{"sf1_id":1551309,"sf2_id":"Xekqla7n","title":"Love me As Though There Were No Tomorrow (Chapter 8)","author":"STRONG","words":4667,"posted_at":"2020-02-25T22:47:00.000Z","tags":["Anthro","Fallout","Female","Greentext","Human","M/F","Nightstalker","Snakedog"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1551309-love-me-as-though-there-were-no-tomorrow-chapter-8","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/Xekqla7n","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/17/d9/17d96517-5b8b-40ef-ba91-09469b6ac968","description":"chapter 8!","content":"Chapter 8: A\u0026nbsp;Hopeful Reunion\n\n\\\u003eIn the time since you moved into the northern bunker you and Gracie have been cleaning it up and making it more livable\n\n\\\u003eYou used a few explosives, to help break up the rubble blocking the path to the rest of the bunker\n\n\\\u003eCarefully though,\u0026nbsp; you didn't want to cause a cave in or anything\n\n\\\u003eSo small amount of dynamite was used at the base of the rock pile\n\n\\\u003eNo need to cause more damage to the bunker than time already has\n\n\\\u003eGracie helped all along the way, cleaning, working on the power system with you and getting everything livable again, you had to replace the fusion cores and kept the old ones on you\n\n\\\u003eBut one thing that threw you for a loop was the day after you moved in\n\n\\\u003eYou woke up to Gracie holding an egg, asking you to make in an omelette using some of the various scorpion meat and veggies\n\n\\\u003eOf course half awake you accepted and cooked it right up\n\n\\\u003eIt wasn't until after you split it up and ate your half that it dawned on you to ask her where she got the egg\n\n\\\u003e\"Oh I laid it this morning\" she said cheerily, licking her plate clean\n\n\\\u003eYou had a mini internal screaming session before calmly saying ok and going about your day\n\n\\\u003eIf she wasn't going to make a big deal about eating her own egg neither would you\n\n\\\u003eThis is a whole new weird world of confusion dealing with a snakedog, best to just roll with it\n\n\\\u003eThe bunker wasn't nearly as big Elder Mcnamara has said\n\n\\\u003eA kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom, a utility room and all the maintenance stuff\n\n\\\u003eSmall but livable\n\n\\\u003eThere wasn't much in terms of liveableness though\n\n\\\u003eYou had bought a lot of things like plates, dishes, soap, and other things usually taken for granted during survival\n\n\\\u003eAs for you and Gracie things were great,she was a great friend to have around\n\n\\\u003eSure she was a bit aloof and you had to stop her from doing certain things, like trying to \"talk to\" a feral coyote\n\n\\\u003eBut she was fun and had a lively attitude you hadn't ever seen before\n\n\\\u003eExcited about everything you both were doing together\n\n\\\u003eIt was refreshing\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003eRight now you and Gracie were in the bunker making sure you had enough food to last a little while\n\n\\\u003eYou still have plans for going to the Sierra Madre\n\n\\\u003eThe location was highlighted on you map but what Sato did had shaken you\n\n\\\u003e\"That Place will be your Grave\"\n\n\\\u003eIt echoed in your head\n\n\\\u003e\"ANON! SNAP OUT OF IT\"\n\n\\\u003eA fuzzy yet scaled tail smacks your arm\n\n\\\u003e\"Ow what?!