Fifteen minutes later, they were walking out the Megaton gate, sniper rifle and shotgun in hand. Elle trudged along behind him. She had a hand up, shielding her eyes from the early afternoon sun.
At least she’s out the door, Charon mused. He’d expected her to put up somewhat of a fight, especially after he ruined her little nap on the couch, but she’d groaned and taken a dose of Med-X before getting dressed.
He didn’t have a concrete plan for Elle’s training. She was self-taught and a decent shot when she wasn’t rushing into the heat of battle. Still, she rarely spent more than a few seconds lining up a shot before pulling the trigger. Teaching her patience would be the most difficult part.
They had only walked for a mile or so when Charon spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. Instinct made his hands twitch towards his shotgun, but he resisted the urge and reached out an arm to stop Elle. She hadn’t noticed, hand still above her eyes, and collided headlong into his forearm.
“Ow, what the h-"
She fell silent when she saw he had a finger pressed to his scarred lips and followed his gaze to the movement.
There was a pack of molerats ahead of them, slowly scavenging through the dirt. Charon tilted his head towards a rocky outcropping nearby and Elle nodded in understanding. The two of them crept silently to it, crouching where two large rocks met and formed a little ledge to rest the rifle’s barrel while Elle lined up her shot.
He indicated for her to set the weapon upon the rocks, and she did so, checking the scope and larger surroundings as she attempted to line up the shot. Charon noticed that she was holding the gun like it was a clunky laser rifle, rather than with the finesse and precision that it required.
He let out a tense exhale as he watched Elle’s fidgeting hands. Charon knew an opportunity when he saw it, and he knew that he would earn a scolding from Nova if she ever found out he had chickened out of an opportunity like this.
Charon took his chance. He stepped wordlessly behind Elle and narrowed the space between them, careful not to brush against her. Her eye was still pressed up to the scope and she didn’t notice as he lowered his head to hers.
“You want your arms more like… this,” he muttered into her ear, and she recoiled away from the scope from his sudden closeness. His hands lightly trailed along her bare arms, repositioning them until she was lined up properly. He took her hands in his and guided them gently to the right position. Elle shivered beneath his touch and he saw goosebumps raise on her arms where he had touched her.
He prayed that it wasn’t out of disgust.
When she didn’t flinch away, Charon continued, figuring if he was going to do this, he was going to do it properly. He was in too deep to back out now.
“Now breathe,” he said, feeling her hair move from his breath, and Elle exhaled softly. He slid his hands back up her arms and, with a bolt of adrenaline spurring him on, placed them gently on her hips. She shivered again.
“Charon,” she started, her voice barely more than a whisper.
There was something in her tone, almost a plea that made his heart race. He turned his head and was surprised to meet her gaze. She was looking up at him with wide eyes, her lips parted slightly. Charon realized just how close she was as he noticed the pink flush on her cheeks.
Elle’s hands slackened on the rifle and shifted in his arms so that she was facing almost completely towards him. He could practically feel the heat radiating off her as his fingers tightened involuntarily on her hips. She was so deliciously soft and more than anything he wanted to feel her skin against his.
“Charon, I-“ she breathed, but the intensity in his gaze made her falter and flush even darker. One of her hands came to rest on his chest, the other still lightly gripping the rifle. He wondered nervously if she could feel just how quickly his heart was beating through his armor.
They stood there for a few moments, maybe minutes, he couldn’t be sure. Nothing felt real apart from the beautiful girl in his arms. Charon could have held her forever, but Elle’s breathing was ragged and she was looking at him with such neediness…
Then, Charon’s racing heart stopped as reality came crashing back to him.
Re: Heavy In Your Arms - Part 4a/?
At least she’s out the door, Charon mused. He’d expected her to put up somewhat of a fight, especially after he ruined her little nap on the couch, but she’d groaned and taken a dose of Med-X before getting dressed.
He didn’t have a concrete plan for Elle’s training. She was self-taught and a decent shot when she wasn’t rushing into the heat of battle. Still, she rarely spent more than a few seconds lining up a shot before pulling the trigger. Teaching her patience would be the most difficult part.
They had only walked for a mile or so when Charon spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. Instinct made his hands twitch towards his shotgun, but he resisted the urge and reached out an arm to stop Elle. She hadn’t noticed, hand still above her eyes, and collided headlong into his forearm.
“Ow, what the h-"
She fell silent when she saw he had a finger pressed to his scarred lips and followed his gaze to the movement.
There was a pack of molerats ahead of them, slowly scavenging through the dirt. Charon tilted his head towards a rocky outcropping nearby and Elle nodded in understanding. The two of them crept silently to it, crouching where two large rocks met and formed a little ledge to rest the rifle’s barrel while Elle lined up her shot.
He indicated for her to set the weapon upon the rocks, and she did so, checking the scope and larger surroundings as she attempted to line up the shot. Charon noticed that she was holding the gun like it was a clunky laser rifle, rather than with the finesse and precision that it required.
He let out a tense exhale as he watched Elle’s fidgeting hands. Charon knew an opportunity when he saw it, and he knew that he would earn a scolding from Nova if she ever found out he had chickened out of an opportunity like this.
Charon took his chance. He stepped wordlessly behind Elle and narrowed the space between them, careful not to brush against her. Her eye was still pressed up to the scope and she didn’t notice as he lowered his head to hers.
“You want your arms more like… this,” he muttered into her ear, and she recoiled away from the scope from his sudden closeness. His hands lightly trailed along her bare arms, repositioning them until she was lined up properly. He took her hands in his and guided them gently to the right position. Elle shivered beneath his touch and he saw goosebumps raise on her arms where he had touched her.
He prayed that it wasn’t out of disgust.
When she didn’t flinch away, Charon continued, figuring if he was going to do this, he was going to do it properly. He was in too deep to back out now.
“Now breathe,” he said, feeling her hair move from his breath, and Elle exhaled softly. He slid his hands back up her arms and, with a bolt of adrenaline spurring him on, placed them gently on her hips. She shivered again.
“Charon,” she started, her voice barely more than a whisper.
There was something in her tone, almost a plea that made his heart race. He turned his head and was surprised to meet her gaze. She was looking up at him with wide eyes, her lips parted slightly. Charon realized just how close she was as he noticed the pink flush on her cheeks.
Elle’s hands slackened on the rifle and shifted in his arms so that she was facing almost completely towards him. He could practically feel the heat radiating off her as his fingers tightened involuntarily on her hips. She was so deliciously soft and more than anything he wanted to feel her skin against his.
“Charon, I-“ she breathed, but the intensity in his gaze made her falter and flush even darker. One of her hands came to rest on his chest, the other still lightly gripping the rifle. He wondered nervously if she could feel just how quickly his heart was beating through his armor.
They stood there for a few moments, maybe minutes, he couldn’t be sure. Nothing felt real apart from the beautiful girl in his arms. Charon could have held her forever, but Elle’s breathing was ragged and she was looking at him with such neediness…
Then, Charon’s racing heart stopped as reality came crashing back to him.