{"sf1_id":1701716,"sf2_id":"YnLMQ7v1","title":"Love Me As If There Were No Tomorrow (Chapter 12)","author":"STRONG","words":4709,"posted_at":"2021-04-01T03:47:00.000Z","tags":["Character Development","Fallout","Snekdog","Story Progression"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1701716-love-me-as-if-there-were-no-tomorrow-chapter-12","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/YnLMQ7v1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/23/58/2358baf9-3883-4a15-ba03-ab885c18a1fe","description":"#14 of Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow\n\nmore snekdog!","content":"Chapter 12: Phoenix\n\n  \n\n\\\u003ePiloting a Vertibird was MUCH easier in the simulations, the problems happened one by one and only one at a time.\n\n\\\u003eRight now you were piloting with one engine, a pneumatic overheat and half the circuit breakers were popped, freezing various systems.\n\n\\\u003ePip was running various checklists to fix the issues, shouting instructions to Amber and Gracie, who were both pushing buttons and shoving circuit breakers back in place as you pilot.\n\n\\\u003e\"100 meters' you call out over the din.\n\n\\\u003eThe lucky 38's helipad was in view and you would be damned if you crashed this close to the goal.\n\n\\\u003e\"Just fuckin' put us there!\" you hear Amber cry out to you as the remaining engine sputters in dismay.\n\n\\\u003eYou arch the vertibird up and climb about 100 feet above the helipad.\n\n\\\u003e\"What are you doi-\"\n\n\\\u003eThe engine dies, cutting Amber's question short with a sputtering cough.\n\n\\\u003eRight as it dies, you push the button, allowing the vertibird propellers to auto rotate.\n\n\\\u003eAuto rotation allows gravity to push air up into the propellers, making them spin and slow down a fall.\n\n\\\u003eThe vertibird fell, slower than gravity would permit but faster than you wanted.\n\n\\\u003e\"HOLD ON\" you cry out, glad the seatbelts still worked.\n\n\\\u003eThe vertibird smashes\u0026nbsp;into the landing pad with a sickening crunch, then skidded along it until coming to a stop on the very edge of the pad.\n\n\\\u003eIt takes a moment for you to realize you aren't about to tumble off the top of the tower, then you give a slight sigh of relief.\n\n\\\u003e\"We made it guys\" you say with a grin, looking around.\n\n\\\u003ePip looks like he might throw up, Amber has her face buried in her paws and Gracie is playing dead in the seat she is strapped to, her tongue lolling out dramatically.\n\n\\\u003e\"I thought you were a pilot Boomer\" Pip says weakly, looking from his pip-boy to you.\n\n\\\u003e\"I am! You try piloting a vertibird that has had no maintenance for 200 years while buried in a corrosive cloud, then get back to me!\" you say defensively.\n\n\\\u003ePip grimaces as Amber pukes out of the opemnside\u0026nbsp;while you motion to the vertibird, half eaten by rust.\n\n\\\u003e\"Ok, fair enough\" he concedes, unbuckling himself and getting out of the half crashed aircraft.\n\n\\\u003eYou unbuckle yourself and then rouse Gracie.\n\n\\\u003e\"Aye, Gracie! You're alive, quit playing dead\" you say as you unbuckle her and shake her softly.\n\n\\\u003eHer eyes open and focus on you, then she wraps herself around you, arms legs and tail binding you.\n\n\\\u003e\"Aye aye! I'm gonna-' is all you can say as you fall over painfully, Gracie landing on top of you, but not without your body squishing her tail painfully.\n\n\\\u003eShe gives out a pained hiss, then uncoils from around you, allowing you to roll onto your back and give a sigh of relief.\n\n\\\u003eYou did it.\n\n\\\u003eYou survived the Sierra Madre.\n\n\\\u003eNo one in your group was dead or maimed; well no one besides you.\n\n\\\u003eThat was a trade you were willing to make.\n\n\\\u003eSure you didn't really know Pip or Amber that well, but they seemed like good people, and good people on your side was a thing that was rare in the wasteland.\n\n\\\u003eSo a scar and the loss of your non-dominant eye was worth it, after all Gracie got her sister back.\n\n\\\u003eThe image of Gracie doubled over, crying still plagued your brain, and it never lessened with the passage of time.\n\n\\\u003eIt was a scar in your memory now, something that would always remain sharp and clear regardless of the passage of time.