hi! you remember that whole synth!sole saga that you wrote last year? (or at least i think it was last year)
could you maybe do a bad ending version, where sole and nick dont forgive piper and hancock?
(For context, this should come after Piper and Hancock arrive in Sanctuary and are saved by sole)
Hancock is rudely awoken by a rough hand on his shoulder.
"Up," Preston says above him, his voice harder and colder than Hancock has ever heard it. "Get your stuff."
Hancock groans. Across the room, Piper groggily says, "What's going on?"
"It's morning," Preston says. "You were allowed to spend the night, and now you have to leave."
Pipers splutters for a moment. "Leave? We just got here! What about seeing sole?"
"The General will see you out," he replies cooly, and then he's out the door.
For a moment, Hancock can only sit there stunned, still trying to piece together everything that had happened yesterday. He'd met up with Piper, they'd gone to the Red Rocket, there was that Deathclaw... Hadn't sole saved them, though?
He sits up to get his stuff, mulling that over. Why save them just to kick them out again?
"I can't believe this," Piper grumbles, shouldering her bag. "We just got here, for crying out loud."
"Hey, he said we'd get to see sole on the way out. Maybe we can talk to them then."
Piper shoots him a look that clearly says she is unconvinced, but they both know better than to resist. Sole is the most dangerous person in the Commonwealth, after all, and the two of them are sort of in their house at the moment. Going against their wishes would just be begging for something worse than what they've already got.
Preston is waiting for them outside, and Hancock can't help but notice that the grip on his laser musket is a little tighter than usual. When they make eye contact, Preston's expression is a blank slate, devoid of any emotion. An uneasiness begins to build in Hancock's stomach.
Sole is waiting for them at the entrance to the cul-de-sac, Dogmeat at their heels. Nick Valentine is a few doors down, leaning in a doorway, smoking a cigarette, glaring daggers at the two of them. Hancock swallows hard, but puts on his best smile.
"Mornin', sole."
Preston falls into step behind the two of them as they walk. Hancock would swear he can feel the breath on the back of his neck.
"Exit's this way," Sole says in lieu of a reply.
"Kicking us out so soon?" Piper asks, and there's enough snark in her voice that Hancock shoots her a warning glare. Her tone softens when she adds, "We came all this way to talk, sole."
"I don't care why you came, and I'm not interested in talking. You should've sent a message."
"C'mon," Hancock pipes up. "Aren't you even a little interested in what we have to say?"
The glare they shoot him makes him shrivel. "Since when was that favor returned to me?"
He bites his tongue, thinking of sole's confused and angry face, the way they'd banged on the door afterward, the way their screaming echoed off the buildings. "Look, I know I messed up, but-"
"But nothing." Their tone is hard and sharp. "You betrayed me, both of you did. When I was at my lowest, my most vulnerable, you didn't offer me a hand up. You kicked me while I was down. I saved your sorry lives last night in the spirit of being even. Now, for anything you ever did for me, I've returned the favor, and we can call that tab settled. I owe you nothing except the same kindness you showed me. For that, you can get the hell out of here, and don't either of you even fucking dare to set foot on Minutemen soil again."
Piper recoils as if she's been slapped. Her eyes gleam unnaturally in the morning sun. "Blue, you don't-"
"That's 'General' to you," they snap, "and I'm not interested in excuses. Leave."
Their tone leaves no room for argument. Hancock's throat is so tight he thinks he might choke, so he takes Piper's arm and begins to pull her down the street under the watch of Nick's icy glare.
As they pass sole, he whispers, "I really am sorry."
They just glare at him and reply, "I bet you are."
Piper waves to Nick as they pass. He doesn't return it. He drops the butt of the cigarette he's been smoking and crushes the ashes beneath his boot so aggressively that Hancock feels like he's been punched. The message is clear. They are not forgiven. They will never be forgiven. They have done something that is beyond forgiveness.
Hancock realizes Nick Valentine was right. He's a hypocrite in every sense of the word. In sole's shoes, he'd do the exact same thing.
