From the same story -- John goes shopping at The Good/Bougie grocery store wayyy out in Magnolia Promenade to make a lot of quality, delicious dishes for Brian's spa day. He's even dressed nicely to look the part. :) (and an excuse for him to put glasses on him ~_~)
How many?
9!
What do you need?
Wine Bottle (included -- originally by @quiddity-jones, all I did was reassign it to stigmata 🙇♀️)
Shopping Basket (note: the one in the shot(s) is an edit I did for myself.)
Plastic Bag
Paper Bag - (use right)
Drawer
Shelf (I know it's from a set...)
Wall
Okay, I know that's a lot for just 9 poses but:
So, poses 3 and 4, I originally used the cabinet that was in the lot (made by EmeraldStories but caution, uses a LOT of CC and packs but this isn't mandatory by any means), and that's from Fe*lix. To be honest, you can probably get away with using a regular ass counter.
For the wall pose, if you're using the statue, place it one space away from it.
There's probably something I'm missing here. But if you don't wanna use the objects, like above, I think you can get away with not using it.
I'm missing something, I know it, lol.
That said, every sim body is different and combination is different, so if you need to edit something, by all means. just don’t claim it as your own i s2g, i will come over to your house and [redacted] your computer
That's it! No clipping expected; another straightforward one. (omg)
🍈Preview/Story Post🍈
As usual, feel free to ask me questions, tag #enniewritesathing or @ me! I’d love to see your sims! Don’t forget to like/reblog and check out my other poses!
TOU: Have some common sense and decency. I implore you.
🚫No claiming as your own, no editing/reuploading (editing for personal use is very fine), no putting it behind a paywall.
All for the low, low price of ⭐FREE!⭐ (omg! and no ads either? holy shit!)
hard at work for AF still. the unholy trio has slightly better references now/notes ive gathered. particulalrly ill about the lot of them still #mybugs
trembling lips pressed against bony fingers. something burns inside yusuf; an undulating pit of tar in his stomach. he knows the name of this feeling—envy.
Pairing: Joshua Graham x Original Male Ghoul Fallout Character ("John") and Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x Original Male Ghoul Fallout Character ("John")
Word Count: 5,985
Warnings: angst, mild flirtation, discussion of near-death experiences, mention of alcohol, very brief descriptions of sexual activity, mild descriptions of wounds.
Summary: John's begun to settle into his new life in Zion in recent months, making friends and growing increasingly close to one particular missionary. However, just as things are ready to develop further on that front, his ex makes an unexpected appearance.
Notes: One of the more angsty things I've ever written, so I hope y'all enjoy! Thanks to @sillysushi1 for giving me the chance to get to know John and to make him cry a little.
"I'm telling you, man. They're about as tall as you. You know, if you sat on my shoulders."
The mid-afternoon sun didn't feel quite as burning hot as it had the day before, grand skyscrapers made entirely of clouds passing by overhead and casting their little hunting party in a cooling shade. John found himself grateful as he made his way along the heavily trod dirt path, a fog of dust swirling around their ankles as they walked. Around them, Zion sang its usual harmony of insects buzzing, the rare bird calling.
Follows-Chalk rolled his eyes up towards the clear sky, tilting his head in doubt when he turned it to look at him.
"You're messing with me." the younger man scowled at him, tugging at the bill of the baseball cap he wore in annoyance. "It's not very funny."
John lifted his scarred hands in front of himself, waving them slightly.
"No, I swear!" he rasped, chuckling as they continued to plod their way along. "They have literal, actual giant robot guards in New Vegas. Outside New Vegas, too. They're posted up at the gates."
The soon-to-be-scout huffed doubtfully, but after a few quiet steps, his deep curiosity about all aspects of life outside the park seemed to get the best of him.
"Really?"
"My hand to God." he promised, one scarred appendage over his heart. "Plus they have guns and rocket launchers and shit attached to them. They're not to be messed with, so mind your P's and Q's if you ever meet one, eh?"
