“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos drank a bit of his coffee and looked at her. “Yeah… I was here for trading,” he said. “I was working with the Mr Handy at that general store, trying to haggle a bit. The prices for salvage are better here… but supplies are also more expensive too.” He then shrugged a bit. “At least that Moe guy seemed happy with the batting helmet I found, though he seems to be sorely mistaken about what ‘baseball’ is… how does someone who lives in a baseball stadium not know what the sport is?”

“Percy?” She smiles, obviously fond of that particular Mr. Handy.

“I see, that makes sense. And Percy is much more appealing than Myrna in most senses, though Percy tends to the shop at night.” Kira nods a bit, thinking. Perhaps Myrna was ill and Percy was doing days as well? And if so, has she visited Sun yet? Something to bring up to him for sure if needed. After all, no one would dare see her, but Sun was deemed trustworthy around here still.

At the mention of Moe, Kira made a face.

“I cannot claim to know much about the sport itself, but for someone who likes to talk about it so much…” She giggles, “He sure has a… strange idea of what the sport was really about. But it’s kind of you to humor him. Whether the caps are worth it or not. Perhaps I’ll find a book about it for him one day. If so, I’m sure he’d enjoy it.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t met Myrna,” Carlos said. “Percy seems very sensible though, and very friendly, so she can’t be all that bad.” But maybe she was – Carlos didn’t know. It was just usually Mr Handy units were about as friendly as their owners wanted them to be.

“If I find you a book I’ll be happy to help explain baseball to you,” Carlos then said with a slight smile. “I played it every so often – they though really I prefer soccer. But my pal Ralphie – he was obsessed with the game and would get very competitive. It was pretty funny sometimes.” He sighed. “As for Moe… according to my history class, I think maybe he’d prefer ancient Rome to actual baseball. He seems to be really enamored with the blood and guts side of sports… and Rome had plenty of that.”

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos hummed softly, though he was still a bit shaken by
the question.

But as she talked about the Super Mutants he just frowned
even more, very confused and at least a bit fearful on her part. “I… I guess I’ll
take your word for it,” he said. “But, uh… you’re right – I’m not gonna go and
try for anything… like that with them. It’s a miracle you’re here to tell about
it, if… if you don’t mind me saying.” To think that there was a chance she
wouldn’t be here, offering him caps for books
of all things… Carlos would rather not think about it.

Carlos didn’t exactly seem very pleased with her story, but Supermutants weren’t pleasing in themselves. Nor did Kira find the story to be pleasing either.

“I don’t mind you saying because I know it to be true.” She sips the tea from her cup with a small sigh. “They almost did get me though, and sometimes when I wander by, there are shots fired in my direction. Sometimes they are inclined to stop, sometimes they don’t recognize me and I have to sprint out of the area. It’s… risky, even for me. So yes, I imagine you wandering through would be no walk in the park. So I will pay you as we agreed. It’s difficult getting here and sometimes it’s difficult to get in here.”

Kira nods a bit, taking a look out the window to his side, watching the people stroll on about.

“Originally, what did you come here for Carlos? Trading? I know I snatched you up off the street kinda quickly. I hope I’m not putting you off of your original purpose here.”

Carlos drank a bit of his coffee and looked at her. “Yeah… I was here for trading,” he said. “I was working with the Mr Handy at that general store, trying to haggle a bit. The prices for salvage are better here… but supplies are also more expensive too.” He then shrugged a bit. “At least that Moe guy seemed happy with the batting helmet I found, though he seems to be sorely mistaken about what ‘baseball’ is… how does someone who lives in a baseball stadium not know what the sport is?”

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos was surprised when she’d noticed his praying, and
immediately he felt a little embarrassed. “I, uh… well… N-not practicing,” he
explained meekly. “But I do believe in a higher power. It’s… I mean, it’s
probably just something that was passed down from my pre-war ancestors, but…
y-you know…”

He hadn’t meant for her to see. He knew some people thought
it was a silly little pre-war thing – even people in the Vault thought that.

He then frowned at her, confused. “What do you mean you have
good relations with the supermutants?” he asked. “How… how do you even get into
that?”

Kira nods, perhaps a habit if anything. He didn’t seem too devout.

“I met a man who claims to be a priest is why I asked. I was curious to if you knew him or not is all. As he is the only other person out here I’ve met that has portrayed any sort of genuine religious habit. Nothing serious Carlos, I was merely curious.” She says, trying not to keep him too on edge. After all, he seemed a bit nervous all the time anyway.

