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The time was well into the night and the stars were bright in the sky, interrupting the inky blackness delicately with small white dots. The faint sound of the radio drifted in and out with the smell of stale tobacco. When he blinked, he could have sworn he still saw the stars in his eyelids, but alas, that was impossible-
metaphorical, maybe.
His dull white pupils, surrounded by a completely black sclera, contrasted the surrounding dark as Hancock glanced around at the buildings he passed. The night was his time to play, a perfect cloak to hide his misbehavings and identity. His boots echoed down the street but not loud enough to alert the nearby guards.
Hancock smiled softly to himself as the light cased by the “Valentine Detective Agency” sign lit up the features in his face. It was like an arrow pointing towards happiness, a warm hug and good company, something he hadn’t received in a while.
Thinking quietly to himself, Hancock turned down the alley leading to his lover's office, a bottle of old wine in his hand and a smile full of hope.
Good things were rare in his life, his drug abuse wasn’t just because it felt good to relax for a hour, it was the ability to forget. On a good high, he could just let go and feel at peace in a world where there is anything but peace.
In the moment as he knocked on the door, he wasn’t high, he wasn’t sad or lonely, he was tranquil as he heard footsteps from the other side of the door.
Not that having a lover automatically takes away his mental illnesses but it gives him a small feeling of hope that wasn’t there before.
The door opened to reveal the man, or synth, he loved. Nick Valentine smiled at him warmly and offered a “Glad you could make it, John.” before stepping aside to let him into his quaint office. Hancock, prior to walking inside, swiftly kissed Nick on the lips then made his way inside.
The soft click of the door shutting behind them filled the room and Hancock stretched upwardly, feeling his shoulder pop and he sighed softly.
“The walk over here was sketchy as all Hell. Had some drugged up Raider try to cut my arm off.” Hancock gave a small smile “But i’m here, and that's all that matters.”
“Maybe you should have offered him a hand.” Nick said, adjusting his suspenders.
Hancock stared at Nick for a good minute before clamping his forehead between his hand with a defeated sigh. “If you are going to make terrible puns for the rest of the night.” he had to hold back his laughter. “Then I will walk out that door and you will never see me again.”
Nick laughed as he walked over to his desk and started to put folders away.
“Sorry, Ellie has been out so I haven’t had anyone to vent my comedic genius to.” He stated and leaned on his desk.
“What comedic genius?” Hancock teased with a smirk and crossed his arms across his chest. “Anyway. How was your day, love?”
“Stressful, the case i'm working on has gone cold. All the clues I have continue to lead to dead ends. Nothing I can do about that right now so it shouldn't be a stress. In other news, how was your day?” Nick replied.
“Could have been better, but I think it's going to change now that i’m here...with you.” Hancock’s voice was gravely and slow but those factors were causes from the ghoulification, still, they had an effect on how the mood in the room felt.
Nick slowly stood straight and reached a hand out to his boyfriend. Personally it always felt weird to Nick to call Hancock such a term as ‘boyfriend’ since it seemed so elementary and outlandish in a sense. Really he just used it for lack of a better term.
Hancock interlaced his fingers between the fingers made of synthetic materials then leaned over and picked Nick’s other metal hand up from his side, not caring about the coldness of the metal between his fingers.
Nick smiled and chuckled a bit as he thought about how no one would ever pin Hancock as the romantic type and only he could see this side of him. The thought of having someone that was his own made him feel...like a human. Even though the experiences and things he did with Hancock weren’t that new to him. He got flashes of the real Nick’s old life and his old relationships, but this one, this one was his own to experience.
Hancock smiled as well and kept smiling even as Nick placed a soft kiss to his lips. He reached his hands up and softly planted them on the back of Nick’s head, keeping the synth in place as they locked lips. Offering a small closed-mouth chuckle, Hancock wrapped his arms around Nick’s neck to pull his body onto his own. Nick crinkled his eyes in amusement and wrapped his own arms
around Hancock’s middle. They pulled their lips away and Hancock breathlessly went back in for another kiss, slipping his tongue into it at some point.
They embraced in the middle of the office without a care in the world. Just two lovers together without anything separating them, which is unusual. If it’s not Sole dragging one of them on their crazy adventures, then it’s work, responsibilities or other personal reasons. It had been a while since they could just be alone. Alone and together at the same time. The oddity of their relationship, a ghoul and a synth, hidden away behind closed doors-the only place it was welcomed.
“You know” Nick started after he pulled away, his face calm with a small smile on his lips “I’ve really missed you, John.”
“Don’t go gettin’ all soft on me, Valentine. But.” He huffed “I missed you too. Being away from you really blows.” Hancock replied and moved his hands down to the synth’s waist.
The two spent the rest of their calm night walking around the dark streets of Diamond City, smoking old cigarettes and laughing with their hearts. At the end of the night, they found themselves cuddled up in Nick’s bed, Hancock’s head on Nick, quietly listening and drifting off to the clicks and whirs inside his chest.