The sound of the river grew louder as the path sunk lower, down into the very base of the valley that enclosed them. The tall, leggy evergreens that sometimes lined the path grew thicker here, casting them in a cool shade. The dried needles crunched underfoot.
"Where did the robots come from?" Follows-Chalk asked.
"They belong to the same guy who owns half the town and runs pretty much all of it. He built them a long time ago. Before the bombs fell." John replied, adjusting his rifle on his back.
Off to the side, something splashed into the water, drawing both of their gazes and breaking the spell of the ongoing topic. Silence enveloping them once more, the two men continued to make their way along the western rim of the park, the footpath growing less well-traveled and more overgrown with woody brush, dotted with rocks that had tumbled down from the peaks overhead. John moved carefully, watching each step to avoid falling and making a fool of himself.
"Don't you get hot dressed like that?"
He shrugged, peering through the scope of his rifle and seeing no signs of movement, fussing with his long sleeves after replacing it.
"Not really. The change messes with your sense of temperature. Plus, with my skin all thin and gross the way it is, it's better that it's covered."
Follows-Chalk stopped in place, frowning.
"Your skin isn't gross," he said.
John laughed again, much softer than before.
"I just mean with the way it is, it can cause me problems if I don't protect it. Exposed patches of fat in a few places. Don't wanna be greasy."
He swallowed back another giggle at the face he pulled.
"Besides, with all this—" he went on, gesturing with his burned hand to his entire right side, which was decorated in patches of red, pink, and pale yellow, the flesh from his face to his toes warped even further than it had been when he'd become a ghoul. "—it's easier to keep myself from getting a bunch of little annoying injuries. It's delicate, you know? Tears easy when I get into scraps."
"Ah. Like with Joshua and his bandages."
There was a flutter in John's gut at the mention of the older missionary, and he cleared his throat gently, grateful he could no longer visibly flush.
"Yeah, like Joshua." he agreed, searching blindly for something else to discuss and finding the old fire tower they were passing by. "You know, if you're still eager to check out the old sites around, we could pop up to the top of that old fire tower. I won't tell anyone."
"Eh."
John's brow wrinkled.
"Not interested anymore?"
Since he had known Chalk, he'd been fascinated with some of the old structures that dotted the landscape. None of them were anything especially fancy or strange, campgrounds and fire monitoring facilities, a fishing lodge and a dusty general store. Still, they'd been labeled taboo by the tribes, and that forbidden aspect seemed to call to him like a siren's song—not unlike the allure of the world outside the one he knew.
He shrugged indifferently.
"Eh. I went into a few with your friend that was here a while ago. It's just old stuff. Sorta neat, but not what I'd imagined." he explained. "I've seen old stuff before."
His palpable disappointment made John a little sad, as did the mention of the Courier he'd initially come to Zion with, but he didn't have much time to ruminate on either thought before his walking companion froze in place, leaving him to do the same.
"What?" he asked, voice low, turning his head to and fro as carefully as he could. "See something?"
"Hm. Thought I heard something up that way." he answered, gesturing towards a path that ran up the side of the Spire, disappearing into the trees. Crouching, he seemed to study some old-looking tracks.
"Well, if you're going to look, I've got your back. You know...from here." John smirked, jerking his chin over his shoulder towards the rifle.
They both thought a moment.
"I should have listened to you before, yeah? Some higher ground would be nice right now."
The ghoulish gunman squatted beside him, grunting at the ache in his knees as he did so.
"Hmm. Well, I've got a nest up here." he said, pointing towards the crest of the peak at their backs. "Think I'm gonna pop up there, see what I can see. You coming?"
As they both straightened, the tattooed youth eyeballed the distance with hesitation.
"What, don't think you can make it?"
He frowned at John's needling, good-natured as it was.
"No!" he shot back defensively. "Just sizing it up."
He laughed at that, much louder this time, and slapped him lightly on the back.