“Any relation where supermutants won’t exactly kill you on sight is ‘good’ by my standards Carlos. But there is one in Trinity Tower who actually can be reasoned with. But… I honestly I wouldn’t try for it. The only reason I have this connection is because I fell into one of their traps and they brought me into the tower for cooking. Though…” Kira smiles, “I’m not meaty enough for eating and they kept me in a cage for a few days. I convinced one that was hurt to let me help. And I eventually got out. Sometimes I come by to treat an important one or two. Though it doesn’t happen often, supermutants aren’t sentimental. With them, if you die, it was because you were weak and needed culling. So… the only time I’m really sought out at all is in secret. As some value their life at least some.”

Carlos hummed softly, though he was still a bit shaken by
the question.

But as she talked about the Super Mutants he just frowned
even more, very confused and at least a bit fearful on her part. “I… I guess I’ll
take your word for it,” he said. “But, uh… you’re right – I’m not gonna go and
try for anything… like that with them. It’s a miracle you’re here to tell about
it, if… if you don’t mind me saying.” To think that there was a chance she
wouldn’t be here, offering him caps for books
of all things… Carlos would rather not think about it.

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

“With the value put on other salvage out here – which is usually just purely material, by the way – it is very generous,” Carlos pointed out. “It’s just… usually nobody considers what effort I go through looking for salvage.” Like the time he’d found a bunch of telephones, but was unable to disassemble them on the spot. There were Gunners in the area and he’d locked himself in a Pulowski Preservation Shelter for a couple hours while he waited.

Carlos smelled the coffee he had, just to see if it was anything like he remembered with the sugar and milk in it. Oh yeah… it smelled so much more like he was used to. He said a quiet prayer of thanks to God before taking a small sip. He couldn’t help the small happy groan he made.

“Mm… God, that’s good,” he murmured. “Um… Thank you. So much for this.”

“I don’t salvage much myself since I’m not exactly cut out for that kind of work, but I have paid others to do it for me. And I know a few who do it as their way of making money at all. So I’m at least slightly familiar with it. Besides, you don’t have to be a scavenger to know just how difficult it is to pass Trinity Tower to get here. I have a good relationships with the supermutants there myself and I still sometimes get shot at.” Kira shrugs hopelessly, some of them had the same eyesight as her.

He seemed to smell his coffee before adding what he liked to it. All the while, Kira sipped at her tea and watched him carefully. He seemed fairly pleased with it in the very least. And though Kira’s sight was shit, she heard the quiet prayer and looked a bit surprised.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man pray out here… You are religious Carlos?” She asks curiously before merely nodding to his thanks.

“It’s no trouble. I invited you in after all.”

Carlos was surprised when she’d noticed his praying, and
immediately he felt a little embarrassed. “I, uh… well… N-not practicing,” he
explained meekly. “But I do believe in a higher power. It’s… I mean, it’s
probably just something that was passed down from my pre-war ancestors, but…
y-you know…”

He hadn’t meant for her to see. He knew some people thought
it was a silly little pre-war thing – even people in the Vault thought that.

He then frowned at her, confused. “What do you mean you have
good relations with the supermutants?” he asked. “How… how do you even get into
that?”

“Yep, that’s broken alright. How’d you manage that?”

Carlos was so busy trying not to straight up vomit from the pain that he almost didn’t hear the question. “I… buh, wha?” he murmured intelligently. “I… fuckin’… The dogs in that junkyard outside just spooked me an’ I jumped… over a car.”

He only remembered flashing lights as his ankle was hurt so badly that it knocked out his sight for a minute. He remembered being unable to control the shriek of pain, which now that he thought about it was probably what drew the Diamond City guards to his location. He remembered gunfire and flopping down on the ground as he tried to duck and cover while his whole leg seemed to be trying to kill him from pain alone.

He remembered being moved and all that jostling had not been a pleasant experience at all. It was a miracle though that he had been so close to Diamond City in the first place, he supposed. Would’ve been a better miracle if he hadn’t broken anything in the first place though.

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos just watched and listened to her.
He tried to be discrete with how much sugar he put in his coffee – he really liked sugar, but he didn’t want
to seem like some kind of pig with it. He realized he probably should cut back
anyway – it wasn’t exactly easy for him to get dental care anymore.

