Chapter Text
Alcott pulled his mask off, his breathing heavy as a delicate breeze rolled across the Upper Stands. Goddamn helmet was practically suffocating him.
“Ought to be able to wear nothing but our skivvies when we get posted up here!” he complained to Jesse. “What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened while you were watching the Stands, huh? I think for me… Yeah, it was probably that time Mrs. Hawthorne let all of her cats get loose. Did not enjoy rustling all of those little furballs up.”
Jesse didn’t respond, not that Alcott really expected him to. The man almost never talked.
Who exactly had he pissed off to get this posting today? Alcott sighed and draped his arms along the walkway railing to look down at the entrance into the ballpark. He could hear the gate outside rumbling closed as a loud, familiar voice echoed down the concrete channel that led into Diamond City. Damn reporter always worked her way back in.
Soon, Piper appeared below, talking to somebody in a Vault suit at about a hundred miles per hour. Alcott didn’t get the weird everybody-wears-blue policy in the Vaults. Did the people that picked those out before the Great War want their descendants to be walking targets?
Alcott examined the newcomer more closely. She had her face turned away from him, letting him witness how her inky black hair shined where the sunlight hit the artificial waves she’d styled the lower half of her ‘do into. Hell, he’d bet her nails were manicured and her teeth were pearly-white, too. There were some perks to living in a box in the ground, if Vault-Tecs’s experiments didn’t kill the populace within. Alcott wondered what had happened in hers. She seemed normal enough so far.
“Anyway, come see me when you get done talking to Valentine. I’d like to do a story on you, if you’ve got the time,” Piper said to the Vault girl. The journalist looked up, as if she could feel Alcott spying on them. She cupped her hands around her mouth and loudly added, “Talk to Nicky straight away. None of those security bozos are going to be of any help!”
Alcott smirked as he gave Piper a wave. She turned around to head toward her little sister. The Vaultie finally looked up toward the Upper Stands, and Alcott’s heart damn-near stopped beating.
She was beautiful. World-stoppingly, insanely gorgeous. Maybe she’d walked right out of an Old World movie, or Alcott was dreaming or something, because there was no way in hell this woman was real. Her pale skin had a golden hue to it, almost like God had dusted her in it when he made her. Her dark eyes were enlarged by a pair of big square-framed glasses, the lenses in them as thick as a Nuka-Cola bottle. She wore a peachy lipstick that highlighted the pronounced curve in her top lip, though it flattened slightly when she politely smiled up at him. Far too soon, she turned her attention back onto the city and started walking away.
“Holy fuck Jesse, I think I just fell in love!” Alcott let out a wild laugh before he started bounding down the steps.
“Hey!” Jesse called, speaking for the first time hours into their shift. “Where are you going?”
Alcott ignored his fellow security officer, all of his attention focused on the girl. He had to talk to her!
He caught up to her just in front of the barber shop. Alcott ran in front of her and put his friendliest grin on. The Vault girl jumped slightly, clearly startled.
Okay, maybe he could’ve done that a little smoother.
“Hey there,” he said. He stuck out his hand. “I’m Alcott. Theodore Alcott.”
She hesitated a moment before taking his hand into hers. Just like he’d suspected, her hands were clean and soft. Had he ever met anyone else who didn't have a single callus on their palm?
“Hello, Mr. Alcott,” she replied. Even the way she talked made him go haywire! Her voice was quiet, almost airy, but she had this clear pronunciation as if she were used to people listening when she spoke. Gentle, but assertive.
She dropped his hand as she continued. “I’m Yunli Ward. Can I help you with something?”
No point in beating around the bush. Alcott tried his best to look confident. “I hope so, sweetheart. See, the deal is, when you walked into Diamond City, I just about died on the spot when I saw you. I mean, I didn’t think God made women as beautiful as you!”
Yunli let out a laugh and averted her gaze, clearly embarrassed. “Oh, my…”
“Look, I realize I’m making a complete ass of myself, but I’m being totally serious. I’d walk over to the chapel and get married this second if you were willing, but how about I slow down and ask you on a date instead? What do you say?”
“Mr. Alcott-”
“Just Alcott.”
“Alcott, I’m in the city to file a missing person report. I really must go see the detective straight away. As… flattering as this has been, I don’t have the time for a date.”
Alcott’s smile fell. He awkwardly scratched at the back of his head. “Oh. I, uh, yeah. Sounds pretty serious. Sorry for bothering you.”
Yunli stepped around him and continued on toward the sidestreet that was lit with Valentine’s neon signs. Before she could turn the corner he couldn’t help but call out, “Tell me if you ever change your mind! About the date or marriage thing.”
A few residents who’d been witness to Alcott’s humiliation startled cackling when Yunli dropped her head into her hand and rubbed at her temple. She sighed and gave him an exasperated look. “Goodbye, officer.”