\" you ask confused\n\n\\\u003e\"I asked if we should bring food with us to the Madre\"\n\n\\\u003eYou nod and take account of the current supplies you had\n\n\\\u003eLots of bark scorpion\n\n\\\u003eIt was like there was an infinite supply of them in the hidden valley\n\n\\\u003eAs well you had a small supply of field rations from the Brotherhood\n\n\\\u003eThey tasted like cardboard mixed with sawdust so those were back up\n\n\\\u003eThere was a variety of other food too\n\n\\\u003eBighorn, gecko, coyote, and a plethora of veggies and fruits\n\n\\\u003eThere were people out there starving because they wouldn't eat a bug\n\n\\\u003eYou had no such reservations, food is food is food\n\n\\\u003eAlthough you didn't eat \"feral\" nightstalkers anymore\n\n\\\u003eOverall you were good on food for a few days\n\n\\\u003eBut as you checked your ammo and gear you were lacking\n\n\\\u003eBarely enough rounds to fill the 200 round belt of your LMG, and you were almost out of .308 rounds\n\n\\\u003eGracie was low on ammo too, she usually fired a bit too much\n\n\\\u003eStill 10mm rounds were cheap\n\n\\\u003eYour 5.56mm rounds were a bit more expensive\n\n\\\u003eYou were going to have to go get more, and then some\n\n\\\u003eParanoia was getting the better of you while you prepared\n\n\\\u003eYou check the time on your pip-boy, ignoring the way-point glowing to the east\n\n\\\u003e9 AM\n\n\\\u003eEnough time to get to the gun runners and back before nightfall\n\n\\\u003eIn fact it would probably only be about 4 hours\n\n\\\u003eThat would give you time to rest and head to the Madre\n\n\\\u003eIt was time to stop putting it off and to get it.\n\n\\\u003eYou check your list of things you need\n\n\\\u003eForcefield generators and power source\u0026nbsp; for them\n\n\\\u003eKnight Nickson had the original blueprints and they had the main parts; you needed to get all the parts that were in these out of the way places\n\n\\\u003e\"You ready to go to the Madre tomorrow Gracie?\"\n\n\\\u003eHer ears flick quickly\n\n\\\u003e\"Are you sure we're ready to go there, I'm scared Anon, Sato creeped me out\"\n\n\\\u003eYou pull her by her waist to your side\n\n\\\u003e\"We're going to be ok Gracie, we have each other\"\n\n\\\u003eHer tail swishes against you as she hugs your side\n\n\\\u003eShe always rubbed her tail against you for comfort aside from holding your arm when near people\n\n\\\u003eYou enjoyed putting your arm around her. the feeling of scales and fur is pleasant beyond compare\n\n\\\u003eEspecially when it was nice and clean.\n\n\\\u003eYou look down at her and she flicks your nose with her forked tongue\n\n\\\u003e\"OK Anon! I need more ammo, Plus I wanna try to use the Ratslayer again too!\n\n\\\u003eShe had been practicing with it ever since she became a pirate\n\n\\\u003eShe was actually ok with it, usually took a 2 or 3 shots to hit things\n\n\\\u003eYou lead her out the door as you walk side by side with her\n\n\\\u003e\"Lets go, the road isn't far and we can get all the ammo we need, got anything you want to sell?\"\n\n\\\u003eShe digs through the Gecko leather messenger bag she made out of leather you gave her\n\n\\\u003e\"Uhmmm, maybe my old casings? They buy those right?\"\n\n\\\u003eYou nod\n\n\\\u003e\"Dunno how much you'll get, but they'll buy them from you\"\n\n\\\u003eShe rubs against you happily flicking her tongue in and out as she makes happy hissing noises\n\n\\\u003eYou know she's been saving up for a while, you both had separate cap stashes; yours was bigger because of the bounties, but hers was growing\n\n\\\u003eThe walk is quick not because of the distance, but because of the company\n\n\\\u003eShe told you about her mom, the nest she grew up with, how she grew up with the smells of her older sisters\n\n\\\u003eIt made you happy to see how much she lit up talking about finally meeting them\n\n\\\u003eWhen you arrived at they gun runners booth, you bought plenty of ammo and a few extra grenades for the trip\n\n\\\u003eGracie happily loaded up her magazines as you started the walk back home\n\n\\\u003eAll