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The surface truly is just one bad thing after another.
Lucy likes to think she isn’t incompetent, but the challenges she’s encountered have made her feel otherwise. And why is it so gosh darn complicated for her to doubt and question a stranger’s intention? Why does she feel the need to try and see the good in everyone she meets? She should know better by now. Heck, her dead trigger finger should be reminder enough.
That’s how she ended up in this predicament. Tied to post with a row of other vulnerable young women. Well, human women. She noticed there are ghoulish women, as well, but they’re locked in cages.
She isn’t sure how much time has passed now. She does know she’s watched plenty of men barter for these poor women. Some are only interested in an hour of their time. Others might use them for the night. Some women don’t get returned at all, if the man has enough caps. She dreads for the moment when it’s finally her turn. For once, her only saving grace is the fact that she’s from a Vault.
She’s tired and thirsty. These so-called tradespeople do provide food and water, but only enough to keep them alive. At this point, it’s becoming more and more difficult to lift her head. To keep it raised. She needs to escape, but the last woman who tried got caught and dragged back. The last ghoul who tried was shot dead.
All the better reason to get out. Lucy refuses to die here. And if their plans for her follow through… From what she’s overheard, her scenario is very different. It could give her an opportunity. If she can be quick. And smart. And lucky.
She hasn’t felt so lucky ever since leaving the Observatory.
It’s not long before the sound of screaming fills the room. It echoes through the old, worn-down hotel. Not like the rooms are soundproof, after all. She turns her head, not seeing any empty posts. Her blood runs cold. She’s heard rumours that human men will buy the ghouls just to torture them, but she hadn’t actually witnessed it yet.
If only she could block out the sound.
She isn’t sure how long it is before it goes quiet. Eerily so. Well, aside from a woman softly sobbing and muttering under her breath.
“We gotta make sure she stays in pristine condition,” a man’s voice soon cuts through. “It’s bad enough her finger is the way it is. We’re already gonna lose caps for that alone.”
“Tch. You’re worryin’ too much. She’s from a goddamn Vault, which practically makes her priceless. Ain’t nobody gonna give a flyin’ fuck ‘bout a discoloured finger.”
She notices two bodies stopping in front of her. One grabs her by the jaw to lift her head, squeezing. Lucy hisses from the pain.
“Man, she’s a beauty,” the second trader goes on. “Pure or not, our clients will fight to the death for this one. No doubt in my mind about it.” He lets her go and her head just drops. She watches their feet as they walk away. “Are the arrangements ready?”
“Almost,” the first trader says. “Just a few more details to work out. What d’ya reckon the startin’ bid for her is gonna be?”
The second trader hums thoughtfully. “I was thinking ‘rounda…”
Lucy winces slightly, feeling the sudden drop in her shoulders. Fudge. Just a couple more days. Then she can hopefully make a run for it. As to where she’ll go, she has no idea. Far away from this horrid place. She’ll have to lay low. Hide. She just wishes she could free some of the others, as well.
The front door of the hotel opens. She knows the sound all too well by this point. Heavy footfalls fill the room, followed by the soft sound of spurs. She chuckles to herself under her breath. Great, now she’s hallucinating. Dreaming of being a damsel in distress in one of those old Cooper Howard cowboy films.
Except she sees a pair of boots stop in front of her next. Lifts her head only for her breath to catch in her throat.
The Ghoul.
He gives her a onceover—expressionless as ever—before simply walking away. She opens her mouth, as if to call out to him. What the heck would she even say? He probably doesn’t remember her. Heck, he’s probably not even actually here. Of all people, though, why would she imagine him?
The sound of spurs echo through her mind.
~~~~
Now, how the fuck did the Vaultie get caught by goddamn sex traders? How could Cooper get so lucky? Because if he’s going to show up in New Vegas, he sure as hell isn’t showing up empty-handed. And if he has Hank MacLean’s precious daughter in tow, then he may just get whatever information he wants.
It’s worth a shot.
It definitely doesn’t have anything to do with him feeling like he owes her.
“How much for that Vault-dweller?”
“She ain’t for sale.”
“Then why the fuck you got her tied to a post in yer display room?”
The tradesman leers at him. “She’s only on display ‘cause we’ve had such a high number o’ requests for her that we’re holdin’ an auction instead. She’ll go to the highest bidder, but clients gotta know what they’re biddin’ on.”
He grits his teeth, holding back an eyeroll. “How much she worth, then?”
“We got plenty o’ ghoul options. Look at one o’ them.”
Cooper gives a half-hearted chuckle, shaking his head. “Sure, ‘cept I ain’t want no goddamn ghoul. I want the Vaultie.”
“If you would like to embarrass yourself that badly, fine. Then you can wait for the auction along with the rest of our clients.”
He holds back a sneer. The fact that a place like this has regular clientele… Tch.
“You can go now,” the trader goes on.
Cooper clicks his tongue. Fishes in his pocket for the couple bags of caps. Does the quick math in his head on how many he’d have leftover in his saddlebag if he handed over the entirety of both pouches.
Huh. Is the Vaultie really worth that much?
“Here.” Cooper drops the two pouches on the counter.
