I’m in every moment we were together,all at once @millaysmaeve - Tumblr Blog

Apr 15

Bend the Rules (Lucy Maclean x Maximus) - Vaultknight Week 1 - Mutual Pining

“Look who’s talking. You’re the oldest, you should be the one with kids already.” Norm pushed her with a little more strength, grinning himself, enough to make her giggle. “Can’t believe you and Max are still dancing around each other.”

Lucy’s giggle immediately died, heartbeat fast enough she went lightheaded, face warming, free hand swatting Norm’s shoulder in an automatic movement.

“Norm!”

“What?!” He grinned, even as his rubbed the place hit. “I ain’t telling a lie.”

AO3

Song: Bend the Rules - Smash Into Pieces

Word Count: 4.122

Warnings: Hank died when he tried to take Lucy and Norm, so Shady Sands was never nuked and the two grew up in Shady Sands, raised by Rose and Moldaver. Lucy and Max are childhood best friends. Just this, nothing else

Bend The Rules

Trope: Mutual Pining

AU: Grew Up Together

Location/Faction: Shady Sands

Color: Green

Can we stay honest?

I know we promised this would never happen

We do it like the last time

Nothing really matters when I’m with you

(Bend the Rules – Smash Into Pieces)

The school bell rang just as she finished her explanation about the First Battle for the Hoover Dam.

“Well, that’s it for today, kids. Don’t forget to read the essay I handed at the start of class, next week we will go towards the next phase of the NCR’s expansion towards the Mojave Desert. Enjoy the weekend!” She smiled at the kids collecting their things, waving at them.

Soon the classroom was empty of students, only the teacher remaining, storing her books and journals in her own leather bag, humming lowly. It didn’t take long, a few minutes later she was closing the door and dropping some of the paperwork by the management’s office, smiling widely towards the receptionist and exchanging some short pleasantries as the students’ sheet of frequency for the day was marked as “delivered”.

When she finally stepped outside the Shady Sands Municipal School, she breathed in deeply, the air clean and dry and hot, but welcomed, something almost fresh when compared to the air inside the school.

She could barely wait to arrive home and have the weekend free… Well, as free as a teacher could be. Still, it would mean time spent with her moms, maybe with her brother if he had returned from his latest scavenging trip with his wife, maybe catch up with-

“Lucy!” Arms wrapped around her middle, sudden and strong enough she let out air in an “oomph”. Lucy’s brain loaded her brother’s voice and she managed to return the hug, smiling widely.

“Norm!” She kissed his forehead without thinking, arms tightening around his shoulders. “When did you arrive? And where’s Mary Ann?” Lucy’s eyes looked around, trying to find the tall lanky woman Norm had married a few years before.

“A few hours ago.” Norm let go of the hug, grinning at her. “And she’s with our moms, had a bunch of things to tell Moldaver, but I wanted to catch up with you.”

Lucy shook her head, starting to walk towards the tram station, Norm falling in step beside her easily. Mary Ann and Norm had been working closely with Lee Moldaver, their second mom, helping scavenging for pieces and information for her research. Mom Rose and Aunts Julia and Janice didn’t like that that much, it meant Norm and Mary Ann stayed away too long amidst pre-war ruins, but they loved it.

They talked lightly during the short walk, exchanging news: the weird and wonderful things Norm and Mary Ann had found on their trip, Mom Rose’s job on the water distribution system, the more constant trips of Mom Moldaver to the Observatory, the fact that Norm and Mary Ann were thinking of trying for kids…

“Awn, finally. I was starting to think you didn’t want to give me nieces and nephews to obsess over.” Lucy grinned, shoulder bumping him lightly as they stopped in the station, some other people waiting for the tram around.

Lucy’s giggle immediately died, heartbeat fast enough she went lightheaded, face warming, free hand swatting Norm’s shoulder in an automatic movement.

“Norm!”

“What?!” He grinned, even as his rubbed the place hit. “I ain’t telling a lie.”

The tram arrived and Lucy, face burning and throat tight, used the rescue, moving fast to get inside the vehicle, Norm chuckling behind her. He was also there when she dropped in one of the wooden chair, plopping beside her, the annoying grin still on his face.