\n\n\\\u003eYour precious Snekdog, crying because she wanted to find her family, only to fail.\n\n\\\u003eYou knew the feeling.\n\n\\\u003eHow many times had you stood at the edge of Nellis, just outside the range of the howitzers, staring at a home you could never return to?\n\n\\\u003e\"What a surprise! Everyone came back alive\" came a familiar voice that you recognized as Raul's.\n\n\\\u003eThe semi-human looking ghoul walks over to the tangled mess of you and Gracie, then offers you a hand up.\n\n\\\u003eYou take it and are yanked to your feet by his inhuman strength, despite the Snekdog wrapped around you.\n\n\\\u003e\"Someone here to see you Boomer, although I told him you might not survive\" Raul says, motioning over his shoulder to the walkway.\n\n\\\u003eAnother ghoul stands in the doorway to the lucky 38, leaning casually and without malice, but rather with cold interest.\n\n\\\u003eYou fish your helmet out of the half crashed vertibird as Raul goes to talk to Pip and Amber, then tuck it under your arm.\n\n\\\u003eWalking towards the ghoul, you don't get a feeling of threat from him; years in the wasteland had taught you when someone was going to attack, and this ghoul just didn't have that body language.\n\n\\\u003eHe wore a type of clothing you don't recognize, but looks similar to a Mexican cattle driver, with two 10 MM revolvers attached to a belt of leather that looked like it survived the last Great War, only to be treated with leather fixer.\n\n\\\u003eWhoever this guy is, he is old, probably from before the war, and old means dangerous from experience.\n\n\\\u003eHe looks at you with a calm smile.\n\n\\\u003e\"Jesus kid, I thought my face looked bad, compared yours I consider myself lucky\" he says with calm non-threatening tones.\n\n\\\u003eYou frown and shove your helmet on in response.\n\n\\\u003e\"A Knight in shining armor is someone who has never had his mettle truly tested\" you respond, adjusting the helmet to you can look at him unobscured.\n\n\\\u003eHe gives a soft chuckle, then extends a gloved hand to you in a pacifying gesture.\n\n\\\u003e\"My Name is Paris, Raul tells me you have connections to the brotherhood chapter here\" he says with a smile; it looks odd without a nose and cheek muscles.\n\n\\\u003eYou take his hand, his gloves acting as a barrier to his semi decayed skin, and shake it warmly.\n\n\\\u003eHis hands feel...Squishy. Like the flesh isn't quite solid, yet not a liquid.\n\n\\\u003eYou have enough allies around you to know if this guy wants to be a threat, they would drop him.\n\n\\\u003eHell, Gracie's venom, the Z-12 class venom; whatever that meant, killed a monster with less than a cup of it.\n\n\\\u003eIf she wanted she could bite this guy and he would be dead, ghoul or otherwise; fuck, from what her venom did to the monster, it could kill everyone standing on this helipad.\n\n\\\u003e\"I know the brotherhood, we have a mutual interest and work together\" you say with a smile.\n\n\\\u003eYou recall the opaque visor and realize he can't see your face but he nods knowingly regardless of that fact.\n\n\\\u003e\"Don't get too comfortable with them, but do you know Sato?\" He asks, his eyes focused on you, as if looking for a lie on your shielded face.\n\n\\\u003eYou nod slowly.\n\n\\\u003e\"Sato gave me access to their new stronghold, I trust him with my life, the others maybe as far as I can throw them\" you say calmly.\n\n\\\u003eParis smiles sadly, then digs into his bag.\n\n\\\u003e\"Trust him, but maybe not with your life, give him these for me please though\" The ghoul says calmly, passing you a few items.\n\n\\\u003eTwo bottles of something called \"Bawls\", a holotape, and a necklace with a white fang.\n\n\\\u003e\"Gracie, can you carry this stuff for me?\" you call to the half invisible Snekdog, who was trying to hide behind you.\n\n\\\u003eShe jumps suddenly as you call her name, like she didn't think you knew she was there.\n\n\\\u003e\"Oh uh! Yes!\" she pulls open her gecko skin bag and makes room for it all, but as she reaches for the fang you gently grab her paw.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003e\"Don't touch that\" you say as you take it; you wrap it in leather, then stuff it into a pocket of your pants.