The tradesman eyes the pouches before lifting his gaze. He dumps the contents of one bag, eyes widening. “Well, well…” Dumps the contents of the second, causing a putrid grin to pop onto his face. “Marcy, be a dear and go retrieve the Vault-dweller. Frankie, please escort this man to the suite.”
“But, sir—”
“Don’t question me. Just do it.”
“Don't worry, you ain’t gotta waste a suite on a ghoul,” Cooper says.
“Every guest gets a complimentary night for their purchase.”
“It ain’t necessary.”
“It’s part of the transaction. So, do you want your purchase or not?”
He grits his teeth and shuts up.
~~~~
Lucy is more than surprised when she’s suddenly untied from the post. Her kneels feel like jelly; she nearly falls over as soon as her feet touch the ground.
“What’s—?” She looks up to see a woman smiling at her. “Is it time?”
“You’ve already been sold,” she tells her.
She mindlessly holds her hands out for them to be tied together. “But I thought—”
“A new customer came in with a hefty number of caps up front. So, the boss changed his mind.” That doesn’t make Lucy feel any better. “Now, if you’d kindly follow me; I’ll lead you to your suite.”
“My suite?”
“Yes. It is customary of us to provide our clients with a free stay for the first night spent with their new purchases.”
“Oh.”
She follows the young woman. Spots the two tradesman, too preoccupied with counting their newly acquired caps to notice her.
“We ain’t gonna let him keep her, are we?” one of them asks.
The other scoffs. “He’s gotta fuck her to complete the purchase. Ain’t no way she’s lettin’ that thing touch her. So, we’ll still have the Vaultie and the caps.”
“What if he tries killin’ her?”
“We’ll stop it ‘fore it gets that far.”
Lucy swallows hard. That…doesn’t sound promising.
She stumbles at the bottom of the stairs. Looks up the flight. It already feels like a mountain. The physical act of climbing the stairs isn’t an easy task, either. Not as easy as it should be. The woman helps her at one point when she trips.
“Thank you.” The smile she receives is sheepish. “I hope you don’t mind me asking… Why do you do this? Why do you stay here?”
The woman shrugs her shoulders. “Otherwise, I’d be in your position.”
She nods her head. “Yeah, that—That’s fair.”
They finally reach the floor with the suite. Lucy spots a burly-looking man waiting outside one of the doors and her stomach drops.
“She give you any trouble Marcy?” he checks.
“None at all, Frankie.” She turns to Lucy. “Here we are. Your new owner is already waiting inside.”
“You mean he’s not—?”
“Frankie?” She laughs. “Oh, no. He’s just here to make sure you two aren’t disturbed since the locks don’t work on any of the doors.”
To make sure they aren’t disturbed. Right. In other words, he’s merely here to listen and verify the so-called completion of the purchase.
With that, Marcy takes her leave, keeping her head down. Frankie opens the door to usher Lucy inside. She stumbles across the threshold. Turns to watch the door close before facing the room.
The Ghoul is the one waiting for her.
~~~~
The Vaultie looks like a fucking mess. Exhausted and scared and confused. Understandably so. Her big doe-eyes only grow even wider as he approaches her. She flinches as he takes her hands, squeezing her eyes shut. He waits until she’s mostly stopped shaking to cut the bindings. Cooper hears her breath catch as she opens her eyes again.
“What are you—?” she starts, voice raspy.
“Settin’ you free.”
“You—What?”
“I bought ya to free ya, Vaultie.”
“They said you gave a lot of caps for me.” She shakes her head. “You spent those caps on me just to—?”
“What did ya think was gonna happen?”
“Seeing as they didn’t mention who made the purchase, I was under the impression I was about to become a—a sex slave.”
“Well, now you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout it.” He scoffs, gesturing his head towards the door. “Just a shame we can’t get outta here yet.” He looks back at her. She looks…lost. Broken down. He doesn’t like it. “Maybe that ain’t such a bad thing.” He tilts his head. “When’s the last time you slept?” She only shakes her head again. “C’mon. Lay down and try to get some rest.”
It takes Lucy a moment to move. To gather her bearings. Even then, it’s like she’s moving in slow motion. Almost calculated. He can’t help but watch the careful way she sits down on the edge of the bed. As if it’ll break beneath her weight. He watches her untie her boots, struggling to pull them off. He kneels in front of her to help her.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” she asks, her tone soft. Low.
Cooper doesn’t humour her with an answer. Just focuses on getting the boots off, setting them aside before putting distance between them again. He can feel her watching him. Doesn’t dare look until he hears the rustling of the bed as she lays back. The silence is…not as unsettling as he imagined it would be.
“Thank you,” she soon says.
He scoffs. “How the hell did ya even get mixed up in this place?” For once, he can’t help his curiosity. “Thought you’d be with the tin soldier.”
“It’s a long story.”
“We got all night, darlin’.”
Tch. Cooper doesn’t understand why he’s bothering to indulge her. They don’t need to talk to each other, yet… Fuck.
“Well, I hate to say it, but you were right. The Brotherhood took the Observatory.”
“Left you alive, though.”
“Only because of Max. He got credit for killing Moldaver. Asked them to spare me. Went back to one of their bases, but since I’m not Brotherhood and refused to swear an oath to them, I had to be kept in what was basically a holding cell. I wasn’t technically locked up, but there would’ve been consequences for my wandering. I tried explaining to Max that we couldn’t stay there, and he kept telling me he would figure out a plan.”