“C’mon, Lucy, it’s getting painful to watch you two.”

Younger brothers. She had only one and God, she loved him, but he drove her mad.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She managed, hugging her leather bag to her chest, trying to will away the heat in her face. “Me and Max, we’re… Just friends.” That. Just friends. Best friends, even.

Childhood friends, always in each other’s home as they grew up, exchanging gifts, no secrets. Just… Childhood best friends.

It didn’t matter that they were each other’s first kiss, because it had been just a small peck when they were both thirteen and hearing a lot of the other kids talking and just wanting to know how it was and they were best friends and trusted each other.

It didn’t matter that that small peck had changed things for her, her heart so fast it was ready to tear off her chest every time he smiled so warmly at her, the mere thought of him able to make her body heat up.

It didn’t matter that she still dreamt of that small peck, even more than a decade later and with some experience under her belt. It didn’t matter that Max had grown up into one of the most gorgeous men she had ever met, both in physical appearance and in personality, and haunted both her less innocent dreams and the dreams about the future.

Norm blinked at her, grin missing but a pointedly raised eyebrow.

“Just friends.” He said, his voice that way she knew meant he knew she was lying.

Norm knew her too well.

“Just friends.” Lucy reiterated, voice almost failing.

Her other feelings, they didn’t matter, because she valued Max’s friendship and preferred to cut her own hand instead of risking it just because she was still obsessing over an innocent kiss when they were both teens.

---------

Max left the NCR enlisting center, steps sure and heavy down the streets of Shady Sands, muscular memory taking him down the path back home.

At the same time, his hands carefully folded the official paper confirming the decision he had taken and putting it safely in the breast pocket of his jacket. He ignored how his guts seemed to be all over the place and twisting on themselves, how he could feel the sweat dripping down his back.

He was anxious, yes, but also certain of it.

He had talked about it with his parents for weeks, weighting the pros and cons of serving in the NCR army, and they supported him. It wasn’t about money or work, his family was good on both fronts. It was more about him: he had learned all there was to know about machines from his dad, Joseph, and some about plants and farms from his mom Julia, but even as he helped and worked on that across Shady Sands and was paid…

There was always something deep in his chest wanting… Something else. Not more, just different.

The NCR army was an option. A good one. Help protect the borders and settlements, project the people he loved, and his skills wouldn’t go to waste. Quite the contrary: the recruiters had been excited when Max told them he knew how to fix and build multiple machines, including water pumps and filters. Told him there was a good chance he would end up serving in the supporting roles after the basic training, rarely on the front lines, making sure everything the soldiers needed worked perfectly.

What mattered was helping protect people.

Now he just… Needed to tell Lucy. Especially because in one month he would be leaving for the training camp, a few miles away from Shady Sands.

God. He had tried to tell before, when it all had just been vague ideas and discussions with his parents, but, well… Max chickened out. Every. Single. Time.

How was he supposed to tell his childhood best friend that he was thinking of enlisting and as such they wouldn’t be able to see each other as much as they did? No more late afternoon stops in each other’s house, no more walks deep into the night, no more family dinners as the radio played away in the living room, no more him fixing some machine while Lucy graded tests and essays on the other side of the table in comfortable silence…

Max was getting homesick just thinking about it all.

Maybe if he stopped thinking about how much of a beautiful woman she now was-

He turned into the street he had lived all his life and slowed his steps, mind deviating from the thoughts about how he should have told Lucy earlier.

Not far in the street, a head of sandy brown curls caught his attention, the person dressed in travelling leathers and a leather backpack on their shoulders knocking on the house Lucy lived with her mothers.

Max knew that hair and that backpack and that leather coat, feet speeding again to approach, a smile spreading across his face, arm extending to wrap around the woman’s shoulders-

An elbow sunk hard into his stomach and he curled, hugging himself, wheezing at the sharp pain.

“You have to stop trying to sneak on me!” Mary Ann’s voice managed to reach him, his cousin’s hands fretting over his shoulders. “Damn it, Max.”

“You’re in Shady Sands.” His voice failed around weak laugh, a barely there kick on his shins.

