After the whole incident with Danse being a synth and all, you couldn't bring yourself to kill your sponsor..the person who got you into the Brotherhood. The one who believed in you when others didn't

So when Elder Maxson ordered you to eliminate him you knew straight away you couldn't do it, the Elder was giving you a hard time about it. Thinking that you had known about Danse being a Synth however the Paladin didn't confide in you plus he didn't even know himself so when the Elder was insulting and belittling you over it you couldn't help but scrunch up your face in anger

"If he did confide in me don't you think I would've told you about it?" You asked, hands behind your back as you stared at the hard faced Elder standing in front of you

"No, Danse is your sponsor, you wouldn't inform me of Danse being something that we despise." He said

"Well He didn't tell me anything, he probably didn't even know himself to be honest." You said, trying to keep your calm at the Elders constant assumptions

"Prove your innocence to me and then maybe I'll reconsider your punishment." He said "Prove my innocence? I haven't even done anything wrong!" You couldn't believe what you was hearing right now

"You will be the one who tracks Danse down, and you will eliminate him to prove your innocence." He said "That's not fair! I can't kill my friend!" This was stupid! "If you don't, then that just shows me you don't have what it takes to get what needs to be done...done."

"Out of all things I could do you want me to kill the only person who ever believed in me? The only person I would class as a friend? And you think that because someone ordered me to kill him I would betray him like that?" It was sickening to even think about it

"He is the one who betrayed us, I don't see why you are getting so worked up about it. Sure I know he's your mentor but he's a machine...his thoughts have been programmed. You don't know when he will turn on you."

"Danse wouldn't do such a thing." You tried to defend him "Think back to all them other Synths you've killed with ease...he's just another one of them, he doesn't care about you!"

"If it bothers you so much then do it yourself, there's no way in hell I'll take part in this. I mean...I'm with the Brotherhood until I die but I can't be the one who does this."

"Do it...or I'll banish you from the Brotherhood forever." He said and your eyes widened in shock!

Would he actually do that to you? After all that you've done for them and this is how your repaid? By being forced to kill your friend.

You angrily scrunched up your face "Ad Victoriam Elder." You spat as you stormed off, you knew he wanted you to do this to prove your loyalty but you've done nothing but that since you've joined them.

"Fools, absolute Fools! It's so obvious that the Brotherhood is my life and this is how I get treated? Like I'm a betrayer!" You angrily kicked a can That was on the floor as you walked down to your quarters but before you could get in a tap on your shoulder stopped you

"( Y/N)?" You turned your attention to Scribe Haylen who nervously shifted from side to side

"Haylen." You greeted "I..Elder Maxson wanted us to report to you if we have any information on Danse's whereabouts." She said and you scoffed sadly "I mean..obviously that means your going to kill him aren't you? Is he actually even a Synth? You know I don't care! Danse took me in and trained me and taught me how to get back up when I was down," she began, her eyes filled with pure sadness as she thought about all the times she had with the Paladin

"Will you actually kill him?" She asked

"No, and if the Elder wants to get rid of me because of it then so be it. But I won't lay a hand on him."

And you kept that promise, as the next few days come along you didn't take no part in the task, instead you stayed locked up in your quarters, drinking away your Sorrows and listening to Diamond City radio

But due to your sudden 'Disappearance' the Elder had gotten extremely curious as to where you was and why you hadn't completed your task when your job was on the line

So when you get a knock on your door, at first you was ignoring it but after a while you knew for a fact that they weren't going to leave anytime soon so instead you opened the door and that's when your (E/C) eyes landed on Maxson who was standing in front of you

"Arthur."

"( Y/N)."

You two of you didn't say anything but as you was about to turn away he suddenly spoke up

"Why haven't you completed your task?" He asked "I've told you, I'm not doing it...get someone else to do it but I won't kill a friend...I've lost too many people in my life to simply take out another one." And it was true, you weren't willing to wipe out another person close to you

"I was simply asking you to do your job." He said "Yeah, well I don't want this task! Just take me off of it otherwise I'll walk out myself. I don't want to do that because I'll be walking out on everything I've ever loved." You said as you looked him in the eyes

"Loved?" He asked "Loved." You confirmed causing him to raise his eyebrows

"Do you honestly think I would've helped you guys the way I have if I was here to betray you? We aren't even that far from wiping out the institute and your getting all pissed off with the fact that I couldn't hurt a friend."

"Seeming as it's bothering you so much, I'll put it on hold, however with Danse's sudden...Disappearance we have an empty space within our ranks." He said

"Paladin?" You asked and he nodded with a slight grin on his face, OH MY GOD! That's like the first time he's ever smiled!

"Look Knight, I know I doubted your loyalty to the Brotherhood but I know for a fact that you wouldn't double cross us. I was just angry with the fact that we have a traitor working right under our noses and we didn't expect it." He said

"It's understandable Elder, it's happened with a lot of the groups around the commonwealth."

"Indeed, However...we shall no longer speak about Danse, you are our new Paladin. Make sure you show everyone what it is to be a Brotherhood soldier." He said and you couldn't help but smile sheepishly

"Thank you Elder." You smiled "Ad Victoriam."

{The next few days}

Danse was forgotten about, the institute was more important to the Brotherhood as of right now

"Liberty Prime is back online Elder." You said as you looked up at Arthur who stood there looking down at the commonwealth

"Great! Now it shouldn't be long until we get that scum off the map and all civilians get back to living the way they should.... free." He said and you couldn't help but smile at the thought

"The institute should never of messed with the commonwealth."

"Indeed, they have been playing god in people's lives way too long and we are the only ones that can do that." He said and you nodded in agreement "I know it will work Elder, it always does." When he didn't say anything you took that as your leave so began to turn around

"Paladin." You froze in place as Maxson spoke up from behind you

"Yes Elder?" You turned around to face him "I know it may seem like I'm too strict and all...but, I must admit..I do have quite the soft spot for you." Your eyes widened in shock! The Elder had a soft spot for you?!

"I-! Wow! That means a lot to me Elder." You smiled sheepishly "Please (Y/N)...it's Arthur."

That was the beginning of a blossoming relationship between the two of you.

You had made your way further up the ranks, until you reached Sentinel but not only that. You and Elder Maxson had actually started dating

Sure he looked and acted as if he'd rip your head off whenever he felt like it but he was actually quite a sweetheart when you get past all of them walls he built around himself

"You're just a teddy bear, Arthur." You smiled widely as you stroked his cheek, your (E/C) eyes melting into his brown ones as the both of you lay in bed

"Looks can be deceiving." He mumbled as he looked up at the ceiling

"Indeed..."

Truth was....he wasn't a crazy mad man like everyone made out, he was just 'ahead of the curve'

Willing to do right by the people

And his future partner, You.

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Sorry about this guys, I know it was terrible and there's probably like a million mistakes. So...I humbly apologise for a being a lazy tosser

But I'll try to improve as best as I can

~L