the while she loaded her magazine she was humming the song \"Big Iron in his hip\" or whatever it was called\n\n\\\u003eYou didn't care or mind\n\n\\\u003eYou check your inventory as you walk and listen to her happy humming\n\n\\\u003eGood amount of ammo for the both of you, enough food to last a while, and even some explosives\n\n\\\u003eGod explosives are fun to use\n\n\\\u003eThe happiness you feel is quickly sapped when you see 4 red markers dancing across your screen\n\n\\\u003eGreat, just want you needed; more raider flunkies trying to kill you\n\n\\\u003e\"Gracie stealth up, we got company\"\n\n\\\u003eWithout any hesitation she disappears\n\n\\\u003eAt this point it was routine\n\n\\\u003eSome raiders, a pack of Geckos, cazadores you name it\n\n\\\u003eYou watch her shimmer disappear away from you\n\n\\\u003eNow to play the waiting game, whoever it was would come to you and Gracie would flank them in silence\n\n\\\u003eWho would have thought all those years in the combat simulators on Nellis would work so well out here\n\n\\\u003eYou draw out your LMG and keep eyes out\n\n\\\u003eWhat appears over the nearest hill is a legionary assassin squad much to your approval\n\n\\\u003eAn elite one too from the look of it\n\n\\\u003e\"fuck\" is all you can say as you open fire\n\n\\\u003eNo need to let those idiots get close and yell their whole bullshit about Caesar marking your for death or whatever\n\n\\\u003e\"GIVE US THE ORACLE AND YOU MAY LIVE\" you hear the one charging you with a super sledge shout right before he's torn apart by a barrage of lead\n\n\\\u003e\"FUCK OFF CUNTS\" You Shout as you unload bullets towards them\n\n\\\u003eYou hear the quick hiss of silenced gunfire as Gracie fires away striking down the one who looks in command\n\n\\\u003eYou don't know or care how their ranking system works, but you do care about these idiots trying to kill you and Gracie\n\n\\\u003eWait though, the Dumbass who brought a hammer to a gunfight said to give them the oracle\n\n\\\u003eDidn't that other group call her that?\n\n\\\u003eDoesn't matter, you fire smart controlled bursts and laugh as the sports gear they use are armor disintegrate from the bullets\n\n\\\u003eThe last one looks around wildly , ignoring you completely\n\n\\\u003e\"Where are you? Come to me me oracle! You belong to the Legate!\" he Yells into the wasteland\n\n\\\u003eYou ignore his crazed shouts and fire one last round though his head\n\n\\\u003eAnnoying legion fucks\n\n\\\u003eYou had hoped you had lost them when you killed the last squad all those weeks ago\n\n\\\u003eGracie uncloaks next to you\n\n\\\u003e\"They were calling my an oracle again Anon. What do you think that means\" she asks as you look over the bodies\n\n\\\u003eNothing useful besides those coins again, even their weapons were in crap condition and the ammo was that surplus shit that broke your weapons down too fast\n\n\\\u003eThe super sledge was stupid and you didn't know how to use it anyway\n\n\\\u003eMight as well leave it for some lucky scavenger to find\n\n\\\u003eYou rub the scales on Gracie's head when you stand up\n\n\\\u003e\"I don't know Gracie, but you don't belong to anyone\"\n\n\\\u003eShe smiles and leans against you as you walk\n\n\\\u003eLeave the bodies where they fall, it's not your problem to deal with them\n\n\\\u003eBut now you wanted to get back to the bunker quickly\n\n\\\u003eMaybe rig up some mines around the entrance\n\n\\\u003eLast thing you needed was some asshole getting into your new home\n\n\\\u003e\"I don't want them to take me from you anon, I like being with you\"\n\n\\\u003eYou hope she mean just being around you, Not \"being with\" in a romantic way\n\n\\\u003eOr do you?