"Try to keep up, kid." he said, lobbing the taunt at the taller man just as he threw his body at the wall, gripping onto the slim handholds of the stone's uneven face as he began to climb. Thankfully, most of the way up didn't offer the same level of challenge, tapering inward until it was more like a wonky staircase. When he'd first decided to settle in Zion, he'd set up a few sniper's nests for himself, high vantage points that allowed him to see miles beyond the bounds of the valley. He cast a glance behind him to ensure Chalk was still in pursuit, and laughed at the sound of his strained, heavy breathing behind him.
The conditions were clear enough for him to be able to see clear to the end of the valley as he held the scope up to his face again, balancing the long gun in his hands as he swept back and forth slowly. Scanning the Spire, he did take note of a small yao guai patrolling what was likely its territory, scratching at one of the trees. He reached back, unseeing, and tapped at his partner, pointer finger extended.
Something else caught his eye as he panned across the bridge that led to the mouth of the park, to the place where their caravan had been almost entirely wiped out the day they'd arrived. The remains of an old fire smoldered beneath some grey coals, which seemed to still have the slightest hint of life to them; a thin line of smoke rose into the sky, crooking towards him like a finger. A tall, lean figure kneeled over it, studying the temperature with their hand and likely trying to determine how long ago it had gone out. As they stood, John could make out an eerily familiar duster, long and so tattered at the ends that the ragged strips slithered in the slight breeze.
He was dizzy all of the sudden.
"No fucking way." he said under his breath, unthinking.
"What?" Follows-Chalk asked, leaning close. "What is it?"
He lowered the gun, blinking hard a few times as he wrestled it over his shoulder once more.
"Nothing important. Let's get back to camp."
The trek back to the camp was strangely nerve-wracking, his mind running at a breakneck speed to soothe the sour, tight feeling in his stomach. He didn't see the person he thought he had, he reassured himself. The sun had been playing tricks on his eyes and his imagination had run with it, the past still weighing on him more heavily than he'd have liked to admit. His efforts at self-soothing yielded mixed results.
There was still no relief by the time he and Follows-Chalk, who he could feel staring at him the whole way, finally reached the encampment proper once more. A small crowd of maybe half a dozen people had loosely gathered near the mouth of the Angel Cave, chatting among themselves in intrigued tones and craning their necks to try to see inside. Despite already knowing what he'd find, he swept the area in the hopes of finding the man he was looking for. As per usual, his luck wasn't quite that good.
Even months after everything with the White Legs had been settled and the valley had been able to welcome traders and travelers more regularly, new arrivals never failed to cause a bit of a stir. Everyone had a past, a story to tell, and that fact had always proven to be quite a delight to the people of Zion. The onlookers parted, revealing Waking Cloud, the tribes' primary midwife and a rather incorrigible gossip at times.
"Hoi, John," she said rather excitedly. "Another of your kind is visiting us."
"Oh." he replied flatly, looking anywhere but her face to try and hide the way his skin crawled with nervousness. "Another ghoul, you mean?"
She nodded, eyes all alight. He swallowed hard and tried to force a smile out.
"Well, isn't that something?" was all he could think to say, but only a moment later, it didn't matter, anyway.
Joshua Graham, war council to the tribes and a former member of the Legion, emerged from the cavern first, just barely making himself visible before stopping and turning to look back. His off-white bandages seemed stark against the shade of the cave's mouth, the darkness of which concealed his conversation partner until the very last moment, emerging with eerie slowness from the either.
Or maybe that was just John's racing heart making him dizzy.
The Ghoul was well-known across many parts of the Wasteland, and had been since John himself was a young, smoothskinned man, but his legend had yet to reach the nooks and crannies of Zion until this very moment, it seemed. The dark hat that topped his head shielded most of his face from the still-staring crowd, but John didn't need to see it to know who he was looking at with complete certainty. Not a single thing had changed about the way he stood, carried himself, the way he moved with great intention. The long duster he wore was even worse for wear than it had seemed from a distance.