“Yeah, I can’t just turn off my instinct, dumbass.” She started laughing too, hands helping him straighten and stare Mary Ann’s dark brown skin covered in freckles.

His mom’s side of the family was just filled with freckles. As a kid, he would cry that he didn’t get those too… And Lucy would be there, hand patting his back and hugging him and occasionally chatting about what he got from his mom, a mostly silent support.

Basic training and everything else without Lucy close would be hell for so many reasons.

The door to the house opened, a woman on the other side, dark brown almost black hair, starting to be streaked with white and grey, pulled in a ponytail and brown eyes and rosy skin sun-burned. Rose, one of Lucy’s mom. Aunt Rose, as he had been calling her since childhood.

“Mary Ann, Max!” the shorter woman pulled them into a hug, arms stronger than anyone would imagine the woman to have. “Where’s about Norm?”

“Went to wait Lucy by the school.” Mary Ann answered. “I have something to speak with Moldaver…?”

“Go on, she’s in her office.” Mary Ann disappeared deeper into the house, and Rose turned her attention back to him smile wide. “What about you? Trying to find Lucy?”

“Oh, no, I just saw Mary Ann was back-”

“-And wanted to catch up.” Rose cut him, still smiling.

Not exactly, but Max didn’t feel up to correct. It was Aunt Rose, after all.

“Well, those two can go for hours… Tell you what, why don’t you help with dinner and then we call your parents and Mary Ann’s? It has been some time since we managed to make a dinner with all of us.”

Time enough for Norm and Lucy to arrive and for him to try and think how to tell Lucy.

Unless he chickened out again, since it was one month until he needed to leave. Better not think like that.

“That’s a great idea, Aunt Rose.” Max smiled, trying to ignore how his heart twisted at the thought of how Lucy would react to the news. If he thought too much on that, on his reaction, he would attempt to put off telling her the news.

---------

The hours passed by, his anxiety and nervousness about the news growing along. The dinner got ready, his parents and Mary Ann’s were called, Lucy and Norm arrived, pushing and swatting each other, Mary Ann appearing and kicking the chair he was in.

It was almost like when they were all kids.

It didn’t help his anxiety.

Aunt Janice and Uncle David were the next ones to arrive, fretting over Mary Ann and some non-existent new scar on her forehead and dragging promises of watching better over “their little angel” from Norm.

Then finally his parents, both looking at him in question. Max managed to give them a small smile and nod, Joseph and Julia looking at each other, tense but determined.

Their reaction clogged his throat clogged, the growing realization of his decision filling him some more. Still no regret, just… Realizations of what it meant in many senses.

Dinner itself was a loud event, as it had been since he was a kid. The house was Moldaver and Rose’s, but those had always been such a constant that Max felt as if it was also his house.

It was also different, because his eyes couldn’t help but linger on Lucy, taking notice of how the yellow light warmed her, how her voice wrapped around the ideas she shared, her beauty and personality stealing his attention.

Once he had dared think those thoughts were just because Lucy had been his first kiss, but the longer it went, the clearer it became to him he was just in love.

Just that.

In love with his childhood best friend.

So many times he had thought of confessing, and like with telling her about his plans of enlisting, he always chickened out. Their friendship was one of his most important relationship, and the thought of fucking it up because his heart was stubborn made him nauseous.

Half of him expected leaving on training for the NCR army would help dampen the feelings. The other half was terrified that it would actually happen.

They finished dinner, and Mary Ann volunteered him and herself to take care of cleaning the dishes, dragging him towards the kitchen before he could protest.

“All right. You pining after Lucy is on pair for the course, but there’s more, Aunt Julia and Uncle Joseph can’t stop looking at you. What’s going on?” She whispered as the sound of voices from the others filled again the house, covering their conversation.

Max shifted in place, back prickling with his cousin’s attention. He considered deviating the question, say nothing was going on, but Mary Ann knew him and would become a pain in the ass if he lied. Still he kept his attention on the dishes he was washing, because it was just… Easier.

“It’s just… I enlisted.” He mumbled, and the sound of Mary Ann moving around as she dried and stored the dishes stopped.

“You mean, in the NCR army?” He nodded, a sigh echoing behind him. “You didn’t tell Lucy, did you?”