\n\n\\\u003eyou put an arm around her\n\n\\\u003e\"I enjoy hanging out with you too Gracie\"\n\n\\\u003eShe breaks away from you and walks next to you, reloading her magazines carefully\n\n\\\u003eYou take the chance to reload your LMG\n\n\\\u003eAs you load it up you recall the time when She asked to try and use your LMG\n\n\\\u003eAt first you said no outright, but when she begged and begged then threw a hissing fit\n\n\\\u003eEventually you gave in after she refused to eat\n\n\\\u003eYou stood behind her with your hands on her shoulders in an attempt to brace her\n\n\\\u003eShe held down the trigger and totally lost control, falling backwards onto you\n\n\\\u003eWhile it was dangerous it was funny to think about now\n\n\\\u003eYea, Small guns are definitely more her speed\n\n\\\u003eThe rest of the walk home is uneventful\n\n\\\u003eA Strong wind blows by from the west\n\n\\\u003eOut of the corner of your eye you see Gracie's tongue flicking wildly, smelling whatever is on the wind\n\n\\\u003eShe always did this, she said it was the easiest way to find someone\n\n\\\u003eYou ignore it completely as always, you had the bighorner steaks on the brain\n\n\\\u003eThe sound of running to your right stirs you from your thoughts\n\n\\\u003eYou look over and see Gracie running west following the wind\n\n\\\u003e\"Gracie?!\" you call out as you try to catch up with her\n\n\\\u003eGod dammit she's fast\n\n\\\u003e\"I CAN SMELL HER ANON! COME ON!\"\n\n\\\u003eThe thought of Gracie sobbing again pains you as you chase after her\n\n\\\u003eYou have to stop her, there's no way you can see that again\n\n\\\u003eAs the wind dies down she comes to a stop, giving you a chance to catch up\n\n\\\u003eHer long tongue flicks out and she sniffs deep, looking around\n\n\\\u003e\"Gracie who do y-\"\n\n\\\u003eBefore you can even finish she's running again\n\n\\\u003eWest through the desert sands, following a now steady breeze\n\n\\\u003e\"Her smell's getting stronger Anon! Hurry up!\"\n\n\\\u003eYou're trying to keep up but god damn she's fast\n\n\\\u003e\"Wait up Gracie\" you call out to her, only to be completely ignored\n\n\\\u003eHow can she run for so long? it's been nearly 15 minutes of her running away\n\n\\\u003eYou were falling behind\n\n\\\u003eYou might be a strong guy but your endurance is lacking for sure\n\n\\\u003eAhead of you is a road, one of the old highways, although you aren't sure which one\n\n\\\u003eGracie was at least 500 meters ahead of you\n\n\\\u003e\"SISTER I FOUND YOU!\" you barely hear over your own panting\n\n\\\u003eOn the road is a Brahmin carrying something\n\n\\\u003ePropellers?\n\n\\\u003eYou watch Gracie tackle nothing but air\n\n\\\u003e\"Sister! I've waited SO long to find you!\"\n\n\\\u003eYou finally catch up and see Gracie happily crying into not air but a man\n\n\\\u003eGranted a Very shocked looking man\n\n\\\u003eThe words of that tall man echo back to you from the past\n\n\\\u003e\"Slavers ain't friends\"\n\n\\\u003eHe killed all those fiends to find out about slavers and before you is a man smelling like a sister?\n\n\\\u003eyou're about to pull out your LMG when a much MUCH larger Snekdog uncloaks behind Gracie and picks her up off the man\n\n\\\u003eFUCK\n\n\\\u003eYou're about to panic and grab out one of your guns when that panic is quelled\n\n\\\u003e\"SISTER I FOUND YOU! NOT IMPOSTER YOU!\" Gracie cries happily\n\n\\\u003eGracie's arms wrap around the Big Snekdog, tears falling from her eyes\n\n\\\u003e\"I found you! I found you! Z-12 I Found you!