The two men were still engrossed in the conversation they'd started inside the cave, Joshua gesturing vaguely to the upper portion of what looked like half a map, dangling loosely in the gloved hand of his former partner. Frozen in place, he held his breath as they passed by, the crowd morphing to sort of half-envelop them at a respectful distance. Their backs were to him as they went, and for a single beat he could draw in a breath. But after a few more points at the map from Joshua, Cooper turned himself to point over the craggy hills behind him, sweeping his hand in that direction and doubling back when their eyes caught.
"Johnny?" he asked, blinking hard as if the sun were in his eyes.
A dozen people were suddenly looking in his direction, open intrigue on their faces. Joshua was no different, though the intrigue was a bit less open thanks to the way most of his face was obscured by his wrappings. Still, his intense blue eyes jumped between the newcomer and John rapidly, drinking in every detail of the interaction.
"Cooper," he nodded, though more than begrudgingly. His voice was more hoarse than he'd expected, but his feet finally unglued themselves from the spot, and he didn't make eye contact as he passed by, both consciously withholding it and too nervous to look the other ghoul in the face. There was intrigued murmuring behind him as he headed off further into the camp, and he could feel everyone staring. Some pairs of eyes burned hotter than others.
For the next few hours, John let himself get wrapped up in the usual evening ritual of helping out where he could before supper, silent as he sat with Joshua, Daniel, and a few others he typically dined with when it was time to eat. Cooper had disappeared after their short encounter, but there was no doubt he would be back. The old bounty hunter was, of course, a topic of discussion, but John avoided chipping in as much as he could when it came to that particular talk, busying himself chewing every bite of his meat meticulously.
He was only able to waste so much time after everything had been cleaned up and tucked away, wandering down to the river's edge to stare out over the water, taking in the calming sound of it flowing across the rocks that jutted out from the surface. Kicking at a clump of weeds growing from the sandy soil, he pondered how quickly he could pop over to the ancient fishing lodge and back; last he'd been there a number of months back, the bar still had some stock. He needed a stiff drink badly.
"Long day, hmm?" came a familiar voice from behind him, breaking his tumultuous train of thought.
His kicking didn't cease, continuing to throw dirt.
"Yeah." he sighed. "You?"
Joshua joined him, standing shoulder to shoulder as he took in his project at work. He didn't comment on his efforts, instead seeming to measure the way he stood.
"No longer than the usual." he finally responded, giving his old back a subtle stretch.
There was a beat or two, the river continuing to churn along.
"So." the bandaged man said, shifting his weight onto one leg.
The sniper waited for him to continue, but he didn't.
"So...what?"
That piercing blue gaze burned into him when they finally caught one another's eye full-on.
"How do you know our new guest?" Joshua inquired.
John wasn't sure why he said what he did next, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
"Who said I did?"
Joshua cocked his head at the sharpness in his voice, but only just so. The look in his eyes didn't change at all, determined and curious. Maybe a little jealous. Unsurprisingly, he still didn't say anything more. Strategic silence was one of the former Legate's favorite interrogation tactics, he'd come to learn since spending so much personal time with him.
He shrugged, his frustration far more clear in the gesture than he'd have liked.
"We used to be partners," he admitted.
Joshua's lids narrowed at that.
"Work partners." John clarified, feeling his gut tighten. "I told you I was a bounty hunter at one point."
Overhead, there was the sound of wings, but whatever passed by was hidden by the fall of night.
"Mm. I see." the other man nodded, tone neutral. "How long did you work together?"
He thought for a moment, his internal calculator spinning uselessly.
"A few years. Hard to remember exactly how long at this point." he insisted, scanning the darkening sky. "It was a long time ago at this point. Decades."
The questions ceased for a moment or two, the man he'd grown to feel rather close with—in his own way, at least—obviously sensing that he needed a breath to get his head straight. Still, he was impatient as ever, watching him very closely as he hesitantly turned and started making his way back the direction he'd come from, his legs dragging as if they were made of lead. Joshua followed along silently.
"You were close?" he asked eventually, voice growing quieter as the voices of others could just barely be heard again, chatting and singing coming from around the main fire pit.
