Fallout 4: AR

72: First Date

"Ooh," I crooned, careful not to smudge the bundle with my dirty fingers. "This is perfect. Hancock invited us to join him for dinner in The Third Rail, too."

"I know. Probably to discuss our upcoming mission." He frowned. "Oh well. I was hoping to have you all to myself tonight."

"Learn to anticipate, my dear sniper," I teased, heading into the bathroom and the promised hot shower. "It builds character!"

The water was perfect; hot and plentiful, and I was able to scrub away the gunk and blood from our delay at the "toll road". Feeling completely clean and refreshed, I opened the bundle of cloth to find a cute moss green dress and low shoes with elastic ties to match. A short note and a tiny glass vial was tucked into the folds. "Every girl likes to feel pretty now and again. You'll knock his socks off! -Daisy". I chuckled and wiped away an incipient tear from my eye. I'm going to have to find a way to thank her.

The dress was thankfully made from a stretchy fabric. I was a bit more robust than the other females I had seen and the fit around my torso left little to the imagination, but Daisy had also included a light cream-colored shawl with a pattern of tiny blue flowers that softened the overall impression and complemented the dress. The tiny vial proved to be perfume; only a few drops, and probably a sample scrounged from who-knows-where, but it smelled nice and completed my feminine transformation. Giving my damp hair a quick tousling with my fingers to style the curls, I finally left the steam-filled bathroom.

MacCready was dressed in a dark gray suit and black dress shoes, and was adjusting his collar in the dusty mirror when he caught sight of me. He turned around, and both of us were struck speechless for a long moment, taking in the vision of our respective selves. Oh my, he cleans up very nicely, was the only coherent thought that made it to my conscious mind. His hair had been trimmed and tamed by Daisy's clever hand, and he had scrubbed himself to within an inch of his life, if the glowing flush on his skin was any indication. I am a lucky woman.

He stared, looking me up and down. When his eyes lingered on the low cut bodice (and how closely it hugged my torso), a slight frown creased his brows and I felt my face heat up. "Uhh," I stammered, slightly embarrassed. "I'm not quite as slender as your average Wastelander..." Mac shook his head sharply and I stammered to a halt.

"Skeletal, you mean." He smiled suddenly, eyes twinkling a little in amusement. "I like your body, angel. You think I wanna snuggle up with a bag of bones? Nu-uh! You're perfect; soft and cuddly, and kick-ass- err, butt with a rifle."

"I'm not that good," I protested, blushing at the compliment.

"You're better than you give yourself credit for." He stalked around me, inspecting the view. "Hancock is going to be so jealous." A light frown teased the corner of his mouth. "But, there's just... hmm, something missing."

"There is?" I wondered what he saw that I didn't.

He stood there, stroking his goatee in a thoughtful pose. "Yeah." He stepped in close behind me. "Close your eyes." The moment I complied, I felt him brush his fingers gently across the back of my neck as a light thread teased my collarbones. He fumbled for a moment, then grasped my shoulders to lead me towards the mirror. "There, that looks better." At the same time, he placed a small box in my hand.

"Oh!" Twinkling like a minuscule star, a simple gold-and-diamond pendant graced my neck. "Ohh." I glanced down at the box in my hand to find it held a matching pair of teardrop hook earrings. It was my turn to fumble as I reverently put them on. "Oh RJ, thank you!"

He leaned in close to my neck, pretending to inspect my piercings. "You're welcome, angel. It was the prettiest of the haul from that safe, and I thought a perfect match for you." He breathed in suddenly, nuzzling the curve of my throat. "You smell good." A light kiss and the tickle of his facial hair had me shivering in pleasure. "Maybe we should just stay in tonight," he suggested flirtatiously. "I don't know if I want to share you, looking so beautiful."