“Where were you plannin’ on goin’?”
“I dunno.” Lucy shrugs her shoulders. “After my father, I guess. Not that it mattered by the time I got out. I’m not sure how long I even spent at that base. I figured out Max wouldn’t be able to come with me, though. They promoted him to an actual Knight and he just…” She takes a deep breath. “I told him I couldn’t stay any longer, so he decided to help me escape unnoticed. Said he would deal with the consequences. Then I met these traders who promised they could lead me to food and water and…here I am.”
“Still too trustin’, Sweetheart.” A pause. “Gotta admit, I’m surprised ya didn’t just go back to yer Vault.”
“I couldn’t. I still have to find my father and bring him to justice.”
“How you gonna do that when ya don’t even know where he is?”
~~~~
Lucy hasn’t actually thought that far ahead. She hums, pressing her lips together. Maybe… You comin’? No, that would be foolish. Besides, she doubts the Ghoul would make that same offer twice. Not after already turning him down once, and especially not after finding her in this place. He probably sees her as nothing more than a liability. If he didn’t already, that is.
“Why are you here?” she asks.
“Just passin’ through,” he says. “This place used to be a reputable settlement before these fuckers moved in.”
“Lucky me.” The words are out before she can really think about the consequences of their meaning. Though, she doubts he would read too deep into it. She clears her throat. “Where are you heading?”
“New Vegas.”
“Is that where you think my father is?”
“Got my suspicions.”
“Care to elaborate?”
A pause. “D’ya know how long you’ve been here?” he asks instead.
She huffs. “No,” she tells him. “It feels like it’s been weeks but… I dunno. I suppose I could consider myself lucky, in a sense. They noticed the Vault suit and figured I’d be valuable. Told me they were gonna do a bidding war for me because—” Lucy stops short. “People here are terrible. Cruel and disgusting.”
“Even worse than me?”
“Honestly, yes. Much worse than you.”
He makes a sound; she can’t quite place it. “Get some sleep,” he then says again.
Lucy has been laying on her back for the duration of this conversation. Rolls onto her side to face the Ghoul. He’s sitting in an armchair not too far away from the bed. She bites her lower lip. Thinks about the conversation she’d overheard between the tradesmen on her way up here. “Would it be so terrible if we did have sex?”
“Beg yer pardon?”
“I’m just saying… I don’t believe it would be the worst thing for us to utilise the bed and some privacy.”
“Wouldn’t consider this private.”
“You know what I mean.”
Now he scoffs. “Reckon it would be the worst thing. Trust me, darlin’, you ain’t wanna fuck a ghoul.”
Interesting. Some inane part of her doesn’t want to consider that a full dismissal. His claim hadn’t necessarily been a rejection, after all. He didn’t state that he didn’t want to have sex. Hmm…
“If you’re concerned about what I assume is radioactive semen, then we can either avoid anything penetrative, or you can just pull out.”
Lucy swears she can hear the creak of his leather gloves as his hands clench into fists. “You ain’t wanna have sex with me.”
“Why not? I mean, I wouldn’t offer if—”
“Have you forgotten who you’re dealin’ with?”
The man who cut off her finger and sold her for drugs. She remembers clearly. How could she not? Regrettably for her, that doesn’t mean she’s not intrigued by him. She knows she shouldn’t be, but… Well, she’d much prefer to remain as his so-called purchase rather than be returned to the traders. The slavers. Plus, he did request her company before. Of course, he very well could have had an ulterior motive back then. Still, Lucy thinks she likes that he’s mysterious. Dangerous. She wants to know everything about him.
“It ain’t a good idea,” he goes on after she’s taken too long to respond.
“Fine. I didn’t want to bring this up, but I overheard the tradesmen threatening to…undo your purchase of me if we don’t have sex tonight.”
“That so?”
“Yes.”
“Then make whatever lucrative noises ya gotta to convince ‘em.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Seriously? Make noises? That’s your advice.”
“While we’re bein’ honest here… I only bought you to use as a bargainin’ chip for when I do track down yer daddy.”
That makes her sit up. “You said you bought me to free me.”
“And you’ll be free to go wherever you please after I get the information that I need to find my family. Info I know yer daddy’s got.”
Her brow furrows. “You are—”
“Let me guess… Cruel and disgustin’?” Rather than dignify that with a response, she merely lay back again. “That’s right, Vaultie. Just drop it. Neither of us is here to fuck. ‘Sides, who knows what kinda drugs they got in yer system.”
“I am not on drugs.”
“Darlin’, trust me, they’ve been spikin’ yer food and water with drugs this whole time. That’s why yer body feels so goddamn heavy.”
Lucy wants to be offended but she shouldn’t be surprised. Cruel and disgusting. Those were the words she had used.
She hadn’t meant for them to be directed at the Ghoul.
“Okie-dokie. Then I suppose sex would be the worst thing in the world.”
“Drop it,” he says again.
And that’s that.
~~~~
Would it be so terrible if we did have sex?
Tch. Well, that had certainly been an unexpected advancement. And she’d said it so fucking casually. As if they were chatting about the fucking weather. The fuck is wrong with this girl? Why would she toy with the idea of fucking a ghoul? Even if it did have something to do with that so-called threat… She must not fully understand the fact that coupling with a creature that’s seen as less than human would also cause her to be seen as significantly less than human.
