companions + maxson and father react to sole being a war hero (my headcannon is that the simulation in fallout 3’s operation anchorage is based on Nate’s time in the military)
Interesting HC, anon! Hope you enjoy :>
Ada:
Quite impressed that Sole is a decorated hero from the past. No wonder they’re so deadly out in the Commonwealth! Ada is very thankful to be teamed up with such a strong and talented person. To be on the receiving end of their fury would be… unpleasant.
Cait:
Since there’s no proof that Sole is a war hero, she’s a bit skeptical at first. However, Sole takes her to their old house in Sanctuary. They have tons of fancy little medals and patches stored away in a secret safe. That, combined with their combat expertise, is enough proof for her. Sole appears to become emotional upon seeing the box of trinkets they earned centuries ago, so Cait slips out to give them some space.
She vows to never doubt Sole again, as she wants to learn all she can from that powerful firecracker.
Codsworth:
As he already knew that Sole was a decorated hero from the war, Codsworth is is usual respectful self. He’ll try and cheer Sole up using their past achievements– there’s no way they can possibly fail in finding their son, as they have so many useful skills!
Codsworth is also secretly relieved that all that time in the military Sole spent was worth it. That time away from the family, training and fighting, will help Sole survive the horrid land the Commonwealth has become! Plus, Sole is so very honorable, being a war hero and all. That should get them far in life. Not many people of high moral character are present in the Commonwealth, so maybe Sole can inspire people...
Curie:
Shocked that Sole is such a hero. Then Curie feels slightly ashamed at her initial disbelief, as Sole is so tactical and skilled. She believes them right away, and enjoys Sole’s various stories. Curie especially likes the ones where Sole does something heroic!
Sole finds it funny and sweet that Curie puts up with their stories, thought they’re sure that Curie is just being polite…
Curie is also quick to comfort Sole when they sound upset. Sometimes, the stories they tell really bring out a troubled side to Sole– and Curie hates that.
Danse:
Skeptical, but chooses to believe Sole for the time being. They know this too– Sole shows off some of the medals they keep with them, as some form of proof. Danse comes around with time, enjoying the various heroics that Sole tells him and others about. After all, the BoS is made of soldiers– they usually enjoy stories about dangerous missions and daring rescues. Danse eventually talks to his superiors about Sole, attempting to boost their rank. With the knowledge of Sole’s heroics, and how well they serve the BoS, the higher-ups grant Sole the rank of Paladin swiftly.
Deacon:
Impressed with Sole’s stories. He’s a masterful liar, and thus can (almost) always tell when someone’s fibbing. Sole doesn’t seem to be making anything up, unless they learned how to lie like a pro. Deacon enjoys when Sole tells their tales to others, as he can hop in and embellish them. That always leads to folks asking if he was frozen too– he says yes, of course. And will start making shit up about pre-war America.
Sole laughs these moments off, usually correcting the story. However, if Deacon seems to be having a heap of fun, they’ll let him slide.
Deacon also talks to Des about getting Sole a better role within the Railroad, much to Sole’s delight. No more boring errands for them!
Dogmeat:
He loves Sole for who they are, and will always be there for them. The fact Sole is a war hero changes nothing, as Dogmeat doesn’t understand what that is. He’s just happy they’re a strong and capable individual.
Hancock:
He believes Sole, when they tell him that they were once a war hero. Glad that such a badass is on his side, Hancock loves swapping stories with Sole. Hancock also teaches Sole some dirty fighting tricks, and Sole educates him in some rather interesting army tactics. Hancock does vow to keep an eye on Sole from now on, though. If their honorable little heart got corrupted, then they’d be able to take out nearly anyone in the Commonwealth… Including Goodneighbor, as much as Hancock hates to admit it.
Longfellow:
Despite being alive for decades, Longfellow hasn’t ever met someone who called themselves a ‘war hero’. Very skeptical, and isn’t entirely sure that Sole’s stories aren’t just drunken rambling. Longfellow doesn’t know what to think. Still, he’ll gladly keep Sole company. At the very least, they’re entertaining to be around. And they’re handy in a fight.
Eventually, he recognizes that the haunted tone to Sole’s voice gets when telling war stories isn’t made up. Nobody could possibly fake that sort of tone– the look in their eyes was just as creepy. Longfellow feels guilty for his secret doubts, and tries to help Sole when the memories come back just a bit too strong.
