selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist‌:

Oh shit, that’s right. Damn…

“Um, the thing with ice cream, Hancock, is that it’s frozen. It’s literally frozen milk and cream ingredients. And if we did find a container of it, it’d probably have not only melted but spoiled and petrified. I guess there’s a possibility that dehydrated ice cream still exists. It tastes the same, just drier. But if there was any to be had, I would assume that it would have been one of the first things to go.”

Carlos wished more than anything in that moment to have somehow rationed even a single piece of chocolate or a small package of dehydrated ice cream just to share it with Hancock – share as in give it to him since he had never tasted any of it before. But Carlos knew how ridiculous that thought was and tried to shake it away.

“I–– yeah, I s’pose that makes sense. Ya don’t think anyone’s figured out how to make it again? I mean, we got workin’ refrigerators now, it could be possible, right?” It was probably wishful thinking, but if he were being honest, it really didn’t matter that much, he didn’t know what he was missing so he couldn’t exactly miss it in the first place.

“Not unless someone’s got a recipe book from pre-war,” Carlos said a little sadly. But then an idea came to him. “Oh – but I can show you how to make popsicles! Some day, we should get some mutfruit juice and some clean skewer-type sticks and I’ll show you what my dad showed Mikey and I. You might like it.”

When it got warmer, of course – Carlos didn’t want Hancock to have any more issues with his circulation than the winter already gave him.

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist‌:

Carlos smiled at Hancock. He wished he had a bigger coat, but the labcoat was not meant to be used for warmth at all, and Carlos’ sweater was only built for one person. He cuddled back against Hancock as best as he could – at least it was a short walk back to the Statehouse.

“I’d like to look and see if we have milk too,” Carlos said. “If that’s okay.”

Now… back to chocolate… “Chocolate… it has like a sort of weird, rich flavor to it,” he started to explain. “I don’t know how to describe it… it felt kind of like warm milk when you chewed it because it had a low melting point and would spread all over your tastebuds. Kind of like ice cream, but not exactly the same.” Carlos laughed. “Gosh, I really don’t know how to make that make sense… but the science behind it is that chocolate can help improve blood flow and oxygen availability when you breathe. It just… feels really good to eat.”

“We can always pick up some more on the way home if you’d like.” He offered with a smile and pecked him lightly on the cheek. As he listened, only a little of what Carlos told him, clearly their experiences hadn’t been at all the same, because he was only able to relate to bits and pieces.

“I’ve….. actually never had ice cream before. That does sound good though, I wish I could try it. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find some someday, huh? Won’t be the same as whatever you had in your vault but should still be good, right?”

Oh shit, that’s right. Damn…

“Um, the thing with ice cream, Hancock, is that it’s frozen. It’s literally frozen milk and cream ingredients. And if we did find a container of it, it’d probably have not only melted but spoiled and petrified. I guess there’s a possibility that dehydrated ice cream still exists. It tastes the same, just drier. But if there was any to be had, I would assume that it would have been one of the first things to go.”

Carlos wished more than anything in that moment to have somehow rationed even a single piece of chocolate or a small package of dehydrated ice cream just to share it with Hancock – share as in give it to him since he had never tasted any of it before. But Carlos knew how ridiculous that thought was and tried to shake it away.

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist‌:

Carlos leaned into him without really thinking about it. “It’s not the same,” he told Hancock. “Chocolate was the first thing to go when the food stores were discovered in the Vault, so it’s been a few years for me, but I know that chocolate flavored stuff isn’t the same at all.”

But then he was curious. “Do you really have coffee? We still have some milk and sugar too, right?”

“You’ve actually tried it? What was it like? Good, right? I’m a little jealous, heh.” When they stepped out onto the street, Hancock huddled a little closer to Carlos, gripping his arm tight as the brisk night air hit him.

“I like to keep some real coffee around, yeah. Not sure about the milk, don’t remember when we picked it up, but there’s definitely some sugar.”

Carlos smiled at Hancock. He wished he had a bigger coat, but the labcoat was not meant to be used for warmth at all, and Carlos’ sweater was only built for one person. He cuddled back against Hancock as best as he could – at least it was a short walk back to the Statehouse.

“I’d like to look and see if we have milk too,” Carlos said. “If that’s okay.”