However, Carlos found himself shocked by Kira’s offer. Twenty
caps? That was two nights at the Dugout Inn, or a noodle bowl from that
malfunctioning robot in the market. If Carlos were to bring even a couple of
those books, along with his usual salvage he could take a load off and spend a
few days in Diamond City. He might not… but he could! And if he found a pre-war book tucked away in a suitcase or
something? It’d be even better!

“I… uh, are you sure? That’s – er, I mean, that’s pretty
generous of you,” he told her truthfully. He might be shooting himself in the
foot asking that, but he’d rather there not be a falling out or anything later
if she regretted the price.

Kira took no notice of how much of anything he used. And even if she had, she’d say nothing about it. After all, if she didn’t want him to use it, she wouldn’t have offered.

“Yes. I understand that may sound a bit generous and perhaps easy. However, I will tell you that I’m likely not paying that much for the books themselves. More like I’m paying you for your effort. Finding a damaged book that’s suitable for my work would take time. You will come across a great many books that cannot even hope to qualify for what I seek. You will have to examine them and make sure they’re in decent shape. That, and I’m sure getting here with all the supermutants isn’t easy. It’s likely that you will have your work cut out for you.” She nods seriously, taking another sip of her tea.

“If you have the patience for it, it may prove fairly beneficial to you.”

“With the value put on other salvage out here – which is usually just purely material, by the way – it is very generous,” Carlos pointed out. “It’s just… usually nobody considers what effort I go through looking for salvage.” Like the time he’d found a bunch of telephones, but was unable to disassemble them on the spot. There were Gunners in the area and he’d locked himself in a Pulowski Preservation Shelter for a couple hours while he waited.

Carlos smelled the coffee he had, just to see if it was anything like he remembered with the sugar and milk in it. Oh yeah… it smelled so much more like he was used to. He said a quiet prayer of thanks to God before taking a small sip. He couldn’t help the small happy groan he made.

“Mm… God, that’s good,” he murmured. “Um… Thank you. So much for this.”

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos was shocked when she immediately offered the coffee
and before he could even utter a word she was gone. Oh, dammit… she really didn’t
have to cater to him. He… he wasn’t worth it. He was really just trying to make
small-talk and be funny (at his own expense). He couldn’t help but think that
he shouldn’t have said anything.

As ordered though, he didn’t make any complaint. He just
gave her an awkward smile and a nod in thanks as he took the cup. When she
asked him what he wanted he hesitated for a moment. He had to drink the coffee
now, of course, but it would be an awful waste if it wasn’t done anywhere close
to the way he liked it.

“Um, if… if it wouldn’t put you out too much, some sugar and
a bit of milk would be great,” he admitted softly. He cleared his throat a
little anxiously. “Um, if… it’s up to you how much you are willing to pay for
the books. I, uh… I hate to say this, but the old city isn’t fun trying to
navigate through. I’m not sure how often I’d make it through to come to Diamond
City. The business… it needs to be worth it… do you understand what I’m saying?”
God, he hoped he didn’t sound mean or anything. He thought it was a reasonable
response but who knew with some people.

He took the cup, but seemed so out of place still. She wasn’t exactly a hostess she deduced. Perhaps it just wasn’t in her to wait on others. Though dammit she tried.

Kira nods to his request, heading back to the kitchenette and shuffling around in the cabinets that hung above it.

“Yes I understand. You want a price worth going through the death trap that is the old ruins right outside this town.” She smiles bringing him a small ceramic bowl of sugar and a milk bottle. “Feel free. Don’t drink much milk myself in all honesty.”

She sits in a seat next to him, taking her black tea in hand. Blowing into her cup gently, she takes a sip.

“It’s difficult getting here. I’m not asking you to go out of your way to bring me these books of course. Just saying that if you happen upon any and are heading my way anyhow, I’d be happy to pay you for it. In fact, you can just leave them for me here or in Goodneighbor if I’m not home. I’m sure I could leave money for you. Doctor Sun would be happy to deal with you for me if I’m not home. Now… as for price…” Kira huffs, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. Thinking upon something that may interest him. Something fair.

After all, it was just scrap to others anyway. And most of the time worth nothing at all.