\n\n\\\u003eYou don't know why, but that fang gives you a bad feeling, one you would expose to yourself rather than Gracie.\n\n\\\u003eYou look at Paris and nod.\n\n\\\u003e\"We will gift your items to Sato, I swear it\" you say calmly, earning an appreciative nod from Paris.\n\n\\\u003e\"Thank you. Tell him it's from \"Ol' Paris from Lone Star\" he says with a grin, \"Good vibes to you and yours, farewell\"\n\n\\\u003eThe ghoul walks away without another word, his handguns clinking against his hips as he walks, but otherwise no other sound betrays his presence.\n\n\\\u003e\"Raul, I have overstayed my welcome, I will see you downstairs\" he says before disappearing into an elevator.\n\n\\\u003eYou frown after him.\n\n\\\u003eWho was he? What is this fang you have and why does it fill you with dread?\n\n\\\u003eYou mentally shrug it off and focus instead on Pip and Amber.\n\n\\\u003eYour friends need you, everything else was moot.\n\n\\\u003e\"Everyone ok?\" you say, walking across the helipad to the small group.\n\n\\\u003ePip gives you a small smile and Amber looks like she might throw up again soon.\n\n\\\u003e\"Good news is the majority of the vertibird parts are good to go, bad news is you made Amber airsick\" Pip says, motioning to the vertibird and the still throwing up Amber.\n\n\\\u003eYou recall her making fun of your lost eye and focus on the feeling you had at that point in time.\n\n\\\u003e\"Oh no. Amber is air sick? I wonder what the pilot could have done what I did with 2 good eyes instead of one\" you say dryly\n\n\\\u003eGracie swats you across your helmet and you grimace, even though it couldn't hurt you.\n\n\\\u003e\"What? She can dish it out but can't take it?\" you say defensively, dodging away from Gracie's swipes.\n\n\\\u003eNormally, you wouldn't care about Gracie's little smacks of protest, but...things have changed.\n\n\\\u003eYou dodge away out of fear, fear she might bite down and kill you with her venom.\n\n\\\u003eVenom strong enough to kill a giant mutant. What would it do to your body?\n\n\\\u003eAmber sighs and regains her footpaws then grabs Gracie about the waist.\n\n\\\u003e\"Calm down little sister, your mate is scared\" She gently cooes, holding a struggling Gracie.\n\n\\\u003eUpon hearing the words from Amber, Gracie freezes.\n\n\\\u003eGracie looks back at the much larger Snekdog, questioning her sister.\n\n\\\u003e\"Scared? What-?\"\n\n\\\u003e\"Look at him! Your venom just killed a behemoth! And now you're swiping out at him...\" Amber says coolly, holding the smaller and younger Snekdog.\n\n\\\u003eGracie looks at you with her mismatched eyes for a moment and you look back at her, almost instinctively in a defensive crouch.\n\n\\\u003e\"Are you really scared?\" she murmurs, still looking at you.\n\n\\\u003eHow do you answer your mate? No matter the answer it was bad news\n\n\\\u003eHow do you say \"Yes I'm terrified, your venom could kill me in a second\", or \"no, I'm fine that you can kill me without a second thought\"\n\n\\\u003eWait! Compromise!\n\n\\\u003e\"uh...I'm scared that your venom will kill me...But I still want to be your mate\" you say carefully, picking each word.\n\n\\\u003eGracie gives an impatient huff, then squirms out of Amber's hold.\n\n\\\u003eShe grabs your right arm and shows you the Green \"11\" from her previous bite.\n\n\\\u003e\"You're immune to me dummy\" she says, smacking your head\n\n\\\u003eHm, weeks ago she wouldn't be willing to do such a thing.\n\n\\\u003eYou feel the embarrassment in your face as Gracie hugs you close.\n\n\\\u003eYou hug her back and regard Amber as Pip talks to her in a hushed whisper.\n\n\\\u003eOnly a boomer with your training could have gotten this vertibird back to the lucky 38, well maybe the enclave, but they were gone.\n\n\\\u003eIf pip had tried, you're almost sure it would have crashed on the trip.\n\n\\\u003eThat wasn't an insult to Pip; not by a long shot!\n\n\\\u003eHe was capable of reading off the issues while you piloted and fixing the problems as they occurred with help from Amber and Gracie\n\n\\\u003eThat meant if he piloted, no one would have been flying the aircraft and it would have crashed long ago.