The pair stopped again abruptly, John turning sharply to face him despite the way his face remained flat.
"What do you care, Joshua?"
The look he was given in return communicated the bandaged man's response just fine, despite the silence that continued to fill the air between them:
You know why, and you know I won't say why. Let's not play games.
His face felt warm when he gave in.
"At some points, yeah. He's not the easiest guy to be close to." he said, a half-truth. It wasn't until he'd said it that he realized the irony of his words, but neither man seemed to linger on it much.
"Things didn't end well."
Joshua’s words were a statement of fact, not a question.
"What makes you say that?" he asked, wrinkling his brow.
"You're doing a poor job hiding it." was the response, just as matter-of-fact. There was no accusation in his tone, not really, but the blunt statement made John squirm. He shrugged rather aggressively, back to studying the ground again. His left hand wandered up and down his right arm and shoulder, slow and absent.
"I guess so," he confessed.
Again, there was a breath of reprieve, but the current of Joshua's devouring curiosity refused to abate, pulling them both under once more.
"What happened?"
The discontented huff that left his chest was almost painful in its rapidity, his whole back stiff in his sudden anger.
"God, will you knock it off with the damn inquisition?" he snapped. "I don't wanna talk about it. I don't grill you about the people who left you for dead, so I'd appreciate it if you'd grant me the same grace."
For the first time in the course of the conversation, something he said seemed to actually take Joshua by surprise. There was a long pause, the crackle of the nearby fire the only sound filling it. Very, very slowly, he reached out and placed a hand on John's shoulder for a second, giving it the briefest of squeezes that was also so soft it might not have even really happened. Everything around him was spinning, and suddenly he could hear his own breathing so, so loudly.
"I need some air." he declared, hands fidgeting, clenching themselves into loose fists over and over again as he paced back and forth a few steps. "I'm gonna go for a walk."
Joshua didn't reply to his anxious words, not that John hung around long enough to give him the chance. His legs carried him swiftly to the front of the camp, where the rocky hills crowded so close together they nearly touched. Following the shallow stream that flowed through the tight crevice and out into the park proper, he wandered for a while, his eyes searching more for constellations in the sky than for the placement of his next step as he thought over how his fairly simple life had become so complicated-feeling in less than a day.
He wasn't sure exactly how he'd ended up near the tip of the main trail, near the bridge where his whole life had changed when he'd first traveled to this place. Maybe he was just subconsciously drawn to it.
Or something else.
"Well, well. What're you doing out here?"
The sudden voice made him jump, but only a little. Still, he scowled, squinting a bit to make out the details of Cooper's face, hidden in shadow as he stood with his back to the moon on the rocky ledge above his head.
"I'm just out for a walk. Mind your business." he said, tone dismissive.
He chuffed a laugh at that, and the sound rubbed at John's raw nerves all wrong.
"What're you in such a big hurry for? Gotta get back to Mister Mummy?" he heard as he began to pass by. "That's what does it for you these days, eh?"
"Oh please. What do you know?" John called, continuing down the path until he was stopped by the tall, lean body that dropped down in front of his, blocking the path.
"I know you." he said, face more visible, but still obscured by the blue-tinted darkness around them.
"Again, please."
He made to pass by, but his movement was mirrored. He sighed.
"I just wanna get back."
"Quite the coincidence, running into you." Cooper noted, looking around at the rocky terrain.
His eyes rolled again, hip cocking in annoyance.
"Sure, real coincidence." he agreed facetiously. "Don't bullshit. You followed me, just like always."
"And he doesn't?"
John could feel his neck flush suddenly, and he stood up especially straight.
"He's not that controlling."
Another chuckle, another flush of heat across his marred skin.
"Oh yeah, that one really seems real laid back. Quite the barrel of laughs."
The sudden rush of annoyance he felt was enough to drive John to very nearly give him a shove, but he managed to resist the boiling temptation.
"Less sour-faced than you most of the time!" he shot back, instantly even angrier when that self-satisfied grin spread its way across Coop's face. He knew he had him on the back foot.
