2 You're still an idiot

The caravan had come down off the last of the sandy foothills leading the brahmin, whose eyes were already dead and bulging with heat. It has been a week since the group left the last town, and their supplies are diminishing. Of course, the caravan will be penalized for touching the merchandise, so relying on it is not an option. However, the caravan leader assured that they are close to the next stop, which is known as the Mojave Outpost.

Mull, already covered in sweat and must, groans as he barely keeps up the pace. With the unbearable heat and the sun beaming at him, it is inevitable that some his skin will suffer the effects of sunburn. His throat had a itching sensation, and everytime he swallowed his own spit, his dehydration rise. His tongue is deprived of saliva, and dry as the meat of geckos.

Willow also shares the same struggles; Mull thought that perhaps riding on the brahmin was a better option. But of course, they are mercenaries. They can't just do anything as they pleased, or else, their pay will be penalized. Also, the merchants prefer to treat the merchandise better than their fellow man.

And of course, who wants to end up smelling like brahmin excrement?

But in the end, Mull did not care about such trivial things. What he needed the most, as well as Willow, is a moment to catch their breath and rest.

"Walking in the Mojave makes you wish for a nuclear winter." Willow stated, causing Mull to chuckle.

"You're one step ahead from being enlisted to the NCR army. But, for once, I agree." Mull said sarcastically, which cause Willow to also chuckle.

[A/N: For those of you who never played Fallout: New Vegas, when interacting with the NCR soldiers, usually, one of their frequent dialogue lines is 'Patrolling in the Mojave makes you wish for a nuclear winter'. That is the Fallout version of 'I used to be a adventurer, until I took an arrow to the knee'.]

"Maybe, but I prefer to stay with you rather than join the NCR." Willow said with a alluring tone as she crept up to her older brother. Their shoulders touched, and Willow blushes with the expression of longing.

"...Stop teasing me." Mull's heart immediately melted, and became vulnerable to his little sister's advances. However, Willow has mastered the art of hiding her true motives, and not even Mull can not understand what's going on inside of her head. Being flustered and embarrassed, Mull turned his head away from Willow.

That is when a golden opportunity arose. And she took complete advantage of it.

Willow snacthed the waterskin from Mull!

"Gotcha~" she teased and reveled in her small victory as she took a swing of the waterskin. The purified water graces her lips, and it liberated her mouth from the confinement of dehydration. Mull, rendered speechless, looks at his little sister in disbelief.

"...Don't look at me like I'm some ugly Super Mutant. I didn't drink it all, dumbas*" Willow playfully insulted as she sticks up the middle finger.

"You better remember those words when I buy some salisbury steak." he shot back, making Willow immediately regret ever taking the waterskin away from him

"I'm sorry! Here, there's still plenty of it left!" she gave it back to him, reinsuraning that she only drank the amount that she need.

"...Fufufu, you're so easy to manipulate, Lil' sis. But seriously, if you ever need something from me, don't hesitate to ask. I will never say no to you."

"Alright then! Can you get me a pet deathclaw?"

"You're being sarcastic, aren't you?"

"Hehehehe… don't be so mellow, Brother Mull. We're having fun, aren't we?"

"My definition of fun is playing a game of cards, getting drunk, sleeping with a woman, or shooting up suicidal idiots with bountiful loot. Sweating like a centaur and being worked as a slave is not fun. ...But I guess hanging out with my only family is worth more than anything that I mentioned before."

"That's so sweet, if only you didn't mention the 'sleeping' part. Sometimes, I think all men can only think with their 'body parts' instead of their brains."

"And that's why I am here; if any man tries to do something to you, I'll shoot their nu*ts off."

"...When I said 'all men', that includes you too, idiot."

"But I'm not just any other man, I'm your brother, your only family."

"...Fine, I guess you're right. But you're still an idiot."

"I'm alright with that."

-Line Break-

Nightfall had arrived, and the merchants and the Ex-Fiend siblings decided to set up camp and rest for the night.

Unlike last time, Mull can rest easy and gather strength for the next day. The same goes for Willow as well.

The duo laid side by side as they hold hands and look up to the clear skies, and watch the stars twinkle.

"...Hey, Big Brother?" she whispered out to him.

"...Yeah?"

"Why is it so cold in the night, but very hot in the day? I don't get it." she asked, frustrated with the ecosystem of the Mojave Wasteland.

Mull had no idea on how to answer her question; he is not the type of person to think about nature or the state of the world. He simply thought that that's how the way things are.

"Maybe because it represents your personality?" he teased.

"...Shut up."

"I'm just teasing you."

"I know. But seriously, can you give me a legit answer?" she asked once again, but this time, she face towards him. The look in her eyes had an indescribable light; it was the desire to know, to learn and to understand. Mull couldn't resist the beauty in front of him, but unfortunately, he is not the right person to ask. He might be wise, tough, honest, and caring, but he wasn't knowledgeable.

"...Honestly, I don't know. Maybe you should ask the Followers of the Apocalypse when we get to Freeside. You know I'm not much for brains." he said truthfully. Willow accepted it. She knew that Mull didn't know, but still… his input on life is valuable to her.

"...That's not true. You're the smartest guy I know."

"I am not smart, Willow. If I was smart, then we would never have been in this situation." Mull regretted. If only he and Willow ran away earlier from the life of a Fiend, then maybe the damage they delt would been significantly smaller, and the charges against them would be manageable.

"Don't take all the burden for yourself; I am responsible for my own actions as well. We just need a good haul of caps, then we can live like normal siblings, like a normal family…" she attempted to comfort him; to some degree, it did work.

However, he doubt things would go their way.

It's only a matter of time before the NCR discovers them. They can't hide forever, nor do they have the resources or knowledge to go east, to other settlements or commonwealths.

They are stuck in the Mojave Wasteland, with all its troubles, and a brewing all-out war between the NCR, Caesar's Legion, and Mr. House.

"I hope so too, Willow. But… I'll be honest with you: I have a bad feeling about this. How the Mojave is turning into a legit warzone. We might get caught up in between."

"And If we do, we'll stick together. Till the bitter end." she said with confidence.

Thus the Ex-Fiend siblings remain close, embracing each other and warming themselves with their body heat.

And if the whole world went against them, at least they have each other.

War might never change, no matter the era. But people do, especially the ones who committed atrocities and suffer regret from it.

And if war never changes, neither does redemption.