\"\n\n\\\u003eTears fall from the much larger snekdogs eyes, as they hold enough other\n\n\\\u003eYou stand awkwardly, watching the two hug it out\n\n\\\u003eThe man that Gracie tackled stands up watching the two as he dusts himself off\n\n\\\u003eMight as well introduce yourself\n\n\\\u003eYou walk over and extend a hand to him\n\n\\\u003e\"Hey, call me Boomer\"\n\n\\\u003eHe takes it in a firm handshake\n\n\\\u003e\"Pip\"\n\n\\\u003eYou turn back to watching Gracie hug and cry into the chest of the Much larger Snekdog\n\n\\\u003eShe's petting Gracie's head\n\n\\\u003e\"Shush shush now, its ok Z-14\"\n\n\\\u003eGracie Pulls her over to you\n\n\\\u003e\"SISTER SISTER LOOK! This is the guy who has been taking care of me\"\n\n\\\u003eyou're face to face with a 6 foot something Snakedog\n\n\\\u003e\"Uh Hi there, I'm Boomer\"\n\n\\\u003eHer amber eyes look you up and down\n\n\\\u003eGracie looks back and forth between you and her happily\n\n\\\u003e\"Hi Boomer, My Name isn't Z-12, its Amber actually\"\n\n\\\u003eHeh a fitting name for those piercing eyes\n\n\\\u003eYou extend your hand to her\n\n\\\u003e\"Nice to meet you Amber\"\n\n\\\u003eShe takes you hand in her paw and gives it a friendly shake\n\n\\\u003eGracie bounces next to you\n\n\\\u003e\"Oh OH! Z-12! I mean uh Amber! He Named me Gracie!\"\n\n\\\u003eGracie hugs your arm happily with one of her arms\n\n\\\u003eAmber takes Gracie's free paw in hers\n\n\\\u003e\"Gracie, this is my Mate Pip\"\n\n\\\u003eShe introduces Gracie calmly\n\n\\\u003e\"HI PIP! Sorry I tackled you! you smell just like Sister!\"\n\n\\\u003eGracie has let go of your arm and is shaking Pip's hand frantically\n\n\\\u003eShe stop suddenly, Looking at Pip\n\n\\\u003e\"wait Mate?! Like MATING?!\"\n\n\\\u003eAmber cocks her head a bit\n\n\\\u003e\"Well yea, just like you and boomer here! He smells like you have slept on him every day\"\n\n\\\u003eGracie's ears fold down and she covers her face with her paws\n\n\\\u003e\"Noooo Boomer is my best friend and my Pillow! We aren't mates\"\n\n\\\u003eAmber smirks at you\n\n\\\u003e\"Yet?\" she says smugly\n\n\\\u003eYou feel something in your stomach, hope? joy?\n\n\\\u003eAll you know is you had admired Gracie for a bit, both physically and emotionally\n\n\\\u003eBUT it's time to change the subject!\n\n\\\u003eYou stroll over to the propeller blades and look them over\n\n\\\u003e\"Vertibird props? Decent condition too. Must've been hard to scavenge these, what are you building?\" you ask as you inspect the blade for cracks\n\n\\\u003e\"Well a vertibird Of course, Why else would we need props?\" Pip says, patting the parts\n\n\\\u003eYou can think of a bunch of different things to use props for but you keep that to yourself\n\n\\\u003eGracie is excitedly talking to Amber about the things you've done together\n\n\\\u003e\"He killed some Legion people trying to grab me and bought me a gun and taught me to use it\" She says excitedly to Amber\n\n\\\u003eYou can see Amber nodding and smiling\n\n\\\u003e\"Where are you guys Headed now?\" Pip asks as you watch Gracie\n\n\\\u003eShe had on one of the biggest smiles you had seen in a long time\n\n\\\u003e\"The Sierra Madre, we're getting some pre-war tech there\" you say absentmindedly as you watch Gracie\n\n\\\u003eYou kick yourself internally, you hadn't planned on sharing that information with anyone\n\n\\\u003eGranted this wasn't a \"top secret mission\" or anything but you didn't want people you didn't know getting in the way\n\n\\\u003eThis catches Amber's attention\n\n\\\u003e\"You're going to the Madre? we were planning on going there later but If you guys are headed there we should team up\"\n\n\\\u003eGracie lights up\n\n\\\u003e\"YEAH! Let's Do that Anon, 4 people are better than 2!