472. Fixing the Buildings PT.1
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As the night stretched on, the stories got wilder, the drinks flowed easier, and for the first time in a long while, Sico let himself just enjoy it. No patrols, no worries—just a night of well-earned peace.
Sico woke up to the sounds of Diamond City coming alive outside his window—vendors setting up their stalls, the distant chatter of settlers, and the clang of metal tools striking against scrap. He groaned, rubbing his temples as the lingering effects of last night's drinks settled in. Vadim's concoction had been stronger than he expected, but he had to admit, it had done its job—he'd actually slept without thinking about security reports or battle strategies.
Rolling out of bed, he stretched, his muscles still sore from the previous day's work. The repairs to the wall had taken their toll on everyone, but it was worth it. Diamond City was safer, and for once, there was a sense of pride instead of just survival.
After throwing on a clean shirt and lacing up his boots, Sico grabbed his jacket and stepped outside. The air was warm, carrying the scent of fried tatos and grilled meat from the market. He made his way toward the heart of the city, where Sturges had called for a gathering.
When he arrived, he found a sizable crowd already assembled—Minutemen, mechanics, and a handful of civilians who had volunteered to help. Sturges stood at the center, holding a clipboard, his sleeves rolled up and a pencil tucked behind his ear. He looked like a man with a plan.
"Alright, folks," Sturges called out, his voice carrying over the early morning bustle. "We did good work yesterday, but we ain't done yet. We got one last thing on my checklist—fixing up the buildings that got hit during the battle. Can't have folks living in half-collapsed homes or working in busted-up shops, now can we?"
A few people murmured in agreement. Others just nodded, waiting for their assignments.
"So here's how we're gonna do this," Sturges continued. "We're splitting into three teams. First team's handling repairs in the marketplace—patching up stalls, fixing up roofs, making sure traders got a proper place to sell their goods. Second team's heading to the Upper Stands. Some of those houses took a beating, and we gotta make sure no one's sleeping under a half-broken ceiling. Third team's tackling the Down Stands—probably the hardest job, but those folks need it the most."
Sico crossed his arms, scanning the crowd. Everyone looked tired, but there was no hesitation. They knew what needed to be done.
"Now, I ain't gonna force anyone into a job," Sturges said, glancing around. "If you got a preference, speak up now. Otherwise, I'll be picking teams for ya."
A few people stepped forward. Jake immediately volunteered for the Down Stands team, along with a handful of Minutemen. They were used to rough work and weren't afraid to get their hands dirty. Martha, the woman who had given Jake a hard time over a screwdriver the day before, opted for the marketplace repairs, saying she'd rather deal with traders than crawl through rubble.
Sico remained silent for a moment, then finally spoke up. "I'll take the Upper Stands," he said.
Sturges nodded. "Good choice. They're gonna need someone who knows what they're doing up there."
With teams assigned, they broke off into groups, gathering supplies and tools before heading to their respective areas.
The team assigned to the marketplace wasted no time getting to work. Most of the damage had been to the wooden stalls and metal roofing—nothing too complicated, but still enough to disrupt daily trade.
Martha, already knee-deep in her work, barked orders like she had been running the place for years. "Hey! Careful with that panel, it's gonna bend if you force it!" she snapped at one of the younger workers struggling to secure a sheet of tin.
"Yes, ma'am," he muttered, adjusting his grip.
"Don't call me ma'am, makes me feel old," she shot back with a smirk.
Within a few hours, the market was beginning to take shape again. Vendors who had been working out of makeshift stalls started moving back into their newly reinforced ones. A few even pitched in where they could, offering cold drinks and food to the workers.
Vadim, ever the businessman, set up a small stand nearby, selling drinks with a grin. "Hard work makes man thirsty! Come, take break!"
Jake, who had wandered over from the Down Stands, grabbed a bottle and downed it in one go. "Didn't think I'd ever say this, but I think I miss building walls."
Martha laughed. "Yeah? Try fixing a trader's stall while they stand over your shoulder, complaining about every damn thing you do."
Sico's team reached the Upper Stands, where the damage was more serious. Some buildings had taken direct hits during the battle, leaving gaping holes in walls and collapsed roofs. Others had just suffered structural weakening, making them unsafe to live in.
"Alright," Sico said, surveying the area. "Let's start with the worst ones. No point fixing a leaky roof if the whole damn building is about to cave in."
The team split up, assessing damage and reinforcing weak structures. Some houses required more than just patchwork—they needed entire sections rebuilt.
One elderly woman, whose house had been hit particularly hard, watched anxiously as they worked. "I don't have much to offer, but I can cook," she said, wringing her hands.
Sico shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Just sit tight, we'll get it done."
She nodded, retreating inside as they got to work. Hours passed, and the team made steady progress. By midday, they had stabilized most of the worst-hit buildings, ensuring they were safe to live in again.
Sturges swung by at one point, checking on their progress. "Looking good up here," he said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Almost makes Diamond City look respectable again."
Sico smirked. "Almost."
Jake and his team had their work cut out for them. The Down Stands had always been rough, but after the battle, it was worse than ever. Makeshift homes had been reduced to rubble, and what little infrastructure they had was barely holding together.
"Alright, listen up!" Jake shouted over the noise of hammers and saws. "We ain't gonna fix everything today, but we sure as hell can make it better than it was!"
The team got to work, clearing debris, reinforcing walls, and patching up whatever they could. The people of the Down Stands weren't shy about helping, either—men, women, and even some kids pitched in where they could.
One boy, no older than ten, watched as Jake secured a metal sheet over a gaping hole in a shack. "You gonna make it so the rain don't get in?" the kid asked.
Jake grunted as he tightened a bolt. "That's the plan, kid."
The boy nodded, then ran off, only to return minutes later with a bottle of water. "Here," he said, holding it out. "You look thirsty."