"Oh-ho, I definitely believe that." he laughed.
"Hey! He's..." the younger man began, but he stopped himself as quickly as he'd begun. "You know what? I don't owe you any sort of explanation."
The Ghoul's posture straightened again, the faux-relaxation he'd been demonstrating gone in a split second.
"That right?" he asked, chilly.
John's heart rate shot up at the response, his face burning, but he refused to give him the angry response he knew he was being baited into.
"You certainly didn't seem to think you owed me one, Coop. Or even a second look, for that matter." he said, voice tight, but collected.
Obvious guilt washed over the bounty hunter's face, but for a long moment, he said nothing. It wasn't until he started to walk away that he could hear a voice call out.
"Johnny...wait. C'mon." he said, audibly shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Just talk to me for a second. I never thought I'd see you again."
He couldn't help the frustrated groan that left him—though the way it hit his ear, juvenile and whiny, made him flush with embarrassment. It had always been a special skill of Cooper's to be able to get under his skin like this. Sighing, he rubbed at the spot between his eyes, a dull pain starting to build there.
"What are you even doing here?" he asked, exasperated.
"Followin' up on a lead."
John rolled his eyes dramatically, unsure why he'd even asked.
"Oh, color me shocked." he said.
The guilty look still lingered on Cooper's time-worn features, but his face did brighten up a degree or two when he gave his next response.
"A lead on another Vault. Might have my family inside."
The statement managed to cool the heat building inside him enough to silence him for a split second, a truncated little huff leaving his lips in vaguely numb surprise. Of all the places in the world for him to settle down...
"Oh." he said, more chagrined than he wanted to be and treading carefully. "Well. I'm happy for you. You know, if that's the case."
In their days traveling together, he'd seen a few leads to the whereabouts of Cooper's family fail to pan out, and the idea that he might have yet another heartbreak on the horizon actually made John's chest a bit tight. He frowned at the feeling.
"I really hope it is," he added.
The bounty hunter sort of rolled his head toward his shoulder in a nonchalant gesture, but John knew him well enough to see the very subtle signs of worry in his face. Still, though, there was that light of hope in his hazel eyes, the one that made him look so vulnerable in certain moments. If there was anything John had learned about Cooper, it would be the very certain knowledge that if he completely lost his belief that he'd ever find his family, he'd cease to be anything but a husk; seeing that light made breathing just a touch harder. How much longer would it be there?
The very peak of the tension between them seemed to have come and gone, a slight, but cool breeze blowing through the valley and licking at the back of John's neck. He turned the collar of his long shirt up, watching as his sudden companion placed his dark hat back on his head.
"If you wanted, you could come with me to check it out." he offered, tone very deliberately casual once more. "Might be something worth diggin' out."
The offer didn't really shock him, not the way he'd expected it might. Instead, his own response is what took him by surprise, chiefly the amount of time it took to formulate.
"I...I dunno." he said finally, staring back towards the camp.
Cooper's non-existent brows just barely reached upwards for a split second, but he didn't react much otherwise.
"Well, think on it." he said, tugging on the thick leather strap of the small satchel that he always carried. "Vault's not that far away, another day's walk or so. I could have you back quick, if you wanted to come back."
As he spoke, that casualness seeped back into his posture, and his movements were more fluid as he adjusted the angle of the brim of his hat, flicking it in a sort of playful gesture as he turned to head east.
"See you." he called over his shoulder before disappearing around a nearby bend.
"Later." John replied, quiet and small. After Cooper had gone, he was left standing there alone, soaking in the feeling of the night air licking at his face. He swallowed thickly, letting out a deep sigh and feeling an invisible tension melt from his shoulders.