\"\n\n\\\u003eYou think for a moment\n\n\\\u003eThat does make sense actually\n\n\\\u003eYou look to pip calmly\n\n\\\u003e\"Mind if we tag along to wherever you're going? Then we can all head to the Madre\"\n\n\\\u003e\"Of course we don't, besides I want to catch up more with Gracie\" Amber answers\n\n\\\u003eGracie bounds over to you and gives you a hug\n\n\\\u003e\"We found her Anon, just like you promised\"\n\n\\\u003eYou hug her back\n\n\\\u003e\"We did Gracie, we sure did\"\n\n\\\u003eYou look up and see Amber smirking at you\n\n\\\u003eFeeling somewhat flustered, you break the hug quickly\n\n\\\u003e\"Uh yea, let's get going then\"\n\n\\\u003eGracie skips up next to Amber and you hear them begin talking\n\n\\\u003eYou fall to the rear of this little caravan and draw out your LMG\n\n\\\u003eThis would be a prime target for raiders and you weren't going to be caught with your pants down\n\n\\\u003eAs well if the Legion was after Gracie, they would probably be after Amber as well\n\n\\\u003ePip walks next to you, holding an odd looking Laser pistol\n\n\\\u003e\"Odd looking gun you got there Pip, what is it?\"\n\n\\\u003e\"Compliance regulator, Stuns whatever I shoot with it\"\n\n\\\u003eYou blink and look at it, amazed something like it exists\n\n\\\u003e\"It Stuns them? like paralyzed?\"\n\n\\\u003eHe smirks\n\n\\\u003e\"They freeze in whatever position they were in like a statue\"\n\n\\\u003eYou're dumbfounded\n\n\\\u003e\"Can I take a look at it real quick?\"\n\n\\\u003eHe hesitates for a moment\n\n\\\u003eYou extend your LMG to him\n\n\\\u003e\"Here, you can hold my gun if you want\"\n\n\\\u003eHe nods and you exchange weapons with him\n\n\\\u003eIt's so light compared to your usual weapons\n\n\\\u003eYou had learned a bit about energy weapons from the Brotherhood as well as from all those magazines in vault 11\n\n\\\u003eYou look at the ammo it takes and aim down the sights\n\n\\\u003ePip kept it it really good condition\n\n\\\u003e\"Geez this thing is complicated\" you say as you turn it over, looking at each part\n\n\\\u003e\"Where did you find this thing?\"\n\n\\\u003eHe's turning your LMG over and looking at its parts as he answers\n\n\\\u003e\"We found in in a place called Zion to the north\"\n\n\\\u003eZion? You had heard of it but never been\n\n\\\u003eYou hear Gracie laughing and motioning to her eye to Amber\n\n\\\u003e\"Is that where you met her?\" you ask motioning to Amber\n\n\\\u003eHe shakes his head ask you hand him back his weapon\n\n\\\u003eHe hands back yours as he explains\n\n\\\u003e\"I had a bounty from the Big MT to remove a collar from her, one thing lead to another and now we're Mates\"\n\n\\\u003eMates, there's that word again. As well as Big MT\n\n\\\u003e\"What about you and Gracie?\"\n\n\\\u003eYou smirk to yourself thinking about such a chance meeting\n\n\\\u003e\"I was hunting a super mutant and rested in a cave, she just happened to be there\"\n\n\\\u003eHe nods at that\n\n\\\u003e\"What are you two talking about back there\" Amber calls back as your caravan arrives at goodsprings\n\n\\\u003e\"Guns and stuff\" you call forward to them\n\n\\\u003e\"Boomer loves big guns!\" Gracie chimes in happily\n\n\\\u003eThe brahmin stops to get food and water from a trough as Amber walks into the \"Goodsprings General Store\"\n\n\\\u003eYou again have a minor freakout\n\n\\\u003eShe's not covering her scales or anything\n\n\\\u003ePeople are looking for these snakedog\n\n\\\u003eGracie said it when you first met, and the legion is clearly after them\n\n\\\u003ePip follows her calmly\n\n\\\u003eAs Gracie starts to walk in you grab her arm\n\n\\\u003e\"Hey wha-\"\n\n\\\u003e\"Your Hood Gracie\" you say as you put it back covering her head\n\n\\\u003eShe grips your arm\n\n\\\u003e\"Right, sorry Anon\"\n\n\\\u003eYou open the door and walk in\n\n\\\u003eAmber and pip are talking to a man\n\n\\\u003e\"Ih new customers? I'll be right with you\" he says looking from you to Gracie\n\n\\\u003e\"They're with us Pete, that's my little sister and her boyfriend\"\n\n\\\u003eYou feel Gracie's grip tighten around your arm and she tries to hide behind you\n\n\\\u003e\"Z-12, er, Amber, is he ok seeing our scales?