Jake hesitated for a second before taking it. "Thanks, kid."
The work continued late into the afternoon, but by the time they wrapped up, the Down Stands actually looked… livable.
As the sun reached its peak, the teams finally took a much-needed break. Sweat clung to their clothes, and dust coated their faces and arms, but there was a sense of satisfaction in the air. The market stalls stood firm again, the Upper Stands had sturdy roofs and stable walls, and the Down Stands looked like a place where people could live rather than just survive.
Sico wiped his forehead with the back of his hand as he made his way toward the tables where food had been set up. The traders had pitched in, bringing out whatever they could spare—stews, grilled meat, fresh-baked bread, and even a few bottles of homemade brew that Vadim had no doubt supplied. The smell alone was enough to make his stomach growl.
Sturges was already there, hunched over a plate of brahmin stew, talking with some of the mechanics. He caught sight of Sico and waved him over. "'Bout time you sat your ass down," he said, scooting a chair out with his foot. "Figured you'd keep working till you dropped."
Sico smirked as he sat down, grabbing a plate and filling it with whatever looked good. "Took some convincing," he admitted, stabbing a piece of roasted meat with his fork.
"Yeah, well, we ain't much help if we pass out on the job," Sturges said between bites. He leaned back in his chair, exhaling as he looked around at the groups of workers eating and chatting. "You know, if I squint hard enough, this almost feels normal."
Sico glanced around too. Laughter mixed with the sounds of clinking plates, and for the first time in a long time, Diamond City didn't feel like a city on the edge of survival—it felt like a community.
Sturges let out a satisfied sigh and took another bite. "So, I've been crunchin' the numbers," he said, "and I reckon if we keep up this pace, we'll be done by tomorrow afternoon. Diamond City will finally look like it did before the battle."
Sico chewed thoughtfully before nodding. "That's good. People need this. They need to see that things can go back to the way they were."
"Maybe even better," Sturges added. "Hell, some of these buildings weren't exactly in great shape before the fight. We're fixing problems that folks have been ignoring for years."
Sico chuckled. "So you're saying we should've let Diamond City get attacked sooner?"
Sturges snorted, shaking his head. "Don't even joke about that."
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, watching as workers rested, laughing and trading stories. Some of the Minutemen had started a small dice game in the corner, while a couple of traders argued over who had the best stew recipe. Vadim, ever the showman, had taken to pouring drinks with dramatic flair, waving his arms and giving a loud speech about the "finest spirits in the wasteland."
Sico leaned back in his chair, enjoying the moment. It was rare to see people truly relax in the Commonwealth. Usually, everyone was on edge, waiting for the next raider attack, the next mutant infestation, the next crisis. But today, there was peace.
Jake walked over, setting his empty plate down on the table with a satisfied sigh. "Damn, that hit the spot," he said. "I might actually have the energy to get back to work now."
Martha, who had been sitting nearby, smirked. "Good, because we're only halfway done. You think the buildings are fixing themselves?"
Jake groaned but grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Just let me pretend I can sit here forever."
"You sit forever, I charge extra," Vadim called from behind his makeshift drink stand. "No free loading!"
Jake laughed. "Alright, alright, I'm moving."
Sico pushed his empty plate away, stretching his arms. "We should get back to it," he said. "The sooner we finish, the sooner we can really celebrate."
Sturges nodded, downing the last of his drink before standing up. "Let's get back to work, people! Break's over!"
A few groans went up, but no one really complained. They knew what needed to be done.
---
The afternoon was a grind, but the progress was undeniable.
At the marketplace, Martha and her team put the finishing touches on the stalls, reinforcing the wooden beams and securing the roofing. The traders, eager to reclaim their space, wasted no time moving their goods back in. By the time the sun started dipping, the marketplace looked fully operational again.
"Not bad," Martha muttered, wiping her hands on her pants as she surveyed their work.
"You gonna miss working with us?" one of the younger workers asked with a grin.
Martha scoffed. "Not in a million years."
At the Upper Stands, Sico and his crew worked on reinforcing the last of the damaged homes. The elderly woman whose house had nearly collapsed earlier stepped outside, looking up at her now-stable roof with wide eyes.
"It's… it's wonderful," she whispered.
Sico nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Should hold up better than before."
She turned to him, eyes glistening with gratitude. "Thank you."
Sico just gave her a small smile and a nod before moving to the next house.
Down at the Lower Stands, Jake and his team had their hands full. The shanties and makeshift homes were the toughest to fix, but the people here were resilient. They worked alongside the team, hammering, lifting, and securing whatever they could.
By the time the sun started to set, the Down Stands didn't look quite so run-down anymore. It wasn't perfect, but it was better.
Jake leaned against a freshly repaired wall, wiping his brow. "Damn, I need another drink."
"You always need another drink," one of the workers teased.
Jake grinned. "That's because I work too damn hard."
---
As night fell, the teams gathered once more at the Dugout Inn. The work wasn't quite finished yet, but the hardest part was behind them. Vadim, of course, had already set up another round of drinks, and the atmosphere was lighter than it had been in weeks.
Sico sat with Sturges at their usual table, both of them nursing their drinks and watching as their people unwound.
"So," Sturges said, tilting his mug toward Sico. "Think we did good?"
Sico took a sip, letting the warmth settle in his chest before nodding. "Yeah. We did."
Sturges smirked. "Well then, here's to Diamond City. Back on its feet."
They clinked their mugs together, and for the first time in a long time, Sico let himself believe that maybe—just maybe—the Commonwealth wasn't beyond saving.
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• Name: Sico
• Stats :
S: 8,44
P: 7,44
E: 8,44
C: 8,44
I: 9,44
A: 7,45
L: 7
• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills
• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.
• Active Quest:-