Suddenly, Cooper feels relieved that she hadn’t chosen to travel with him because then he would’ve been dealing with her talking back on the regular. With this attitude. Or having sex—
No. She only offered because they’re here. Because she’s bored. Because of the threat. It’s one step up from a goddamn pity offer.
Maybe his response had been too harsh.
Soon enough, he hears her breathing even out. Dares to glance at her sleeping form. Would it be so terrible—? Shit. Cooper is going to be thinking about that stupid question for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, his cock has already provided a less than agreeable answer. Except he’s not going to fuck the Vaultie. It wouldn’t be right. Especially in this scenario. Even if he doesn’t plan on keeping her—beyond New Vegas, at least—he did technically buy her. He’s done a lot of fucked up things since the bombs dropped, but this is not one of them. These aren’t the kinds of tradespeople he’s ever been interested in making deals with.
Much to his dismay, she doesn’t sleep for long. The sound of her stirring prompts him to get to his feet. He’s not sure what he’s doing or where he’s going. There’s a door on the other side of the room, so he goes there. It’s a bathroom. Huh. He flips the light switch because, if there’s an upside to this place, it’s the fact that they have electricity.
And running water.
“Is that a working shower?” Lucy asks from behind.
He’ll never admit that she nearly made him jump out of his old, leathery skin.
“That it is,” he tells her. He checks the water and feels that it’s warm. “Go ahead and get yourself washed up.” He turns to face her, giving her a onceover. “Ya look like shit.”
She makes an offended noise to which he just chuckles. “What does it matter? It’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone. Certainly not you.”
Big talk for someone who had asked him for sex just a couple hours ago. “Try all ya like, Sweetheart, but ya can’t offend me.”
He leaves the water running and exits the bathroom. She only partially closes the door. He rolls his eyes as he lay back on the bed now that it’s empty. He’ll leave once she comes back. For now, though, he’s happy to be in a horizontal position.
The sound of her zipper is deafening.
His gaze darts towards the bathroom door before he can stop himself. There’s an old, dirty mirror, but it’s not dirty enough to censor Lucy’s reflection. Cooper bites his tongue as she pulls the bloodstained tank top over her head, leaving her in nothing but her underwear and bra. She moves before taking those off—thank fuck—and he exhales heavily. Hadn’t even noticed he had been holding his breath. Feels more relief when he hears her step under the running water.
He loses track of just how much time she spends in there. Loses track of the time altogether. Imagines they still have a long night ahead of them. Especially if his cock keeps acting up the way it is.
When he hears the water eventually shut off, he peaks just beneath the brim of his hat. Catches a glimpse of her nude form this time. She finds a towel—if it can be called that—and starts drying herself off. He shouldn’t be watching but he can’t help himself. He doesn’t understand why he feels so drawn to her. Tch.
It would’ve been easier if Cooper had just left. Let her fend for herself.
Except he still would’ve been thinking about her.
“Are you gonna say something,” she starts, “or are you just gonna stare all night?”
Oh, he’s done for.
~~~~
Lucy holds back a smug grin when she hears him scoff from the other room. “The hell am I supposed to say?”
“Fair enough.” She leaves the towel on the floor, unashamed of her nudity as she exits the bathroom. “Then are you gonna do something, or are you just gonna lay there and stare all night?”
The Ghoul immediately gets to his feet. Starts moving toward her, seemingly making sure to keep his gaze locked on her face. “What exactly d’ya want me to do, darlin’?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “You technically bought me. That means you can do whatever you want to me.”
“Them dangerous words. ‘Specially if spoken to the wrong person.”
“I don’t think you’re the wrong person.” Her voice is barely a whisper. Heck, she had been so focused on his face, she hadn’t even noticed when he got so close. “Please?”
“You ain’t gotta worry ‘bout that threat. I ain’t lettin’ ‘em keep ya here.”
“That’s sweet,” and that’s something she never thought she’d say to the Ghoul, “but this has nothing to do with that.”
And that’s the gosh darn truth. While the threat had been concerning, genuine curiosity has taken over. Despite everything, Lucy can’t help but feel they’re both here for a reason. The Ghoul was meant to find her here. And now—
“Stupid Vaultie.” He cups her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “You haven’t learned a goddamn thing, huh?”
He kisses her before she can answer. It takes her breath away. He coaxes her mouth open, allowing his tongue to slip inside. She anticipated he’d taste sour. Bitter. Instead, he tastes like smoke. Leather. He tastes like the surface. Like how she felt the moment she saw the open sky for the first time.
When the kiss breaks, his hands find their way to her waist and he forces her away. Keeps her rooted when she tries pushing and pulling at him. She gasps softly, not wanting this to end when it’s only just begun.
“Lay back,” he tells her.
Gosh, she feels giddy. Practically has to stop herself from skipping the short distance to the bed. She sits on the edge, facing him as she slowly slides back to lean against the headboard. He removes his hat and his duster, placing them both on the armchair he had been sitting in earlier. Then he returns to the end of the bed.
“Ever touch yourself, darlin’?” he asks. Lucy only nods her head, suddenly unable to speak. “Show me.”