\" Gracie squeaks out, peeking out from behind your back\n\n\\\u003e\"Yes Gracie, he's ok to see us\"\n\n\\\u003eGracie walks besides you and pushes her hood back\n\n\\\u003ePete just smiles at her and continues his business with Amber\n\n\\\u003eYou suddenly feel silly for making Gracie put her hood back on\n\n\\\u003eIt takes a bit of mental wrestling to feel ok about it, after all you are just looking out for her\n\n\\\u003eYou leave the building with Gracie still holding your arm, her hood not on her head\n\n\\\u003eSeeing her not hiding out in the open was refreshing to see\n\n\\\u003eAfter a while Amber and Pip leave the building\n\n\\\u003e\"Alright let's go!, we're headed to the Strip\" Pip says coolly\n\n\\\u003eIt's like to him it's no big deal\n\n\\\u003eYou hadn't ever been to the strip, all around it yes, but never on it\n\n\\\u003eThese two are full of surprises\n\n\\\u003eYou walk silently, listening to Amber tell her tale to Gracie\n\n\\\u003eHow Her and her sister, Z-11, escaped the big MT\n\n\\\u003eThat she got shot and left for dead, her sister beaten and taken by slavers\n\n\\\u003eThey keep talking as the sun sets, leaving the lights of the strip to guide your way as your approach it\n\n\\\u003eGracie tells of your stay with the brotherhood and the home you made together\n\n\\\u003eHow she smelled \"ZX-13\" near the gun runners\n\n\\\u003eThat seemed to pique Amber's interest a lot\n\n\\\u003eShe talks about vault 11 and how you took care of her while she was in heat\n\n\\\u003e\"Oh he took are of you?\" Amber says looking at you with a smirk\n\n\\\u003e\"She locked herself in a room for a week straight and I brought her food\" you say with a frown\n\n\\\u003e\"Uh huh I'm sure thats ALLLL you did\" She teases you\n\n\\\u003e\"That IS all he did! He's such a good person to have with me!\" Gracie says, blissfully unaware of what Amber was implying\n\n\\\u003eYour group walks to the strip enterance, a place you had seen before but never bothered trying to get through\n\n\\\u003eGracie holds your arms tight against\n\n\\\u003ePip and Amber lead you and Gracie Into the strip, past group of securitrons\n\n\\\u003eGracie looks up and around at everything\n\n\\\u003e\"Wow Anon it's so pretty! Look at it all! It's like the war never even happened!\"\n\n\\\u003eAn unfamiliar voice chimes in\n\n\\\u003e\"It used to be a lot nicer before the war, but this is still pretty good\"\n\n\\\u003eYou look around searching for the owner of the voice and see a ghoul\n\n\\\u003eWas he a ghoul? He looks like a human, his skin isn't withered like every other ghoul You've seen\n\n\\\u003eYou gawk in confusion\n\n\\\u003eAmber whispers to you \"He is a ghoul, stop staring and close your mouth\"\n\n\\\u003eSnapping your mouth closed, you look at her\n\n\\\u003e\"What? How?\"\n\n\\\u003e\"We'll explain later\" she says as Pip greets the ghoul\n\n\\\u003eYou don't hear the conversation because of all the people around but a lot of nods and smiles from both\n\n\\\u003e\"Raul is letting you guys stay here at the Lucky 38 tonight with us, then we can head to the Madre tomorrow\" Pip finally says turning from the ghoul to look at you and Gracie\n\n\\\u003eYou walk forward with Gracie still on your arm and extend your free hand to \"Raul\"\n\n\\\u003e\"Thanks, I'm Boomer and this is Gracie\"\n\n\\\u003eHe shakes your hand warmly\n\n\\\u003e\"Nice