saw you.”
“ Yeah, some people in the Brotherhood don’t seem to approve of anyone who is involved in a gunfight within their own meetings. Not even the person getting shot.”
“ Well, I am here to argue the case that indeed stripping you from your rank or worse would merely weaken the brotherhood. Luckily, in spite of rumours of a rift between the two of you romantically, Maxson seems to be aware of your value and has already chosen not to turn against you. Therefore I shall take my leave shortly. Would we be able to stay here for the night?” Sole looked over at Maxson.
Maxson looked quite stoic as he looked at her. “Of course you can stay here. Sole will be leaving tomorrow at noon, however.” He continued to explain that she was going to find some Wasteland allies, scouts. She wasn’t really listening properly. Her mind had already wandered off… a rift between them romantically… Sole wondered if that was based on rumours of them fighting on the Prydwin as a consequence of her trying to make everyone believe that. Maybe he went through with purposefully putting that news out there. Another way of ensuring they wouldn’t believe he chose her as Sentinel based on bias. Regardless of the reason, it stung to hear it. She shook her head and started listening to what Maxson was actually telling them once more.
“ We will prepare my room for you to temporarily stay in; the Sentinel and I can share a room in the meantime in spite of any… rift. We’re professionals. Nothing changed in how much I trust her as Sentinel.”
Sole looked over at Ryon, he just nodded. Alice, however, was not buying it and just smirked at Maxson. She didn’t seem aware of Sole paying attention to the look on her face as well, though.
“Sentinel, you may return to your duties unless you wish to stay here and speak to our guests as well.” She couldn’t tell if he was just trying to offer her a way out of potentially uncomfortable talks or trying to get her away. She liked Alice, but didn’t know Ryon. And clearly, Maxson was keeping up appearances to some extent at least. She couldn’t tell whether it was paranoia or if he had some other reason. She fought the urge to just walk over to him, grab his hand and once again show Alice that their relationship was not strictly professional. Alice had been the one to notice their bond before anyone else did… she’d know now too. Perhaps they didn’t want to risk Ryon… or perhaps this was just a safety measure in general. She decided to just return to Ingram. He was sleeping with her that night. That would be enough for her for the time being.
“ I am afraid I left some quite important preparations for tomorrow behind so I’m going back. I’ll see you later though, Alice?”
“ Yes, actually Sentinel I was hoping to speak to you alone. If you don’t mind?” She noticed Maxson sighed and rolled his eyes.
Sole would refuse if she wasn’t as curious as she was. “ Sure, just give me a couple of hours. ”
Alice went in for a careful hug, clearly remembering where the now healed wound used to be.
“I’m looking forward to our talk.” Alice winked at her.
“ I’m mainly curious what it will be about to be honest. But it is nice to see you again too.” Sole then turned to Ryon. “Oh and my apologies for walking in at an inopportune moment back at the Citadel.” She had made a mental note since to never just assume you can walk into a married couple’s bedroom without possibly interrupting something.
“ Don’t worry about it. “ Ryon smiled at Sole and winked at Alice. Clearly, the fire between those two hadn’t burnt out yet either. She resisted the urge to immediately look at Maxson but felt his eyes on her.
“See you later, Alice. Elder. Ryon?“ She wasn’t sure if she could call him by his first name but she never learned his title or last name, and he didn’t correct her. Still looking at his wife.
Maxson nodded at Sole and she nodded back, keeping eye contact just a little too long for it to be normal.
She just heard Maxson say they would be going to the board room to catch up. Sole wondered what he meant by that; they didn’t have a board room. They had a room with a large metal table they never used. With a vent. Where you can listen in on whatever people are talking about. That Maxson did not know about as far as she knew.
She was distracted while working with Ingram. Cordon came in at some point, getting his power armour. He looked excited to be going outside, of the prospect of helping people. Sole needed to get her head back in the game. She wired something all wrong and had to start over, cursing. Eventually Ingram patted her on the shoulder and told her she had enough people e working on them now for her to call it a day.
Sole walked back to her quarters. She started packing to head out the next day. Figured out what she’d need out there, what she wanted out there and a shirt of Maxons. For… reasons. She knew how much she’d likely miss him, they hadn’t been apart since they actually got involved together. She knew she’d never be happy with just being Sentinel and not making a difference out there anymore but she did not like the idea of being far from him. She wondered if there was no idea he could come along, pretending to be a Knight but knew better. Not to mention, how selfish and risky that would be. She tried not to think of how amusingly territorial he’d be around Corden. Then about some nights in the wilderness just with the two of them in an abandoned building.