As he started his way back down the hill towards home, he thought he heard what sounded like a few footfalls above him, and he was suddenly painfully aware of how stupid he was to have wandered this far alone at night with no more than the. .45 Joshua had given him. True, he didn't have to worry about ambushes—at least, not nearly to the same degree, but there was no kind of understanding with the yao guai. Trying to keep his steps light, he kicked his pace up double-time and was back to the flat, open area where the main fire burned in no time. Once he could see the inviting yellow-orange glow of the flame, he paused to catch his breath, hands on his aching knees as he stooped to study the way ahead.
As he'd expected, most folks were asleep, and the ones that weren't were engaged in some sort of quiet work or meditation; that included Joshua, who sat on one of the logs that sat near the pit, his long legs extended in front of him as he turned the next page in his scriptures. He couldn't make out the faded gold cross that embossed the front of the heavy-bound book, but he didn't need to see it to know what it was.
"Hey." he said, pushing up his sleeves awkwardly. "I'm gonna turn in. I'm tired."
With a slight delay, Joshua looked up from the page.
"Ah." he said. "Rest well."
With a silent nod, he dismissed himself to spread out on one of the available bed rolls, his nagging back protesting more than usual as he lowered himself down. Drinking in the beautiful, inky sky above him, speckled with too many stars to count, he tried and failed to force himself to think of anything other than the ghoul likely nosing his way through the park. The uneasy tension in his gut had never really subsided, and refused to do so no matter what position he shifted himself into.
He felt bad for lying to Joshua. Was a lie of omission on the same level as a full-on lie? Did he get any points for it not being believable to begin with? His statement about he and Cooper being close off and on had been profoundly honest on his part, he thought...just not completely honest. What he'd failed to mention was just how close they had really been when times were especially good...or especially fraught.
He wouldn't say the two of them had ever been a couple. "Partners" was the only title either of them had ever used, and it was the only one that had ever felt like it fit at all, though questionably even then. They hunted bounties, made money together, drank, fought. All the hallmarks of a typical Wasteland business partnership that could end at a moment's notice. It was just that in addition there were a handful of times where they'd ended up naked together, desperately gripping onto one another like the world would end if they didn't.
The memory made his gut tight in another way, and that made him huff in annoyance. He rolled over sharply onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself off to sleep.
Even in his dreams, Cooper wouldn't leave him be. It had been a long, long time since his mind had forcefully taken him back to the day their partnership ended, the day they'd been slicing their way through an abandoned cavern in hot pursuit of yet another lead on a job. He could feel the cool, damp air of the cave around him, tickling at his face as he tried to keep up with Coop, the loose gravel and wet moss that covered the ground slick and unsteady beneath his boots. The image of the ragged ends of that damn overcoat disappearing around the corner was so clear.
The explosion was never as loud in his dreams as he remembered it being. Maybe his mind simply didn't have the ability to recreate the earth-shattering feeling, the sound that had left him mostly deafened for weeks afterwards. His right side burned and hissed as his clothing burned and his skin cracked, the white-hot pain paralyzing him as he cried out, desperate for his partner to turn back and rescue him.
Per usual, that's when he woke up shaking.
John's bad side ached still, the skin irritated even as the dream fully cleared away. He grabbed at it, heart still flying as he fully expected to find flames that would need to be smacked away. Thankfully, there was nothing. Well, nothing but the suddenly clear pressure of another person sitting beside him, their crossed leg just barely touching his side.
"Nightmare?" Joshua asked, just barely patting at his back.
John drew in a deep breath, the sound trembling as he steadied himself as best as he could.
"Yeah." he said.
The other man nodded in understanding, obviously more than a little familiar with bad dreams about serious injuries. Wordlessly, he offered John some coffee in a banged up metal mug, watching him closely as he drank it down. His sturdy silence was comforting, and soon the day didn't seem quite so intimidating to face.
Cooper must've taken the opportunity to clean himself up in the time they'd been apart, noticeably tidied in some very subtle ways when the two met near the crest of the tallest hill in the park. The bluffs overhead still dwarfed it considerably, but the view was breathtaking nonetheless. There was a light of excitement in those expressive hazel eyes of his, and the sight made the lump in John's throat ache even worse than it already was.
"I can't go with you." he said.