“How about… twenty caps for books that can be fixed? But at that price I cannot guarantee that I’ll be able to buy all that you may bring me for good chunks of caps. And I have to be able to use them. I rewrite the parts that were burnt off, but I cannot write an entire novel. You know? If you find anything pre war, I’ll give you fifty each.” Kira offers. Books were her weakness, she may be too generous. But even if he asked for more, Kira would likely be open ears.

Carlos just watched her and listened as he listened to her.
He tried to be discrete with how much sugar he put in his coffee – he really liked sugar, but he didn’t want
to seem like some kind of pig with it. He realized he probably should cut back
anyway – it wasn’t exactly easy for him to get dental care anymore.

However, Carlos found himself shocked by Kira’s offer. Twenty
caps? That was two nights at the Dugout Inn, or a noodle bowl from that
malfunctioning robot in the market. If Carlos were to bring even a couple of
those books, along with his usual salvage he could take a load off and spend a
few days in Diamond City. He might not… but he could! And if he found a pre-war book tucked away in a suitcase or
something? It’d be even better!

“I… uh, are you sure? That’s – er, I mean, that’s pretty
generous of you,” he told her truthfully. He might be shooting himself in the
foot asking that, but he’d rather there not be a falling out or anything later
if she regretted the price.

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

“Well, uh… I’d really like a cup of coffee,” Carlos admitted
to her with a sheepish smile. “I haven’t had one of those since leaving
the vault… But I understand that that’s hard to come by, so I don’t
mind much if you don’t have it or you don’t wanna offer it. And you
don’t have to go into your clean water supply for me… I’m alright.”

He
was surprised when she said she’d buy a book from him however. “You’d
really buy books off of me?” he asked her. “For how much?” He started to
wonder if the caps he could get would be worth him carrying around the
pre-war tomes until he reached Diamond City again. He also had to
consider how often he’d actually make it to Diamond City – the old city
around it was crawling with hostile gangs and monsters so making the
trip was considerably dangerous.

Of course he wants the only thing she doesn’t have. Kira holds back her urge to sigh or groan.

“I don’t drink coffee, but you’re in Diamond City Carlos.” She smiles, “It is carried in these parts. I will be right back, think nothing of it. And I don’t want to hear any complaining.” That smile widens as she turns to him and heads to the front door and opens it before walking away. Merely leaving the door open as she heads next door for a moment. Sun carried coffee, it’s how he stayed up so much.

It was only a few moments before Kira came back through the door and bumped the door behind her closed with her hip.

“Coffee.” She notes holding up the can for a moment before making her way back to the boiling water. Emptying some into her glass with a tea bag and making a cup of coffee for the other. She knew he’d feel… awkward about it. But she wanted to be hospitable in the very least.

“Oh yes.” Kira nods, putting their cups on a tiny tray and carrying it over to where he sat. Now setting the tray on the coffee table before them she looked to him once more.

“I will buy books off of you if they can be saved. Totally burnt ones are of no value to me however. They’re kinda heavy sometimes. How much would you want for them? Also, do you want anything for that? Sugar perhaps?”

Carlos was shocked when she immediately offered the coffee
and before he could even utter a word she was gone. Oh, dammit… she really didn’t
have to cater to him. He… he wasn’t worth it. He was really just trying to make
small-talk and be funny (at his own expense). He couldn’t help but think that
he shouldn’t have said anything.

As ordered though, he didn’t make any complaint. He just
gave her an awkward smile and a nod in thanks as he took the cup. When she
asked him what he wanted he hesitated for a moment. He had to drink the coffee
now, of course, but it would be an awful waste if it wasn’t done anywhere close
to the way he liked it.

“Um, if… if it wouldn’t put you out too much, some sugar and
a bit of milk would be great,” he admitted softly. He cleared his throat a
little anxiously. “Um, if… it’s up to you how much you are willing to pay for
the books. I, uh… I hate to say this, but the old city isn’t fun trying to
navigate through. I’m not sure how often I’d make it through to come to Diamond
City. The business… it needs to be worth it… do you understand what I’m saying?”
God, he hoped he didn’t sound mean or anything. He thought it was a reasonable
response but who knew with some people.

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

“Huh? Oh, um… no thanks. I don’t… really like tea,” Carlos said awkwardly. “But, uh, thank you.”

Carlos glanced out the window, glad to have the little bit of openness to the room. It did make him feel better, and he started to look around again, focusing now on some of the books. Some looked very decently intact – probably still readable for the most part. That was very nice… at least some people still appreciated books. If he’d ever had the opportunity or time, he’d have loved to sit down and pour over pre-war mechanical and science books.