\n\n\\\u003eYet, you were not delusional to think that you could have flown this vertibird alone, or even just you and Gracie.\n\n\\\u003eToo many problems, too many things to fix alone.\n\n\\\u003eFuck, the 4 of you barely got the vertibird here.\n\n\\\u003eYou sigh and run your fingers through your hair.\n\n\\\u003eExcept they run across the smooth surface of your helmet.\n\n\\\u003eBreathe.\n\n\\\u003eYou made it\n\n\\\u003eGracie made it.\n\n\\\u003eYou do what comes best, be an honorable person.\n\n\\\u003e\"We did it, we got what we needed and survived the sierra Madre\" you say extending a hand to Pip.\n\n\\\u003eHe takes it up right away, a fire in his eyes that only humanity could have and shake it heartily.\n\n\\\u003e\"We did it!\" he repeats.\n\n\\\u003eYou then extend a hand to Amber.\n\n\\\u003e\"I did my best to protect your sister, and I did my best to protect you\" you say, weariness running through you.\n\n\\\u003eInstead of a handshake , you get a hug from the large Snekdog.\n\n\\\u003e\"I'm glad my sister found a mate like you! You nearly died to protect her!\" She says happily, nearly crushing you with her unchecked strength.\n\n\\\u003eYou try to return the hug, although you're quite out of breath, but you have a question before they go.\n\n\\\u003e\"Hey, how do you deal with the Heat cycles? It looks like you've been with Amber\u0026nbsp;for a long time, how do you avoid having uh.... pups?\" you ask calmly, thinking about Gracie's heat.\n\n\\\u003eAs Amber breaks the hug, Pip Looks at you somberly, his expression cold and concerned.\n\n\\\u003e\"Why?\" he asks, ice in his voice.\n\n\\\u003eyou blink and look at them.\n\n\\\u003e\"You've been with Amber for a long time, I just wanna know how to avoid unwanted babies\" you say, furrowing your eyebrows in confusion.\n\n\\\u003e\"Boomer.... Amber is impotent... Gracie is too probably\" He says matter of factly.\n\n\\\u003eYou blink and look at the Snekdog and Pip; neither meet your gaze.\n\n\\\u003e\"If you ever want to have offspring with your mate, we need to go to the Big Empty\" Pip says calmly.\n\n\\\u003eThere it was again. The Big Empty, what was it?\n\n\\\u003e\"What?\" you ask, your voice full of confusion.\n\n\\\u003e\"The big empty, be ready to go there; we have to go\" Pip says with a calm smile.\n\n\\\u003eThey walk off despite your confused sputtering.\n\n\\\u003e\"Big empty? Offspring? What?\"\n\n\\\u003eNo answers; the two of them disappear into the elevator leading out of the lucky 38, holding hands.\n\n\\\u003e\"We'll call you, be ready\" Pip says as the door closes.\n\n\\\u003eWell FUCK.\n\n\\\u003eYou stand, both annoyed and confused, then reach a hand to out Gracie, who takes it in her paws happily.\n\n\\\u003e\"We going home Anon?\" she asks happily as if she didn't just see Amber and Pip say she was barren.\n\n\\\u003eYou sigh and decide to focus on her instead.\n\n\\\u003e\"Yea, we're going home\" you sigh thinking about the walk back. It wouldn't be hard, but all you wanted was to snuggle with Gracie and to fall asleep.\n\n\\\u003eAgain, you try to run your fingers through your hair, only to have them slide over your helmet.\n\n\\\u003eYou grasp Gracie's Paw and lead her to the elevator.\n\n\\\u003eA quick push of a button and you're on your way home.\n\n\\\u003eThe walk back to the hidden valley takes a few hours, You and Gracie make a few stops in the NCR controlled territory to eat and get strength back.\n\n\\\u003eThe sun is nearly setting by the time you reach the hidden valley of the Brotherhood.\n\n\\\u003eYou don't want to give Nickson and Rusty the parts right away, but you would rather do it now and relax a few days before setting out again.\n\n\\\u003eBesides if you were right in your time keeping, Gracie's heat would hit soon.\n\n\\\u003eAll the more reason to stay inside.\n\n\\\u003eYou reach the bunker and input the code you were given to open up the bunker of the brotherhood of steel.\n\n\\\u003eThe only issue is you're met with a laser rifle to your face.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003eAGAIN\n\n\\\u003e\"Who are you? And why are you using Boomer's Code, did the fucker finally betray us?\" Paladin Ramos demands, shoving his laser rifle against your helmet.\n\n\\\u003eYou can't see Gracie as you stand, hands raised in surrender to Ramos.