to meet you, the Facilities of the Lucky 38 are yours to use\"\n\n\\\u003eyou smile\n\n\\\u003e\"Come on you two, Lets get something to eat and then to bed, we have a long day tomorrow\" Amber says with a smile, watching Gracie hold your arm\n\n\\\u003eyou nod and follow Pip into the casino and Marvel at how well its been taken care of\n\n\\\u003eeverything looks pristine, like time had never touched it\n\n\\\u003eyou might as well have stepping through a time machine and back to 2077\n\n\\\u003e\"Nice huh? I've been keeping this place running since the Courier took over the Strip\" Raul says behind you\n\n\\\u003e\"Yea... nice\" you say absentmindedly as you look around\n\n\\\u003e\"Come on! We'll show you your room and leave you two to have some privacy\" Pip says beckoning you to an elevator\n\n\\\u003ean actual working elevator\n\n\\\u003eThis place really is high end\n\n\\\u003eThe ride up is short and they show you to a room\n\n\\\u003eAs you walk in the first thing you notice is the Fantastic view of the whole strip\n\n\\\u003e\"Wow! Look Anon! We can see everything!\" Gracie ways excitedly as she runs to the window\n\n\\\u003eHer hood falls off as she bounds and she presses her paws against the window looking out\n\n\\\u003e\"You two have a good night! there is food in the lobby. See you in the morning!\" you hear Pip say as the door closes behind you\n\n\\\u003eYou had to admit the view was wonderful\n\n\\\u003eBut a rumble in your stomach tears you away from that\n\n\\\u003eWhen you go to the lobby you find a few boxes of Very well preserved Salisbury steak and Blamco mac and cheese\n\n\\\u003eYou grab 2 of each and 2 forks for you and Gracie\n\n\\\u003e\"Food\" you call out as you open the door back to your room\n\n\\\u003eGracie sits on the bed in her Pajamas, Looking at you expectantly\n\n\\\u003e\"Anon.. Are you my Mate?\" She asks\n\n\\\u003eYou nearly drop the food\n\n\\\u003eWhy is she asking this? Better play it cool\n\n\\\u003e\"Uh, I wouldn't call us mates, we're just best friends I would say\"\n\n\\\u003eShe looks at you with her beautifully mismatched eyes\n\n\\\u003e\"Oh, OK Anon. T-thanks for the food\"\n\n\\\u003eYou nod and give her a fork and her food\n\n\\\u003eShe scoots right up next to you as you both eat in silence\n\n\\\u003eThe food isn't bad, actually it tastes quite good considering it was over 200 years old\n\n\\\u003eWhen you finish you change into your Pajamas\n\n\\\u003eGracie had seen all of you before\n\n\\\u003eAnd you had seen all of her\n\n\\\u003eYou didn't Peek! But sometimes you would see her in the bunker shower\n\n\\\u003eEvery inch of her body was like a exotic work of art\n\n\\\u003eOne you found on your mind often\n\n\\\u003eBut she was a Snakedog, a nightstalker\n\n\\\u003eShe probably wanted someone of her own species, not some outcast\n\n\\\u003eThat's probably why she asked, to make sure you knew that you weren't her mate\n\n\\\u003eYou climb into the bed and sit with you back against the wall\n\n\\\u003eGracie climbs in after you and delicately places her head in your lap\n\n\\\u003e\"Goodnight Anon, Thank you for helping me find Amber\" she says with a small yawn\n\n\\\u003eYou gently rub her ears and the scales on her head\n\n\\\u003e\"You're welcome Gracie, Goodnight\"\n\n\\\u003eHer gentle hisses and the feeling of her scales lull you to sleep\n\n\\\u003eOne last thought lingers in the back of your mind though before dreamland takes you\n\n\\\u003eGracie and you together like Pip and Amber\n\n\\\u003eAn unexpected hurt","series":{"name":"Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1527434-love-me-as-though-there-were-no-tomorrow-chapter-7.json","next":"https://sofurry.com/s/ve3PDdEm"}}