Her throat is dry as she swallows hard. Bites her lower lip as she brings her hand down to her core. Of course she’s touched herself before. She’s never had an audience, though. At least, not someone so focused on her. Chet was always so tuned in with his own pleasure that he’d never noticed when Lucy was touching herself. Meanwhile, Monty was straight to the point; they had a clear end goal in mind. This…
This rapt attention is as nerve-wracking as it is endearing.
Slowly, she trails her finger down her body. It’s been a while since she’s been able to do this. As a matter of fact, she doesn’t think she’s yet to pleasure herself while being on the surface. So, this is the first time she’ll be using her new finger, as well. The finger she has because the other person in the room cut hers off because she had bit his off.
Talk about a full circle moment.
She takes a deep breath as she tries to focus. Presses her finger to her clit. The touch feels basically the same. Considering how long it’s been, she’s actually pretty worked up already. The way the Ghoul is watching her is also quite helpful. The normal irritation in his eyes has been replaced with a lustful hunger. Desire. She travels a bit lower to gather some of the wetness there, smearing it across her swollen bud. Soon enough, muscle memory kicks in, her pace increasing along with the wetness between her thighs.
“Atta girl,” he mumbles. His tone goes straight through her. Nearly makes her body jolt. “Keep goin’. Don’t stop ‘til I say so.”
Gosh, she’s not sure she could stop.
Somehow, she hears the soft clanking of his belt buckles being undone over the wet sounds her fingers are creating. When Lucy hears it, she presses harder. Rocks her hips up into her hand. Into her touch. She opens her eyes, unsure of when they’d even closed, and sees him pulling his glove off his hand with his teeth. Then he lowers that hand, wrapping it around his erect shaft. Strokes himself, spreading the bead of pre-cum leaking from his tip. Her lips tremble as she lets out a soft moan at the sight.
“Like what ya see?” She nods her head. “Well, ain’t you a little freak?” He steps closer to the bed. Moves his hand a little faster. “Be a good girl and maybe I’ll give you what you’re cravin’.”
She tries to rub her clit in time with his own movements. Tries to watch both his face and his hand. His own gaze seems to be scouring across her body, as well. She bites her lower lip as she feels the coil pulling taut in her core, her brow furrowing as she forces her eyes to remain open.
“Go on, Sweetheart,” he murmurs. “Make yourself cum."
She does. Lucy gasps, rolling her finger over her clit for just a few more seconds while her inner walls clench around nothing. Satisfied yet not sated. Then the Ghoul is leaning over her. Spilling across her abdomen with a grunt. She can’t help but lick her lips at the sight. Can’t help but hope that this isn’t it. She hopes he’ll still touch her. She wants him to touch her.
Gosh, maybe she is on drugs.
~~~~
Cooper runs his hands along the soft skin of Lucy’s thighs as she catches her breath. Watches the way part of his release pools in her bellybutton. The rest of it drips down her sides and onto the mattress. He wonders if it burns. If it’ll leave a mark. Huh. That’d be quite the scar for her to explain to any future lovers.
If she takes anyone else after tonight, that is.
His original plan was to make her wear herself thin without him needing to do much else. Damn shame, because he’s not sure he’ll be able to stick with that plan anymore. Not after witnessing that stunning performance. Fuck, she’s something else.
He pulls her towards the edge of the bed before dropping to his knees.
“Wait,” she speaks up. “You don’t—That’s not really my…favourite thing.”
He hums. “Sure. I wouldn’t expect the tin can soldier to have known what the fuck he was doin’ down here.”
“What? No.” She props herself up on her elbows. “He didn’t—We never—”
“Ah, then yer little Vaultie boyfriend was the clueless one.”
She huffs. “The few times my cousin tried—”
“Beg yer pardon? Yer cousin?”
“Yes.” Lucy’s tone sounds as if this is a completely normal conversation. “They encouraged us to practice sex in the Vault, so—”
“So, you fucked yer cousin?”
“We did not fuck—” She covers her mouth with her hand, eyes going wide. Cooper can’t help the smirk at the sound of her swearing. She then clears her throat as she composes herself. “We did not have penetrative sex.”
“Regardless, practicin’ with yer cousin ain’t normal.”
“I’m gathering that, thank you. Then again, what can be considered normal on the surface? You did just purchase me from sex slavers, after all.”
It’s a fair point. Cooper doesn’t really want to be thinking about morals, though. “Y’know, Sweetheart, this is kinda killin’ the mood.”
She groans, falling back again. “I’m sorry.”
He kisses along her inner thigh. “May I?” he then asks.
There’s a pause before Lucy nods her head. So, he continues kissing down her thigh. That little talk helped sustain his current relief, but the moment his tastes her, he’s nearly hard again. She gasps softly above him, and he decides he’s not going to take his time. So, he pushes his tongue into her cunt, and she gasps louder. He settles just a bit closer as he starts lapping at her inner walls. She squirms and bucks her hips, not trying to get away but still getting damn near close to escaping. So, he gets his hands involved. Uses one to hold her down while the other joins his tongue. Replaces it inside her so he can focus on her sensitive clit. That draws a guttural groan from the back of her throat. Raw and real. It makes him shudder. He adds a second finger before starting to move them in tandem with his tongue, dragging the digits in a beckoning motion. He then wraps his lips around the swollen bud, nibbling and sucking and drawing the sweetest fucking noises from her pretty mouth until she’s cumming again. Soaking his face. Making an absolute mess. He pulls her closer to drink her down, tongue-fucking her through the aftershocks.