\n\n\\\u003eShe hisses angrily, going semitransparent and slinking around, drawing her submachine gun.\n\n\\\u003eAtta girl.\n\n\\\u003eAs soon as his eyes dart away from you, you push his rifle aside with your left arm.\n\n\\\u003eHe reacts too late, firing the rifle into the wall behind you as you swing your right fist into his face.\n\n\\\u003eWhile you aren't very skilled with hand-to-hand combat, you have strength enough to at least hit hard.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003eYour armored fist makes contact with his nose, and you feel it crack beneath your fury.\n\n\\\u003eRamos never did wear a helmet, power armor covered every other inch of his body.\n\n\\\u003ePride goeth before the fall.\n\n\\\u003eYour first drives him back and downwards, slamming his head into the floor.\n\n\\\u003eHe was out cold before that part, but you don't care.\n\n\\\u003eHe was more likely to shoot you in the face because you now had scars over letting you in.\n\n\\\u003eYou stalk into the bunker, heeding Paris's words.\n\n\\\u003e\"Don't get too comfortable with them\".\n\n\\\u003eMost of the brotherhood avoid you like you had the plague just because you were from the \"outside\"\n\n\\\u003eWhatever.\n\n\\\u003eYou and Gracie stride through the bunker and you feel her stealth field engulfing you periodically as she eyes the Paladins and knights.\n\n\\\u003eMost steer clear of you as you make your way to the one place you knew Sato would be.\n\n\\\u003eThe cafeteria.\n\n\\\u003eYou find him at a table, eating the ration loafs like they are gourmet food.\n\n\\\u003e\"Paladin Sato, it's good to see you again, didja miss us\", you say as you sit down at the table across from him.\n\n\\\u003eThe paladin looks up from his meal to look at you and then to Gracie.\n\n\\\u003e\"Boomer? I thought you were went to the sierra mad-\" he stops when he sees the badge of your armor that says \"Sierra Madre Security\"\n\n\\\u003e\"Y-you actually went to the Madre? And are still alive\" He asks, looking as though he dreaded the answer.\n\n\\\u003eYou nod and pull your helmet off, he flinches back upon seeing your remaining eye and the scars on your face.\n\n\\\u003e\"Only mostly alive\" you answer calmly.\n\n\\\u003eAs you set the helmet down on the table, you become dimly aware that a lot of eyes are on you and Gracie.\n\n\\\u003e\"We went to the Madre, survived it and got what we needed\" you say as you fish out the force field generator.\n\n\\\u003eSato's eyes go wide at the sight of the blue cube and he looks from it to you.\n\n\\\u003e\"You actually did it... We all thought you would die there...\" he murmurs, the light from the cube shining in his eyes.\n\n\\\u003e\"We also have some other things for you,\"Ol' Paris from Lone Star\" gave them to us to deliver to you\" you say and you stash the cube away.\n\n\\\u003eGracie fishes in her bag for a moment then pulls out the holotape and one of the bottles.\n\n\\\u003eSato stands quickly\n\n\\\u003e\"Not here, follow me\" he says and stomps off, his power armor clanging hard against the floor.\n\n\\\u003eYou shoot a look at Gracie, who shrugs, grab your helmet and start off after the paladin with Gracie not far behind you\n\n\\\u003eAs you catch up to Sato, you hear him muttering to himself and he enters a room where they teach initiates about whatever, however the room is empty now.\n\n\\\u003e\"Ok, give it to me\" he says to Gracie, turning around and looking shaken.\n\n\\\u003e\"A-are you ok?\" Gracie asks as she hands him the holotape and one of the bottles.\n\n\\\u003eHe pops open the bottle with a thumb and chugs the whole thing, then sighs.\n\n\\\u003e\"I'm...Alright...Just amazed that someone came for Me.\" he says finally.\n\n\\\u003eYou carefully dig into your pocket and produce the fang given to you by Paris, still wrapped in a bit of leather.\n\n\\\u003e\"He also gave us this\" you say, extending the bundle to him.\n\n\\\u003eHe takes it gingerly, then opens the bundle and picks up the fang.\n\n\\\u003e\"Chupacabra...\" he mutters and then promptly puts the Holotape into his power armor and plays it\n\n\\\u003eThe message is short and in Paris's voice.