She had enough of waiting. Time to head to the ‘board room’. She’d snuck around it before, when Maxson had an official over and she was not allowed in because it wasn’t related to her branch of the Brotherhood. Sometimes they spoke loudly enough and she could eavesdrop from the top of the metal container within the Prydwin. There was room left on its right side, almost like a corridor, as it was a faster way to get to Maxson’s quarters. As it brought you to his door, nobody really used it. But sometimes, people would anyway to reach other parts of the Prydwin faster as well, even risking to run into Maxson in the meanwhile.
She climbed and jumped down again carefully, but instantly felt eyes on her. She carefully turned around to see a figure in the shadows. Leaning against the wall. He pushed himself off and walked over to her, arms crossed. Based on the way he walked she knew instantly who it was, and didn’t resist him gently pushing her against the wall, brushing some hair out of her face and using one hand to tilt her head up a little. His cheek brushed hers as he whispered something in her ear.
“ Stealthy. I suppose you’ve done that before?” His voice sounded deeper again, he knew just a little too well how to push her buttons.
“ Perhaps, what of it?” She curved her body into his a little more.
“ If you want to listen to the sound of my voice, I can assure you there are easier ways.”
“ I don’t know, there’ s a rift between me and the Elder romantically now I heard.”
“ Hm. Do you want there to be one?”
She kissed his jaw, lifted his shirt and kissed his chest just a little too slowly for him to ignore her, then his collarbone. That is when she looked up at him and lowered her one voice into an as seductive tone as possible; “Do you, Elder?”
She felt Maxsons lips turning into a smile as his hands grabbed her behind and lifted her up effortlessly, pressing her against the metal wall. She straddled him instantly.
“ Is that a yes to the rift? Cause like this, I can’t reach lower.” He let her slide a bit lower and kept her in place by leaning his pelvis forward. She felt exactly how badly he wanted her. But knew they couldn’t act on it there. What they were doing was risky enough already. People did sometimes pass through there. Rarely, but it happened.
He kissed her neck and looked up at her. He couldn’t reach her lips unless she leaned downed a little. She brushed her lips against his before licking his mouth and leaning back again with a grin he could probably only barely see considering the lack of light. Her heart was racing, curious what he would do. He let her go, until she was standing on her feet again, only to bend down and kiss her as she was used to from him. Dominant, heated, enough to send her heart racing every time. She grabbed his hair and pulled him closer. When they broke apart, it was only because they heard footsteps approaching. They both tried to steady their breathing.
Sole walked closer to him again and brushed his hand with hers. “ You know Maxson… chances are that when we’re making out, cause it’s so dark, nobody will be able to tell it Is us?”
He kissed the top of her head. “ I am going to take a shower, Sentinel. “ He turned to walk away, fists balled and seemingly trying to regain control.
“ You’re such a killjoy.” Sole leaned back against the wall, pouting and with her arms crossed.
He turned back, reached her in no time and she felt his hand reach the small of her back as he pulled her closer a little. He brought his face inches from hers. “ What was that, Sentinel?”
“ Oh you heard me.” She put his hand on his pants instead of his hand this time.
He kissed her again. She felt his hands on her behind. But just as she was about to go for his belt after all and throw whatever self-control she had out of the window, he grabbed her wrists. “ Nice try Sentinel. I am not that easy to sway.”
He made sure there was more distance between them this time. She secretly loved that he needed to physically distantiate himself from her in order to keep himself in check.
“ To take a cold shower.”
“ Not this time. Besides, you have an appointment with Alice first. She’s got dinner prepared, claimed my desk for this talk with you.”
“ She does not want anyone to eavesdrop on your conversation with her, not even me. Or at least that is the reason she provided me with. Ryon and I are having dinner elsewhere.”
“ What does she even want to talk to me about?”
“ You know she can tell it’s bullshit right. Us being apart as a couple. She reads you like a book.”
He laughed. “No, she seems to be aware of the fact that I still want you. She seems to be aware of the fact that I am definitely still in love with you. She most certainly does not know that we are still together. So feel free to attempt selling the story of us returning to a strictly business relationship to her.”
“ Why are we trying to trick her?”
He turned around. “ I have never been able to mislead her into believing anything that was not true. She has always managed to do so just fine with me. It would be... amusing. Therefore, if you do not manage to convince her I am not concerned she will willingly harm either of us.”
“ And you are really gonna try to convince me that it is not because this feels a lot like it did when we were still pretending not to be mad about each other?” Sole grinned as she said it. She heard something like a chuckle from him. He turned away from her again and started walking away.
“Perhaps that may also be a cause for my willingness to keep this up.”
