Arthur:
"Close the door Danse."
Danse looked at me slightly startled but did it regardless.
"Alright Arthur, what's up."
I fiddled with the pen I decided was all of a sudden very interesting.
"I just wanted to talk to you Henry, is that such a crime?"
He narrowed his eyes at me.
"Okay, what do you want?"
Jesus is it that obvious?
"Alright, you got me. I wanted to discuss the details of your mission."
"Ahh. Esmeralda, then."
I felt myself shrink in my chair.
"Yeah. Esmeralda."
I swallowed past the lump in my throat.
"Kell's said the two of you were quite the, uh, power couple."
Danse raised an eyebrow. Then his face melted into a smile, I've only seen a couple of times in my life.
"You're jealous aren't you?"
I looked down to try and hide the blush taking over my face.
"I just... wanted... ugh, I'm, uh... happy for you two."
It was Danse's turn for his face to change colour. Only the colour in his face seemed to drain.
"No! No, I mean, we're definitely not... No. We're not a couple, Arthur. Lucky for you." He added that last part with a wink.
"Okay, so maybe I've developed a little crush."
Silence came over the room. I wondered if he understood what I was asking him, so I didn't actually have to say it out loud.
"So you want me to help you out? Ask if she likes you."
"I'm pretty sure she likes me" At least I hope to God she did.
"I just want you to find out if she likes me, or my name."
Danse furrowed his brows.
"She isn't a typical Commonwealth woman, I doubt that's of any importance to her."
I opened my mouth to disagree when he cut me off.
"Besides, you really think she's gonna wanna talk to me, her commanding officer, about her feelings towards you, my commanding officer?"
"Come on, Henry, you spend more time with her than I do."
"Because we're a good team, and you make us go on missions together. If you want to hang out with her before we embark, she's usually at the mess hall doing some kind of stand up comedy to the soldiers. If not, she'd be in the power armour station. But she's only there late when most everyone else is sleeping. Usually she's talking to Ingram."
"Ingram?"
"Yeah, those two talk pretty often. If anything, you should ask Ingram to talk to her."
Before I could express any sort of gratitude, Henry cut me off... again.
"Or better yet, go talk to her yourself. Find out yourself if she likes you."
God, no.
"No. Not after the...ahem, interesting meeting we had just before you came in."
"Do I want to know?"
"Probably not."
"Alright then, I won't ask. But you better go and familiarize yourself with her."
Danse got up from his chair and walked out of my quarters, leaving me alone again.
It's true I didn't spend much time with her. But whenever other people were around her, they were always laughing at something she said or being comforted by her. She seemed understanding to everyone, and always so polite to people she first meets. She was casual with friends, sarcastic and funny.
I got up, my paperwork done already, and I was ready to go take a shower, and if I hadn't lost my confidence yet, go see Esmeralda. Wherever she was.
The hot shower was nice, but it wasn't enough. I inhaled and took my member into my hand. I closed my eyes thinking of Esmeralda. The way her face flushed earlier today. I gave myself a few pumps trying to think of Esmeralda naked. Her curly light brown hair sprawled out on my pillows. The heat in my stomach was growing, and I fuelled that with the thought of her on her knees in front of me. Fuck. Those pale pink lips around my cock. Sucking me like her life depended on it. I started fondling my balls trying to picture her doing the same thing. My breath started growing ragged. The idea of her crawling up on me, nibbling and sucking on my collarbone and neck. Two more quick pumps and I let myself go with a horse groan.
I wonder if she'd swallow my release or spit it out.
I quickly cleaned myself up and got dressed. I looked at the clock. 11:02
Okay Arthur. Just go find her and talk to her. Easy.
Danse said she sometimes talked to the soldiers. Most wouldn't be up by now. Power Armor station it is.
I jogged down to the station hoping to God I'd be able to make it there without hyperventilating first.
She was there.
Conveniently bending over her power armour letting that nice little bum in the air. I'd definitely save that image for later. I got a better look at her now. She had a humble body. Small chest and hips. A little more box shaped but she had a nice waist definitely. She was around 5'6 and her skin was honey cream coloured. I decided to say something before I started salivating at the mouth.
"Knight Storm"
She whipped around but quickly tuned back to her work.
"Hello Elder"
"No need to be so formal when we're alone."
I didn't mean for that to sound so seductive.
"Wh-What, what should I call you then?"
"Arthur would be fine."
"Ok then. Arthur."
I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest when she said my name.
"You can call me Esmeralda. Or Mer if you'd like. More people, they call me Mer."
"Alright then, Mer. How are you?"
What else was I supposed to say dammit, I didn't have a plan coming into this.
"A little embarrassed for, uh... spacing out when I went to report to you."
Yeah. Spacing out. Nice save.
"No don't be, so was I. You're quite distracting to be around."
Breathe, just breathe. A little flirting never hurt anyone. Come on, you can do this.
She turned to face me.
"Oh, me? Nah. I-I don't...have much to offer, as you can see."
Was she... blushing?
"Don't be ridiculous. Unfortunately, no one looks good in Brotherhood orange. Save for you."
That's it. Just keep it flowing. Don't be weird though.
She raised her eye brow, seeming a little more at ease.
"You're a good liar Arthur Maxson"
I jerked off to the image I had of a you in my mind. I wouldn't consider that lying.
"You might be surprised" I muttered, giving her a smirk.
Her eyes lit up. This wasn't uncomfortable anymore. Thank God.
We talked until 2 AM.
She was so lively. Sarcastic. Funny. Comforting.
I looked at the time and the bags under her eyes.
"Oh God I'm so sorry I kept you up. You have a mission tomorrow and I've deprived you of sleep."
She didn't seem to realize the time either.
"Oh, don't, don't even worry about it hon."
Hon. Oh God this woman was going to be the end of me.
"If it weren't for you I'd probably up already. Nightmares like to keep me up regardless."
"Nightmares?" I was worried now.
"Yeah, unfortunately those night fuckers like to keep me up, preferably waking me with screaming or tears."
I must have had a panicked expression on my face because she immediately added to her statement.
"Oh. Oh no, hon, don't worry about me, it's... it's nothing. Cade said it was post-traumatic stress disorder. I'll be fine though, I promise. It's nothing to worry about, I'm on medication.
"Okay. We should get to bed."
Shhhhhhit.
"I mean. You should, head to your quarters. And I'll go to mine. Not, uh, together. Just, you uh... you know what I mean."
She chuckled standing up and walking over to me.
"Don't worry, I got you." She planted a kiss on my cheek.
My heart swelled.
"Try and get some sleep?" I took her hand into mine, returning the kiss on the back of her hand.
I loved it when she flushed red like that.
"Goodnight Arthur."
"Goodnight Mer."
I went to bed the proudest and happiest man I've ever been.