MacCready:
Not really fond of Sole’s brutal close-combat tactics. MacCready is glad that Sole soon shows off some more diverse skills. Very, very diverse, judging by how fast they can kill enemies in so many different ways. Upon asking Sole where they trained, MacCready learns that Sole was once a hero in the US military. Not sure if he should believe Sole, MacCready keeps a trained eye on Sole. If they turn on him, he’s toast.
With time, along with Sole saving MacCready’s rear a few times, he slowly learns to trust Sole. They swap stories, and end up helping each other deal with their respective trauma. MacCready never expected his new ‘boss’ to become his pal, but MacCready would gladly run with Sole ‘til the end.
Nick Valentine:
To meet such an upstanding person who can handle whatever comes their way is inspiring. Nick has training stored in his own memory banks, but Sole is infinitely more skilled. And how they care for everyone is surprising– Nick knew he had a good feeling about this ex-popsicle!
He won’t outright ask for proof, instead searching Sole’s face for their telltale tics, or for inconsistencies in their stories. He comes to the conclusion that Sole isn’t kidding, and is glad that they’re not just a pompous fool claiming to be a hero. Nick is pleased to stand by such an interesting person!
Besides, Sole seems like they need a good pal– they sound so upset, talking about the past. War never does good things to people…
Piper:
Immediately asks for proof, and will snoop it out herself if Sole refuses to give it . When they finally give her that proof in the form of their medals and memorabilia from the military, Piper wants to write some articles about Sole ASAP. She knew that Sole was an energetic combatant, but she just assumed that they had traveled the Commonwealth and learned from an old raider or something. But Sole is the real deal!
What an exciting chance for the city to learn about a unique person’s life… And maybe they could all pick up some self-defense tips. God knows that Diamond City would be absolutely screwed if some baddies found their way inside, with how incompetent DC security is.
Porter Gage:
Doesn’t believe a word of what Sole says, which is why Sole goes ALL the way back to Sanctuary, grabs their old box of medals, then travels ALL the way back to Nuka-World. This alone shows Gage that Sole wasn’t kidding, and apologies profusely. Sole shrugs his disbelief off– they had to go grab their things from Sanctuary anyways, before Preston and the Minutemen realized that Sole was now the Overboss of Nuka-World. Sole teaches their raiders many different tactics they learned while on the front lines, and entertains them with violently glorious tales of their time in the army.
Preston:
Impressed with how much Sole knows about combat– and all their fancy war hero achievements show just how good at heart they are! Preston enjoys Sole’s tales, except on bad days. Then they’re just too depressing.
Still, Preston is pleased that Sole chose their side to fight on! The Minutemen really benefit from Sole’s expertise, and their kind heart. Preston makes sure that Sole gets plenty of downtime, so they can get some deserved relaxation. After all, someone who’s seen the horrors of war AND woken up 210 years in the future really needs some time to kick back and sort their mind out.
Strong:
Well, Sole’s very good in combat. Strong doesn’t know what a ‘war hero’ is, but people generally look up to heroes, so… Guess that means Sole is good at war and people like them for it?
He doesn’t really care about their achievements, as bragging is stupid. As long as Sole fights well, he’s happy.
X6-88:
Guess that explains why Sole is a stunningly strong combatant. They’ve got the deadly skills of a courser, without the Institute’s training. X6-88 isn’t sure he should believe Sole’s wild stories of the war they fought in. But, with how respected and honest they are, maybe there’s something to Sole’s story.
X6-88 will go off on his own, break into some military posts, and try to dig up some records. After much searching, he finds some proof of Sole’s achievements in the line of duty. Without saying a word of his intense hunt, he apologizes to Sole for doubting them.
Of course, if they bring up some more outrages claims, he might go looking through ancient terminals yet again.
Maxson:
Honored that such a decorated person is joining the Brotherhood. He has secret doubts about Sole’s claims, but if they came out of a freezer after missing the last 210 years… What would be so wild about them also being a military hero from that distant past? He may question them occasionally, to look for inconsistencies in their stories… But everything lines up. He’ll ask Sole to give special training to the initiates.
Once they find their box of medals to further back up their claims, Maxson promotes them up the ranks swiftly.