Max winced, rinsing soap from a few cups, but didn’t answer. A hand appeared, turning off the water, his peripheral sight showing his cousin, leaning on the counter beside him, frowning as she dried her hands.

“Why not?” She insisted, and Max just looked at his soapy hands for endless seconds before breathing in, fixing his posture.

“I didn’t know how. Just…” He trailed off, blinking.

“… It changes things, and you never liked change, that why you always acted as if your first kiss was just kid’s stuff.” Mary Ann finished and he winced again, shifting lightly in place.

“You promised secret.” Max whispered, finger scratching the plastic sink.

“And I kept it, dumbass. But you are a dumbass and I ain’t acting as if not.” He thought of denying, but, well… He had been in love with Lucy for years and had never told her, so… His cousin was right. “When you’re leaving for your training?”

“In one month.”

Mary Ann didn’t immediately spoke, and Max was relieved at the silence, even knowing it would be brief.

“Wanna my advice?”

He huffed a half laugh, shoulders relaxing a bit.

“I know you’ll give it no matter what I say.”

“Damn right.” She grinned at him. “Stop being a coward and talk with her, both about enlisting and what you feel. Things will change no matter what. You have a month, don’t waste it. Now let’s finish this.” Mary Ann didn’t wait for an answer, just punched his arm and went back to drying and putting the dishes away.

Max watched his cousin a bit, the words swirling inside his brain – stop being a coward. He turned back to the sink and soapy dishes, opening the tap.

He had been one for years, hadn’t he?

---------

The dinner lulled Lucy into a comfortable pleasant buzz, simply by the company. Those dinners where the three families reunited were always some of her preferred moments, since she had been a kid. Moments of relaxation and normalcy inside Shady Sands, easy to forget everything else that happened outside the city, outside NCR borders.

Laughter filled the house even while Max and Mary Ann were back in the kitchen, stories about life in the city and about what Norm and Mary Ann found in the ruins shared unbridled.

Lucy was happy to mostly hear, admiring the way her brother spoke about his wife, feet shaking lightly. Those meetings always filled with her energy, her limbs begging movement. Maybe her and Max could go on one of their nightly walks, burn that energy, catch up after how work had kept them from spending much time together that week…

And just that. Time with her childhood best friend.

Max and Mary Ann came into the living room not long after that, and Lucy saw herself straightening in her place in the sofa, extending a hand towards him with a smile. He stopped in place, that warm smile that made her heart speed for her, hand catching hers.

“Are you up to a walk?” She whispered, squeezing his hand. Max blinked and nodded after one moment, smile still there, squeezing her hand back.

“Always. I’ll get my jacket.”

“And I’ll get my coat. Meet you at the front yard.”

---------

The night was just the right temperature. Not too cold, not too hot. The streetlights in that part of Shady Sands were overall warm and spread out, resulting in stretches of street with just the faintest light. It also made the night sky visible, even if most of it was clouds, just a sliver of moon and some stars able to be perceived.

They walked in silence side by side, shoulders grazing each other. The movement and the sandy night air and Max’s presence were exactly what Lucy needed after a day of work and such an agitated afternoon and night. Occasionally they passed by other neighbor walking around, some kids running around. Just a typical night in their neighborhood, once she, Max, Norm and Mary Ann were the kids running around after dark.

“So… How was the school today?” Max asked eventually, smile light towards her.

Lucy smiled back, openly, and breathed in the night air.

“It was good. The kids where all sweeties as always. They’re really dedicated.” Her smile turned into a grin. “We finished with the First Battle for the Hoover Dam today.”

“That’s cool. I bet they learned everything with you explaining.” Max nodded along, eyes back on the street.

“And with your dad, a lot of machines to fix?” Lucy nudged him with her elbow, expecting some story about some eccentric customer; Max had the best of those, like the time a guy would put sand in the water purifier – she felt so sorry for the guy.

Max didn’t answer immediately, slowing his pace, shoulders dropping for one moment before he fixed his posture and looked at her.

Something in that look made Lucy’s heart small, smile trembling. She knew him long enough to know something was wrong, but she didn’t know what.

“Well… I didn’t help my dad today. I… Was busy. Enlisting in the NCR army.”

