Roy hadn’t been the brightest bulb in the bunch, it wasn’t in his nature to think too much on most things, well until he had to in the moment anyway, yet he feels a little silly he hadn’t put two and two together sooner. Roy didn’t know all of the bigger picture of the Minutemen, at least when it came to their past, outside of what he’d learned from Jamie, or elsewise on the fly of just being around its people, he got enough of the jist to, well– know enough. That enough consisted of just how bad the Quincy Massacre must have been and how Preston saved the people that he could, it was commendable, the sort of thing that Roy respected; but… Penelope wasn’t her brother, maybe she’d surpass what people thought of him and maybe she already did for all Roy knew, or maybe she wouldn’t.
That was her life to live and her decisions to make, not his to judge or mull over. Roy wasn’t going to hold her to some standard that wasn’t hers to live. Much less assume she didn’t earn her way in the world, it was HER hands which toiled over training and HER determination that got her this far, otherwise he wouldn’t be talking to her now. His own mother used to always ask why he couldn’t be more like his brother, Victor– didn’t really think much about the man anymore, was probably long dead by now for all he knew…but he knew he hated that feeling, especially when he was the one who didn’t run away.
“Ya’ out in the Commonwealth all on your own then, after that? That’s impressive.” Leading people was one thing, being alone was another and he’d had a taste of both worlds– suffice to say both outcomes could eat away at the soul, being alone was just a different sort of GNAWING hunger, than say, having to hold people together. “Sounds like your story might be pretty crazy too, followin’ a radio across the wastes to find him. Last time I followed a radio anywhere– I got my hand lopped off.” Roy lets out a laugh, he doesn’t really find it that funny, but he sorta does and it’s the truth.
“Still the fact you found him, that you found each other…s’nice. Glad you got that, somethin’ good outta come outta the bad now and again, and findin’ each other in the wasteland, alive? Yeah, that’s the real crazy story.” Roy smiles, he liked happy endings, which may have come as a surprise to his often brash nature; maybe he was just a sap, a sucker for them, but it was better than the all too common alternative.
He laughs at the mention of thawing out Colonel Lawson, even snorting before his laughter subsides, “Yeah he’s definitely a good man, real warm personality to do that, that’s for sure, s’hard work but thankfully someone is doing it.” He shakes his head laughing a little again, while a fond soft sort of smile splays itself on his face, it doesn't really match his usual features. Maybe it was just because he didn’t think the Colonel was as icy as he liked to lead everyone to believe, or maybe it was because he liked to think he sort of saw the man under the ice, chipped away at it even. Roy had a funny way of doing that whether people liked him or not; he’d always try to bring out the actual person– for better or worse.
“I think ya’ll have had a whole lot of willpower, enough for the whole commonwealth, maybe even enough for s’lot more places to come. Sure had enough unbreakable spirit to make me travel all this way back, it’s infectious I guess.” Roy nods, the future here looked brighter than ever, with the people they had at the helm. “Terminally infectious, in fact I’m afraid, so there’s no returning.” Roy mocks as if he’s dying, clutching his heart, or at least where it should be before overexaggerating a dumb expression to relay that before he lets out an equally dumb little laugh.