“Stop,” she soon gasps out, breathless. “Please. Too much…”
Cooper takes one more swipe before finally pulling away. Goddamn it, she looks ruined and it’s because of him. There’s no way he’s letting anyone else have her after this. No way he’s not taking more from her himself. Taking whatever she’ll give.
~~~~
Holy moly…
Lucy’s chest is heaving. Her eyes are fluttering as she tries to open them again. She feels the Ghoul back away. Feels the loss of his warmth. As much as she wanted sex at the beginning of this evening, maybe she would be fine with just this, after all.
Until, that is, she hears the rustling of his trousers. The sound somehow renews her energy. She gets her eyes to stay open, propping herself up on her elbows again. He’s fully removed his pants now, which she never thought would happen. Better yet, his shaft is fully erect again, which she also didn’t think was possible for a man.
He holds out his hand for her. “C’mere.”
She goes to him. Willingly. Immediately. She needs more. Needs whatever he’ll continue to give. Once she’s on her feet, knees still shaky, he takes her by the arm before pushing her face first into the door. She gasps, feeling his body trap hers. It shouldn’t be as relaxing as it is. As relieving.
“I want ‘em to hear you, Sweetheart,” he tells her. “Make sure they know we’re utilisin’ their generous accommodations. Makin’ good on that threat.”
Her throat goes dry. “Okie-dokie.”
Lucy feels the blunt head of his member at her dripping entrance. Feels how easily she parts for him. There’s no resistance, just the give. He breathes against her ear, causing a shiver to travel down her spine. She presses her hands flat to the door as he pushes as deep as he can go inside her. Gosh, she’s never felt more full. He makes a guttural noise, and she can’t help but whine in response. Then his hands are on her. His bare hands. Flat on her stomach, then covering her breasts.
“Fuck, you’re soft,” he breathes.
His mouth is on her neck the next moment. He starts pulling out, slowly, before pushing back in. The force shoves her into the door. She worries about splinters only for the briefest moment. Then his hands move to her hips, and she can’t think of anything beside his touch. He draws her closer. Angles her towards him. He pulls out again and thrusts forward. Hits a spot deep inside her that forces a cry of pleasure from her throat.
“That’s it, darlin’.”
The Ghoul doesn’t speed up, but his thrusts do become sharper. Precise. He hits that same spot, bringing that same cry from her lips. Then he moves a finger to her swollen bud. Plays with her clit, timing his rough swipes with the way he buries himself inside her. His lips are on her throat again, nipping and licking now. And when her inner walls clench around him, he bites. Sucks at her sensitive skin. Instead of trying to get away, though, she uses her leverage against the door to try and push herself even closer. He growls before pulling out of her. Before she can sob and ask why, he’s spinning her around. Lifting her. She automatically wraps her legs around his waist. He finds his way back inside her and starts thrusting even deeper than before.
“I’m gonna fuckin’ ruin you, Vaultie.”
“Please.”
“Yeah, you want that? You wanna be fuckin’ ruined?”
Again, he leaves Lucy with no chance to respond before he starts moving his hips. Fast and hard. Her mouth drops open with one, loud, continuous moan as he pounds into her. He leans down to wrap his lips around her nipple. She rolls her hips, grinding against him. She can feel herself dripping down her thighs. Can feel herself being ruined as her orgasm builds a third time until it’s washing over her. Her head drops back against the door as her hips and breath stutter.
Next thing she knows, she’s back on the bed.
~~~~
She’s a fucking mess. And she is his mess.
He observes her on the bed. Hair splayed out like a halo, chest heaving, a mess between her thighs. She’s beautiful. Ruined. Tch. This almost isn’t fair. She shouldn’t be subjected to this, and Cooper certainly doesn’t deserve her. Not after everything he’s done. Everything he’s said.
When Lucy’s eyes flutter open, her gaze immediately searches for him. Then she fucking smiles. Reaches for him. He can’t resist her pull. So, he kneels on the bed. Crawls over her. As soon as he’s close enough, she winds her arms around his neck and drags him into a kiss. Tender. Sensual. Everything she’s entitled to and nothing he encompasses.
That doesn’t stop him from taking her again.
He lines his cock up with her aching cunt and slips back inside her. She lets him. He kisses his way down her neck. Laves his tongue over the bruise blooming across her pallid skin. She whimpers beneath him, lifting her hips. She’s like a fucking vice around him. He could stay like this, buried in her heat, unmoving. Now that he’s had her, he doesn’t want to let go. You technically bought me… It already feels like so long ago that she’d spoken those words.
He’s not the possessive type but, fuck, he may have to keep her as his possession.
“How much?” She’s breathless, the question barely audible. Cooper pulls far enough away to meet her gaze, heated as ever. Or maybe it’s the fire in his own eyes reflecting back to him. “How much did you pay for me?” she asks more clearly.
He doesn’t want to tell her. Almost ashamed. “Eight hundred.”
Lucy’s eyes widen. “Eight—?”