Lucy heard the words, but her brain took precious long seconds to actually process what they meant.

Max. Enlisting in the army.

She was a teacher mainly about history. She knew how it worked. That it meant he would leave for basic training, that it could last anything between six months and a whole year. That after maybe he would be sent to God knew where. That they would talk only through letters.

“Oh.” It escaped her lips, the word soft. “I… This is sudden.” She tried to smile, and Max winced, kicking lightly the ground.

“I have been speaking about it with my parents for some time. Just… Didn’t know how to tell you.”

Didn’t know how to tell her.

They were childhood best friends, no secrets, and he hadn’t told her he intended to enlist before because he didn’t know how to.

“Well…” Lucy dry-swallowed, unable to keep a smile up; it hurt, learning he had enlisted, that it was an idea he had never brought up with her, but she wouldn’t throw it in his face. “Are you happy with the decision?” She forced the words, and Max gave a small smile.

“Yeah. Be able to protect and help in more ways, it… Feels right.” He spoke calmly, voice filled with something both quiet and warm, and her chest squeezed her heart, eyes burning.

Max was finding his path. God, she was happy for that, for him to discover what fulfilled him, but it was tearing her heart down the fact that it meant taking him away from her. Her best friend, the man she dreamed about-

She was so stupid. Telling herself, telling Norm, that it was just friendship, it was supposed to make things easier.

The way it hurt was a kick to the face. Denial didn’t made things easier, not even a little bit.

“That’s good. When you leave for basic training?” Lucy told herself to hold in the tears just a little longer. Max wouldn’t judge her, wouldn’t question, they were best friends and he would leave, but she wanted to be strong just a little longer.

“One month.”

She nodded, hands on his forearms, forcing a watery smile, a wet feeling dragging down her cheek.

“Well… Then let’s make the best of this month.” Lucy stepped closer, arms sliding from their position.

They met in the middle, the hug both what it always had been but also more, Max’s arms tighter around her shoulders, his heartbeat under her ear faster than usual, her hands clinging more to the back of his jacket, but the smell of leather and sand and oil machine clinging to Max’s clothes. As warm as ever, smelling and feeling like home.

“I’ll miss you. Miss this.” She admitted in a whisper, more tears down her face, Max’s face pressing against her head.

“I’ll miss you too.” He answered, sighing deeply.

---------

The minutes dragged, the hug remaining. Lucy slowly relaxed more into it, and that was a relief. It was so clear to Max how the news had bothered her… Maybe if he had been less of a coward and told her earlier, she wouldn’t be like that, crying.

Now he just needed to tell her he loved her. If it wasn’t returned, well, she would need to deal with him only for one month more.

Go on, Max, just speak it.

His tongue felt heavy at the thought of finally saying it after years, throat drying. It was so easy in his brain, but with Lucy there, actually hearing it…

Half of his brain told him to try again the next day, but Mary Ann’s words echoed – stop being a coward –, and instead he bit his tongue.

All at once. Just say it.

“I love you.” Max’s voice failed, not nearly as strong as it usually was, but the words were out.

Lucy froze between his arms, his heart twisting on itself, brain screaming that she would step away and nevermore look at him-

“… You mean, as friends-”

“-I mean love love. Have love you for years.” His voice was almost not there, and God, he was a mess.

“Oh.” Lucy made silence, but didn’t try to free herself from the hug or anything, his heart untwisting, heartbeat slowing. Instead she relaxed more into him, a loud relieved sounding sigh, arms squeezing around him. “I… I love you too. I think I have since our first kiss.”

She giggled against his shoulder, and his heart did a somersault as he processed her words.

“… We’re idiots.” He laughed, squeezing her against him.

“A bit.” She nodded against him, voice happy. “But at least we still have one month to figure out how we’re doing this.”

Max laughed again, lips pressing against Lucy’s hair.

For you I will cross the line

I’ll do what it takes this time

We bend the rules

For you I will cross the line

I’ll do what it takes this time

(Bend the Rules – Smash Into Pieces)

#fallout #lucy maclean #maximus fallout #vaultknight #vaultknight week #just read this one and #LOVE IT #super late for the party but here i am