Now… back to chocolate… “Chocolate… it has like a sort of weird, rich flavor to it,” he started to explain. “I don’t know how to describe it… it felt kind of like warm milk when you chewed it because it had a low melting point and would spread all over your tastebuds. Kind of like ice cream, but not exactly the same.” Carlos laughed. “Gosh, I really don’t know how to make that make sense… but the science behind it is that chocolate can help improve blood flow and oxygen availability when you breathe. It just… feels really good to eat.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist‌:

Carlos smiled and nodded. “I wonder if we can warm up something to drink…”  They had already eaten the noodle bowls, of course, but being outside did chase away some of the warmth. How did mutfruit juice taste warm? Would it be like cider, or just yucky?

“I got coffee, that work for you? It’s uh…. it’s pretty old, but it ain’t bad, as far as I know.” With a smile, Hancock looped his arm in the other man’s and tugged him gently toward the door. “Think I read they used to drink hot chocolate before the war? I don’t even really know how that works, but I guess we don’t have nearly the same resources, heh. I don’t actually know what real chocolate even tastes like, I’ve only had like chocolate snack cakes and cereal and junk, I doubt that’s the same.”

Carlos leaned into him without really thinking about it. “It’s not the same,” he told Hancock. “Chocolate was the first thing to go when the food stores were discovered in the Vault, so it’s been a few years for me, but I know that chocolate flavored stuff isn’t the same at all.”

But then he was curious. “Do you really have coffee? We still have some milk and sugar too, right?”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos shrugged slightly. “Well… honestly, I’m not sure. I know that pre-war it was everywhere and there were huge celebrations about it, but I lived in a vault. We did have a vault-wide party sometimes, unless food was short. But, uh… my dad always told us that it was family that was important. And… making sure that we appreciated each other.” He laughed softly. “God, that sounds so corny…”

“It does sound pretty corny, but…. nice. We never did anything like that, celebrated birthdays, but even then it wasn’t anything big or all that special, y’know?” He shrugged. “Whatever you want to do, I’m happy to do it with you, I just want you to be happy and I’d do anything to make that happen.”

Carlos smiled at him. He reached and pulled his arms around Hancock to hug him. “I want you to enjoy it too. I’m actually very happy with how this turned out. I’m glad you liked it…”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos bit his lip to keep from smiling too goofily. “I… thanks, Hancock. So are you. I wanted to make sure I got you something cool, that nobody else had… well, other than me, I guess. Something that you’d really appreciate. And you like playing the games, so… yeah.” He knew he was babbling a bit, but he couldn’t help it. He was just so relieved and happy that Hancock liked the present. He was honestly a little worried that Hancock’s not growing up with a holiday spirit would damper it. But it seemed like everything was alright.

“I do appreciate it, sunshine.” He purred and leaned in to press a kiss to Carlos’ cheek. It was still a little weird to him to be celebrating….. well anything, honestly, but Carlos’ cheer certainly helped and there was no way in hell the ghoul was going to do something to screw this all up. “Is–– I’m sorry, but is this…. what the holiday is normally like? I always thought it was more uh…. over the top, I like this better.”

Carlos shrugged slightly. “Well… honestly, I’m not sure. I know that pre-war it was everywhere and there were huge celebrations about it, but I lived in a vault. We did have a vault-wide party sometimes, unless food was short. But, uh… my dad always told us that it was family that was important. And… making sure that we appreciated each other.” He laughed softly. “God, that sounds so corny…”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos made a noise of surprise as he was pulled in. His hands came up to hold Hancock’s waist and his eyes fluttered shut as they kissed. When they broke apart, Carlos smiled at him, a little dreamily.

“I’m glad you like it,“ he said softly. He swallowed slightly. “Um, admittedly that holotape is a bit beefier than standard ones. It… it took a little bit finding the right parts to put it together. But I already had the games – my brother was a programmer and he beefed up my Pipboy for me. So… um… yeah.”

“Ah, that makes more sense.” He paused, looking down at the holotape in his hand with a warm smile, it was amazing that the other man could even wrap his head around all of this, it was all over his head.

“You’re incredible.” He breathed, smile growing wider again as he looked back into Carlos’ eyes. “Really, you’re absolutely amazing, sweetheart.”

Carlos bit his lip to keep from smiling too goofily. “I… thanks, Hancock. So are you. I wanted to make sure I got you something cool, that nobody else had… well, other than me, I guess. Something that you’d really appreciate. And you like playing the games, so… yeah.” He knew he was babbling a bit, but he couldn’t help it. He was just so relieved and happy that Hancock liked the present. He was honestly a little worried that Hancock’s not growing up with a holiday spirit would damper it. But it seemed like everything was alright.