He kisses her again to shut her up. He’s not interested in having this conversation right now. Not when he’s buried inside her.
Next thing he knows, her legs are wrapping around his waist again. And in a surprising show of strength, she flips them over. Gets him on his back and sits astride his lap. Astride his cock. She arches, pushing him even deeper inside her. He grunts, grabbing her hips while she leans forward, placing her hands on his shoulders. She starts riding him. Works herself up and down the length of his cock. He watches, entranced by the show.
She’s a goddamn force to reckoned with.
“Atta girl,” he murmurs. “C’mon, show me how much you want it. How much you enjoy my cock.” She whimpers, her next drop a little harder, and he grunts. “That’s it. Just like that, Sweetheart. Fuckin’ desperate for it, ain’t ya? You’ve already cum three times, but ya still want more. Ya want me to cum inside yer soppin’ cunt, don’t ya?”
“Yes,” she gasps out.
He growls. Pushes himself into a sitting position. Grabs the nape of her neck—maybe a bit too roughly—with one hand, keeping her in place as he presses her forehead to his. “Yeah? You want my radioactive cum inside you?” She nods her head. “Oh, ‘course you do. And I bought ya, so now you’re mine to claim anyway.”
“Oh, pl—Shoot…please…”
Goddamn, she’s so sweet. It’s a good thing he let himself cum earlier, otherwise he never would’ve held off so long. He nips at the shell of her ear. Sucks at her pulse point, leaving another mark. There’s only one word on his mind:
Mine.
“Gimme one more,” he tells her. “Then I’ll give ya what ya want, darlin’. C’mon.”
She whimpers more as she tries to speed up her pace, grinding against him. The wet sounds between them fill his ruined ears. Such a waste o’ water… Not that he’s really complaining. Not when he can feel her cunt clenching and fluttering around him. He takes her face in his hands, forcing her to hold his gaze. He watches with rapt attention as she falls apart for the fourth time that evening. Feels the way her body holds onto his cock. The sound that falls from her lips is nothing short of pure ecstasy. He keens low in the back of his throat as he loses control, flooding her cunt with thick ropes of cum. She squeezes tighter around him, the spasming in sync with the pulsing of his cock. She buries her face in the crook of his neck as he continues to fill her.
Eventually, Lucy is mouthing at his neck. Finding her way back to his lips to meet in another kiss. It’s soft. Much softer than anything they’ve done so far tonight. When the kiss breaks, she lets out a soft sigh. A content sigh. He swallows hard. Carefully eases her off his cock. She makes a noise of displeasure, which he can only chuckle at.
Cooper lays her down on the mattress before getting to his feet. Makes his way for the bathroom to grab a washcloth. By the time he makes it back to Lucy, she’s already asleep. He chuckles a bit more, but it turns into a soft growl at the sight of their mixed fluids dripping from her. He takes a deep breath, carefully wiping at the mess between her thighs. Then he cleans the mess off himself. Discards the towel and dares to lay in the bed beside her. She immediately curls into him. He lets her. Can’t seem to push her away. Wouldn’t dare. Mine. That word is still echoing in his head.
Fuck.
~~~~
When she wakes up, her head is tucked into the Ghoul’s shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. Lucy should want to get away. To get out of this place. Instead, she shifts even closer to him. Better yet, his arm tightens around her. She looks up at him. His eyes are closed, which is good, because she’s not sure if she should smile or not.
“Did you sleep?” she asks.
“Off and on,” he says. Now he opens his eyes to look at her. “How’re ya feelin’?”
“Sore, but in a good way.” She hums softly. “Did you mean it? Did you really spend eight hundred caps on me?” His lack of confirmation is enough of an answer. “Why? Why would you ever spend that much on me? Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful, but…” She shrugs her shoulders. “Well, I’ve come to understand that’s a lot of caps.”
“I’m a bounty hunter, darlin’,” he says. “Plenty more caps where that bit came from. ‘Sides, you ain’t deserve to be here.”
Oh. She swallows hard. “I should’ve gone with you. At the Observatory, I mean. I just—I should’ve taken you up on your offer.”
“Live and learn, Vaultie.” A pause. “Ain’t too late to change yer mind, though.”
“I suppose not, but… Well, aren’t you just planning on bringing me to New Vegas and delivering me to my father anyway?”
He hums. “No.”
“No?”
“Not anymore.” He scoffs, though there’s no real heat behind it. “It’s complicated.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“If only that were true.”
“So…what’s the plan?”
“The plan is to get outta here and set ya free. Then you can do whatever you wanna do. Go wherever you wanna go.”
The scary part is…Lucy would rather just stay with him.
She presses her lips together. Swears she can still taste him. Gets up before risking jumping on him again. She tries to remember where she left her Vault suit. Bathroom. She’s halfway into it when the Ghoul speaks up:
“See if they have somethin’ else here you can throw on,” he says. “That thing is an eyesore. Plus, it makes you a target.”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. And I should have because that’s what got me into this mess in the first place.” She shakes her head as she sits on the edge of the bed to start pulling the suit off again. “Gosh, I’m so stupid. Apparently, I just don’t know how to learn from my mistakes.”
“Hey, you ain’t dumb. Cut yourself some slack.”