That light flickered, intensifying into a heated look.
"Why not?" he demanded.
He took another steadying breath, going over the words he'd practiced in his head again and again the whole walk here.
"Because I want to be here," he explained. "I'm happy here."
Cooper studied him for a long, hard moment, his face difficult to read except for the obvious disappointment that painted it. He, too, drew in a long breath, but the sigh John expected never came. When he turned on one heel to start down the hill, John's good hand dared to strike out and grab at his shoulder, bidding him to stop.
"I don't want you to think I never want to see you again or anything just because I'm not coming with you. You're always welcome to come here if you need help or a place to rest. I know you need it sometimes. I wouldn't deny you that." he swore. "And we're finally starting to get a real trade outpost established, so we should have our hands on a decent stash of vials within the next few months if we're lucky."
Still, Cooper just looked at him, almost like he was seeing him for the first time. For the briefest of seconds, John was upset by the lack of reaction, but as soon as they both stood to look at one another, he was overwhelmed by relief that there was no escalation, no yelling. The quiet between them was stilted and rather blue, sure, but both of them were looking one another right in the eye. There was no room for lies here.
"I'm happy for you, John." Cooper finally said.
John hadn't been able to cry in years, but it felt like he'd break into tears at any moment. He smiled, a sad, but grateful expression, and stuck his burned hand out in front of him. After a moment of hesitation, eyeing the appendage closely, Cooper wrapped his gloved one around it and the two shared a long, slow handshake.
"Well." the old cowboy said finally, eyeing something over John's shoulder. "Gotta go. They might be waitin'."
He nodded and slowly reclaimed his hand.
"See you, Coop."
With one final look, the Ghoul turned and began to walk towards the horizon, the desert sun burning down on his dark visage as he went. Thanks to the high vantage point, John was able to watch him for quite a while, squinting his eyes when he became nothing but a black dot crawling along. When he finally disappeared out of sight, John let out a breath he hadn't been consciously holding.
"All done?" came a familiar voice from behind him yet again.
This time, he smiled warmly when he turned to see Joshua emerging from the shadows, glad he didn't have to wipe his eyes or explain why his face was so red.
"Yeah." he said softly.
"Hungry?" the bandaged man asked, either too tactful or too uncomfortable to address the emotional state of him. Maybe a bit of both. Still, his hand was extended, and John accepted it, using it to steady himself as he climbed back down. When he'd reached the ground again, their small embrace lingered for a beat or two. John's chest was full of warmth, and he smiled again, but much brighter this time.
In 2WATS, if Noah was really really sick would John have taken him to another giant for help?
I assume you're referring to the point where the story is currently at, if not please let me know.
Let's say Noah's condition does not improve on its own and worsens instead (e.g. fever not going down, being unable to stay awake for more than a few minutes, refusing to eat/drink).
The thing is John does have medicine to bring a fever down, but giving it to Noah is too risky. John doesn't know how much to give him or if it's even save to give to a human, what helps him might have the opposite effect on Noah. They may look alike, but at the end of the day they're not the same species. (This is going to be a future prompt btw)
John, being unable to help but also refusing to let the kid continue to suffer right in front of him, has two options.
If John brings Noah to one of their healers in hopes they'll know what to do and are able to help him, he knows the moment he does the jig is up. Not that he cares about the consequences if it means Noah will make a fully recovery. But after that Noah will no longer be his concern and John won't have a say in what's going to happen to him -> The very thing John wanted to avoid and the whole reason why Noah currently is in his care. He would still do it if he believes it's the best way to help Noah, but he'd have mixed feelings about it.
And no, before someone asks the healer is not going to keep Noah a secret (not even if they and John are very close friends), because as a reminder what John is doing is strictly against their rules and why would they go behind their chief's back and risk getting in trouble for a human?
TLTR: Yes, John would take Noah to another giant for help, but the story would be cut short then.
(There's a whole scene playing in my head. Maybe I'll write that one day)
I'd say there's a 50/50 chance John ends up making that decision.