\n\n\\\u003e\"The creature this belongs to tried to follow me to Nevada. You're lucky I stopped it. I'll be at the Lucky 38 for a week. Let's talk partner.\"\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003eSato's eyes go wide and he looks like he's done just about every drug out there.\n\n\\\u003eThen, like a madman, the throws the fang to the floor and stomps it into dust, denting the floor beneath his foot.\n\n\\\u003eHe looks up and the grabs you about the shoulders, shaking you\n\n\\\u003e\"DID YOU TELL ANYONE ABOUT THIS?\" he yells at you, looking crazier by the second.\n\n\\\u003eYou push him away with a sharp shove.\n\n\\\u003e\"Back off Sato, we didn't tell anyone\" you growl.\n\n\\\u003eHe wheels about to Gracie, who has the other bottle in her paw, terror painted across her muzzle\n\n\\\u003eHe grabs her in turn, shaking her slightly and she instantly collapses, her tongue lolling out of her mouth and dropping the bottle, which bursts on the floor.\n\n\\\u003eThe sound seems to snap Sato out of whatever trance he was in, you rush to support Gracie as he lets her go.\n\n\\\u003e\"I-I'm sorry, I need to take some time off, I'll be seeing you.\" he says, then promptly leaves the room.\n\n\\\u003eYou stare after him, then stir Gracie gently.\n\n\\\u003e\"Come on Gracie, he's gone\" you whisper to her, rubbing one of her ears.\n\n\\\u003eHer eyes open and she hugs you, then looks around.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003e\"What was that about?\" she asks as she gets her feet under her.\n\n\\\u003e\"No clue, let's just go drop off the Force field generator and get home.\" you say with a sigh.\n\n\\\u003eGracie nods and takes your hand; together the two of you walk through the bunker, earning more stares then before because of your removed helmet.\n\n\\\u003eWhen you finally reach the bunkers now Garage; Knight Nickson and Rusty the coyote are working on wiring for some lights.\n\n\\\u003eRusty jumps slightly at your approach and nearly drops the voltmeter he has in his paws.\n\n\\\u003eKnight Nickson whirls around at Rusty's jump then sees you and Gracie.\n\n\\\u003e\"Jesus Kid, what the fuck\" He says with annoyance and confusion.\n\n\\\u003e\"Sorry to sneak up on you guys, but I have something for you\" you say with a smile.\n\n\\\u003eYou pull the Generator out of your stash and extend it to Nickson, who stares at it for a moment, his eyes wide.\n\n\\\u003e\"Is...Is that the force field Generator?\" he asks as he takes it into his hands, his fingers shaking slightly.\n\n\\\u003eYou nod and watch as he holds it like it was the Holy Grail, inspecting the device with a furtive Gaze.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003e\"R-Rusty, Fuck the lights, we got work to do\" he says finally, then he nods to you.\n\n\\\u003e\"We'll get it done!\" he says before basically running off, holding the generator with great care.\n\n\\\u003eWell then, that's that you guess.\n\n\\\u003e\"Let's go home Gracie\" you say calmly, smiling at the Snekdog.\n\n\\\u003eShe nods once and smiles.\n\n\\\u003e\"Can we get a bark scorpion and grill it? I've craved it since we left\"\n\n\\\u003eYou nod once and head home.\n\n\\\u003eYou're finally home again with your mate, and things couldn't be better.\n\n\\\u003eThrough the Bunker you and Gracie go, back to the surface.\n\n\\\u003eAs you leave, you see Ramos still laying on the ground where you had laid him out and he groans unhappily as you step over his form.\n\n\\\u003eOnce you're outside, you breathe in deep, smelling the cool Desert air and listening to the sounds of the desert.\n\n\\\u003eGusting wind, Coyotes howling in the distance, the scuttling of bark scorpions\n\n\\\u003e\"Oh Oh! I smell some barks! Lemme get them!\" Gracie says excitedly, bouncing in joy then disappearing.\n\n\\\u003eYou wait for a moment then hear the silenced SMG Gracie carries go off a few times, no louder than a whisper above the wind.\n\n\\\u003eAfter a moment she reappears next to you with 2 bark scorpions, both very dead and being held by their tails.\n\n\\\u003e\"I got 2! Let go home and then can you cook them up for us?\" She says happily, as you begin walking to your own bunker.\n\n\\\u003e\"Sure thing Gracie, I miss having a nice good meal\" you say as Gracie starts skipping besides you.