She isn’t sure how to respond to that, so she doesn’t. Gets up and searches the dresser for clothes that have been left behind. Tries not to think about where they might’ve come from as she pulls a pair of cargo pants and a light flannel out of the drawer.
“What’s that scar there?” he suddenly asks.
She freezes. Looks down at herself. “From a raider.”
“They sold me damaged goods, huh? I should ask for a refund.”
She looks over her shoulder at him, scrunching her nose at his joke. His teasing. “Not to mention used goods.”
He raises his bare brow at her. “Thought you said you ain’t fuck yer cousin.”
“Correct.” She gets the pants on. “I did, in fact, have a husband for a night, though.” Pulls the shirt over her head. “The aforementioned raider. He slept with me, and then he tried to kill me.”
“Sounds like quite the story.”
“Pretty boring story, actually.” She looks at him and smiles. “Wouldn’t want to waste your time with the details.”
His gaze very obviously traces across her body, sweeping up and down. “Reckon we could find the time.”
There’s banging on the door before she can respond. It startles her. Startles the blush from her cheeks. The Ghoul slips off the bed to answer the knock.
“Yer night is up. We request you take yer leave now.”
“Yeah, yeah, the ghouls always overstay their welcome. We’ll be out in a minute.” And he closes the door again, shaking his head. “Anythin’ they took from ya, Vaultie?”
“Uhm.” She had a bag and her Pip-Boy. “Just a few belongings, but…” She looks at the suit folded up in her hands. “I guess I wouldn’t consider them personal.” She shrugs her shoulders. “Not really.”
He gives her another onceover. “If you say so.”
With that, they take their leave. Everyone’s heads are bowed as Lucy and the Ghoul make their way down to the first level. These traders are actively avoiding eye contact with both of them. Lucy isn’t sure if it’s because they fear the Ghoul…or because they’re disgusted by the very obvious actions that took place in their room last night. The latter idea brings a blush to her cheeks. Not out of embarrassment, but just from the memories…
She suppresses a shudder, nearly tripping over her own feet and down the last few steps. The Ghoul catches her with a hand on her elbow. She gives a sheepish smile in return, but he remains expressionless. Again.
“Take yer purchase and get the fuck outta here,” the tradesman says as they pass by. “Filthy ghoul-fucker.”
“You didn’t have to sell me to him,” Lucy speaks up.
“You didn’t have to enjoy it.”
She can’t help but laugh at that so-called rebuttal. “Okie-dokie.”
With that, they exit the building. She takes a deep, gulping breath of air. Throws her head back to feel the sun on her face. Smiles, holding her arms out.
“Maybe I had been stuck in there for a while,” she says.
“Wait here, Sweetheart.”
She opens her eyes as she turns around, seeing the Ghoul walking back inside. She does wait. She isn’t sure for how long before he comes back. He doesn’t return empty-handed, either. He has her bag and her Pip-Boy.
“You didn’t—How did you—?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Lucy presses her lips together, holding back a smile. Starts strapping her Pip-Boy back onto her wrist before deciding to toss it in her bag instead. Along with the suit. Then she flings the bag over her shoulder.
“Is this where we part ways, then?”
He hums. “Not yet. Don’t want these fuckers to realise I bought ya just to set ya free. If they figure that out, they’ll come right after you again.”
“Even though I’m a ghoul-fucker now?” His eyes seem to narrow at that term. It feels dirty on her tongue, but not necessarily in a bad way. “That is what they called me, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. They did.”
She nods her head. “Regardless, better safe than sorry.” With that, he starts walking, and she follows him, right at his heel. “What? No leash this time?”
That gets another chuckle out of him. That’s when she lets herself smile.
~~~~
Goddamn it.
One fucking night shouldn’t have left him so fond of the Vaultie. So…in awe of her. Here he is, though, not wanting to leave her side. Making up some bullshit excuse to keep them traveling together for just a while longer. Even though I’m a ghoul-fucker now? She’s right; they wouldn’t want her back. Not as a sex slave, at least. Cooper would say just about anything to persuade her to stay, though. Except…
Maybe it wouldn’t be so difficult. Didn’t seem like she needed much convincing.
“About what I said before,” he starts, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. A rather comfortable silence. Lucy stops and looks over her shoulder. He’d allowed her to get ahead of him so he could better keep an eye on her. “Y’know, ‘bout comin’ with me, I mean,” he goes on. “If you wanted to join me on my trek to Vegas…”
She tilts her head, and he catches the twitch of a smile. “Well, you did purchase me,” she says as she approaches him.
He meets her halfway. “That I did…but I also let ya go. So, this is a choice you can make o’ yer own volition.”
“What happened to things being complicated?”
“Ain’t nothin’ complicated ‘bout free will.”
“Okie-dokie. Does that mean you’re looking for… What? A partner?”
“You could say that.” Cooper shrugs his shoulders. There’s barely any space left between them now. “Reckon we could have more fun if we stick together.”
“Fun, huh?” He hums. Cups her chin with his thumb and forefinger before kissing her. She licks her lips when the kiss breaks. “Oh, we could definitely have more fun.”
“So, what d’ya say, Vaultie?” he asks. “You comin’?”
Now Lucy smiles. Kisses him again—he could do this over and over and over—wrapping her arms around his neck. Presses her forehead to his afterwards. “Let’s go.”