“It’s, uh… very nice to see that people still use books for their intended purpose, rather than just kindling,” he told her truthfully with a very slight smile. “They’re lucky they ended up here.”

“Really now?” Kira pondered, she didn’t usually drink coffee, so she had none. There was nothing else to offer besides that. “I’ve been rather fond of tea…. perhaps something else? A… common food item of sorts; water? I’m sure I have something if you like. If not, I will not press you further.”

So Kira offered as she watched the kettle a bit, now pulling down a few old and dented tins out of the cupboards. Setting them on the counter, she looked to him as he took survey of her books. The whole ‘office’ area was cluttered with them. Stacked on all the end tables and on the bookshelf behind her desk and even some on the floor. None seemed to be in an order of any sort, but little did he know that they were.

“Kindling?!” Kira exclaimed with wide eyes. Deep down in her heart she knew people used the paper for kindling and as tissue paper, but it always broke her heart. She didn’t want to believe that anyone would do such a thing.

She clears her throat, hands picking at a stray thread in her jeans.

“My apologies.” She notes with a solemn expression as she looks for a tea cup. “They are lucky I must say. They are one of the only things I am proud of in this world. I collect them, regardless of subject. As I think I told you before, if you find any you don’t want and they’re in decent shape, I’d pay you for them. I fix them you see. And rebind them.” She smiles widely, pointing to the top shelf of her bookshelf. There’s a row of spines, all the same shade of brown leather.

“Nothing too fancy of course, but I make sure they’re readable and not falling apart. They’ll never be perfect, but I try my best in my spare time.”

“Well, uh… I’d really like a cup of coffee,” Carlos admitted
to her with a sheepish smile. “I haven’t had one of those since leaving
the vault… But I understand that that’s hard to come by, so I don’t
mind much if you don’t have it or you don’t wanna offer it. And you
don’t have to go into your clean water supply for me… I’m alright.”

He
was surprised when she said she’d buy a book from him however. “You’d
really buy books off of me?” he asked her. “For how much?” He started to
wonder if the caps he could get would be worth him carrying around the
pre-war tomes until he reached Diamond City again. He also had to
consider how often he’d actually make it to Diamond City – the old city
around it was crawling with hostile gangs and monsters so making the
trip was considerably dangerous.

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos hesitated a bit at the doorway, but he clenched his fist and stepped inside.He would have preferred to stay outside, though he wasn’t sure why. God, the Wasteland had not been good for his nerves at all.

He stopped awkwardly a bit inside from the door and looked around. He wondered what would be a good place to sit before deciding on a chair closest to him. He walked around to the front and gingerly sat down, still looking around.

“I haven’t been inside of a place that was actually… um, lived in in a while,” he commented. “It… it looks very nice.”

He seemed nervous to be inside, though she wondered why that was. Kira herself was brought up in a bunker so too terribly open spaces made her a bit nervous. Was he claustrophobic or something?

The ‘doctor’ closed the door behind them but opened one of the curtains on the window right next to the door. Perhaps he’d feel better knowing that he could still see outside and that people could see him inside? That he was… ‘ok’? Was he afraid of her or something?

As the scavenger took a seat, Kira glided her way across the floor to the small kitchenette where she took down a dented metal kettle. Now filling it with bottled water and setting it on the hot plate on the counter.

“Thank you, I didn’t do it myself trust me.” Kira smiles, “Most of this stuff is donated, or Doctor Sun’s, etcetera etcetera. All the books lying around in such a mess are mine though. That’s how you know I live here.” Kira giggles warmly before pointing to the kettle.

“Tea?”

“Huh? Oh, um… no thanks. I don’t… really like tea,” Carlos said awkwardly. “But, uh, thank you.”

Carlos glanced out the window, glad to have the little bit of openness to the room. It did make him feel better, and he started to look around again, focusing now on some of the books. Some looked very decently intact – probably still readable for the most part. That was very nice… at least some people still appreciated books. If he’d ever had the opportunity or time, he’d have loved to sit down and pour over pre-war mechanical and science books.

“It’s, uh… very nice to see that people still use books for their intended purpose, rather than just kindling,” he told her truthfully with a very slight smile. “They’re lucky they ended up here.”