\n\n\\\u003eAfter a minute of walking, you reach the door to your bunker, unlock it, and head inside.\n\n\\\u003eIts the same as when you left it, although a little bit dustier.\n\n\\\u003eGracie goes to the kitchen while you get out of your armor, folding it neatly.\n\n\\\u003e\"Get outta the Kitchen and take off your armor, we need to wash it all to get the cloud residue off our gear\" You call out, into the kitchen.\n\n\\\u003e\"OK one sec!\" came Gracie's voice, then the sound of rustling.\n\n\\\u003eGracie emerges one second later, totally nude and carrying her clothing.\n\n\\\u003e\"I needa shower! I smell like those ghosts! You cook!\" She demands, tossing the armor next to yours then walking right up to you.\n\n\\\u003eShe wraps her arms around your neck and looks up at you, then gives you a kiss, her long tongue sneaking its way into your mouth.\n\n\\\u003eYou feel her stealth field begin surrounding you\u0026nbsp; and her, then it oscillating and wavering, like an odd sort of trembling.\n\n\\\u003eYou break from the kiss to see parts of you and her shimmering and disappearing as you hold her.\n\n\\\u003eShe smiles and then pushes away.\n\n\\\u003e\"Shower and dinner first!\" she chides, walking away with an exaggerated sway of her hips.\n\n\\\u003eShe looks back at you, and begins to slowly raise her tail, then right as you're about to see her nethers, she disappears into a shimmer.\n\n\\\u003e\"You should have seen your face!\" comes Gracie's teasing voice.\n\n\\\u003eYou frown as Gracie laughs and hear the shower turn on.\n\n\\\u003eSure, you've seen her naked, but its different now that you're her mate.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003eYou sigh, and walk through your bunker with a only a t-shirt and your undergarments then prepare the bark scorpions for dinner.\n\n\\\u003eYou can hear Gracie singing badly as you begin seasoning and grilling.\n\n\\\u003e\"BIGGG IROOONNN BIG IROOONNNN!\" she sings happily.\n\n\\\u003eShe is very off key and her voice is silly as its distorted by the shower.\n\n\\\u003eAfter a about 10 minutes the scorpions are ready\n\n\\\u003eAs if on cue, Gracie appears next to you wrapped in a towel and gives you a gentle lick on the cheek.\n\n\\\u003e\"Your turn~, I promise I won't peek this time!\" she hisses softly.\n\n\\\u003eYou smirk and head to the shower, then get in and clean yourself thoroughly.\n\n\\\u003eNo need to get the cloud residue in your bed.\n\n\\\u003eAs you shower you think about what Pip said.\n\n\\\u003e\"We need to go to the Big MT, be ready\"\n\n\\\u003eThe Big MT....from what you've heard about it, its dangerous.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\\\u003eOf course you were never one to shy away from danger and a possible horrible death.\n\n\\\u003eYou turn off the water right as it starts to get cold and leave the shower, drying off quickly.\n\n\\\u003eYou leave the bathroom, and find Gracie, still damp from her shower, sitting at the small table and happily eating a claw from one of the scorpions.\n\n\\\u003eHer long tongue darts into the crack chitin and scoop out a bit of the cooked meat.\n\n\\\u003eWith a content sigh, you sit next to her, and begin eating yourself.\n\n\\\u003eShe leans against you, and you both eat in silence, savoring both the food and the company.\n\n\\\u003eYou both finish eating and then you take Gracie's paw and lead her to the bed.\n\n\\\u003eShes already yawning and rubbing her eyes.\n\n\\\u003eIts been a long day.\n\n\\\u003eGot a pre-war Artifact, killed a giant mutant, flew and crashed a vertibird.\n\n\\\u003eOne of your more busy days, that's for sure.\n\n\\\u003eYou get into the bed, still naked, and Gracie slides in next you you, placing her back to your chest and making you the big spoon.\n\n\\\u003e\"Goodnight Anon, I Love you\" she murmurs, half asleep and woozy.\n\n\\\u003eYou kiss the top of her head and pull her close.\n\n\\\u003e\"Love you too\"\n\n\\\u003eTogether, you drift off to sleep in your own bed, with your perfect mate.\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1700307-love-me-as-if-there-were-no-tomorrow-chapter-11.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1703199-love-me-as-if-there-were-no-tomorrow-chapter-13.json"}}