471. Fixing the Wall PT.5

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The two of them stood there for a while, watching the sunset paint the city in hues of orange and purple. The walls stood tall and strong, a testament to the people's resilience.

The last rays of sunlight stretched over Diamond City as Sico and Sturges pushed through the final stretch of work for the day. The two of them, along with the rest of the repair crew, had spent the afternoon reinforcing weak sections of the wall, rewiring security nodes, and making sure everything was in place. It was grueling, sweaty work, but with each bolt tightened and every panel secured, they were one step closer to finishing the job for good.

By now, most of the city had started winding down. Lanterns flickered to life in the streets, casting long, golden shadows as merchants packed up their stalls and late-night wanderers roamed between the buildings. A few Minutemen patrolled the perimeter, their rifles slung lazily over their shoulders. The tension that had loomed over Diamond City the past few days had started to lift, but the exhaustion of it all was still thick in the air.

Sico wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, sighing as he leaned against the wall. "Alright, what's next?" he asked, turning to Sturges, who was busy checking the power relays one last time.

The mechanic squinted at the wires in front of him before finally letting out a long breath. "You know what? I say we call it here," he declared, dropping his screwdriver onto his tool belt. "We've done enough for one day."

Sico raised an eyebrow. "You sure? I thought you were the guy who never left a job half-finished."

Sturges smirked, stretching his arms above his head. "Yeah, well, even the best gotta sleep sometime. We keep pushing, and someone's gonna screw up from being too tired. We'll finish the last touches in the morning."

Sico considered arguing, but the ache in his muscles was making a damn good case for taking the night off.

"Alright," he conceded, rolling his shoulders. "Let's get some food."

Sturges grinned. "Now you're speaking my language."

The two of them made their way down from the scaffolding, their boots kicking up dust as they stepped onto the worn pathways leading back into the heart of the city. The scent of cooked meat and warm bread filled the air, mingling with the ever-present metallic tang of the old stadium.

As they neared the marketplace, a few familiar faces greeted them. A group of Minutemen sat around a makeshift table near one of the food stalls, laughing and drinking. Nearby, a young mechanic named Jake was showing off a new makeshift weapon he had cobbled together from spare parts.

"Hey, Sico!" one of the Minutemen called out, raising a tin cup. "You finally taking a break?"

"For once," Sico replied with a smirk.

The group chuckled, and one of them gestured to the food stall beside them. "Vadim's got fresh stew tonight. Better get some before we eat it all."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Sturges said, already making his way over.

Sico followed, stepping up to the counter where Vadim was stirring a large pot of steaming stew. The scent was rich, earthy, and inviting.

"Ah, you again!" Vadim said with a grin. "Finally taking break from saving city, yes?"

"Something like that," Sico said. "What's in the stew?"

Vadim chuckled. "You ask too many questions. Just eat and enjoy!" He ladled a generous portion into a bowl and handed it over. "Here—on the house for the heroes of Diamond City."

Sico wasn't about to argue with free food. He grabbed a chunk of bread and found a spot at one of the nearby tables, where Sturges was already digging in.

The stew was good—surprisingly good, considering wasteland cooking wasn't exactly known for its quality. The meat was tender, the broth thick and flavorful. For the first time in days, Sico allowed himself to actually enjoy something.

As he ate, the sounds of the city around him felt… normal. People talking, laughing, sharing drinks. Even after everything they had been through, life went on.

Sturges leaned back in his seat, rubbing his stomach. "You know," he said, "I was half expecting you to be too stubborn to stop working."

Sico smirked. "I was tempted."

"Yeah, yeah, you and your damn work ethic," Sturges muttered. He took a swig from a tin cup. "But you gotta let people breathe, man. You push too hard, and even the best start breaking down."

Sico exhaled, thinking about that. He had spent so much time making sure Diamond City was safe, making sure no one else could pull what Morris had, that he hadn't really considered how much it had worn on everyone.

"How about this," Sturges continued, leaning forward. "Tomorrow, we finish the last few things on the wall. After that? We take the day off. I mean it. No excuses."

Sico raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly do you have in mind?"

Sturges grinned. "Oh, I dunno. Maybe grab a few drinks, see if Vadim's got any good stuff hidden away, maybe even get into a little trouble."

Sico chuckled. "Last time you said that, we ended up rebuilding half the marketplace."

"Details," Sturges said, waving a hand dismissively. "So? You in?"

Sico considered it. A real break—no patrols, no worrying about who might be scheming next, just a chance to breathe.

"…Alright," he said.

Sturges clapped his hands together. "That's what I'm talking about!"

The night stretched on as they ate, talked, and shared stories with the others. The weight of the past few days wasn't gone, but for a little while, it felt manageable.

By the time Sico finally made his way back to his quarters, exhaustion was starting to take over. He stripped off his gear and collapsed onto the cot, muscles aching but mind surprisingly at ease.

Sico let out a long breath as he sank into his cot, muscles still aching from the day's work. His body was tired, but his mind—despite everything—felt lighter. The hum of Diamond City at night buzzed faintly outside, a mix of voices, the occasional clang of metal, and the distant strumming of a guitar somewhere in the market. It was the kind of sound that reassured him things were still running, that life in the city hadn't crumbled under the weight of recent chaos.

He let his eyes close, not bothering to pull a blanket over himself. The heat of the day still clung to the air, and for the first time in what felt like weeks, Sico let himself drift off without thinking about security reports or sabotage threats.

---

Morning came quicker than expected, jolting Sico awake with the sounds of the city stirring to life. He sat up with a groan, rubbing a hand over his face before glancing at the small clock on the wall. Just past sunrise.

Perfect timing.

He pushed himself up and stretched, rolling his shoulders to shake off the stiffness. His shirt was still damp with sweat from the day before, and he made a mental note to swap it out before heading out. Grabbing a fresh set of clothes, he pulled them on, laced up his boots, and stepped outside, greeted instantly by the smell of cooking tatos and the ever-present scent of metal and oil that came with a city built from scrap.

Sico made his way toward the western wall, where Sturges and the rest of the crew were already gathering. A handful of civilians were there too—regular folks who had volunteered to help with the last stretch of repairs. Their faces were tired but determined, and the air carried an odd energy, a mix of exhaustion and excitement.

Today was the day.

Sturges spotted him first, waving a wrench in his direction. "Look who finally decided to roll outta bed."

Sico smirked. "Figured I'd let you get a head start."

Sturges snorted. "Yeah, right. You ready to finish this?"

Sico scanned the wall. It looked damn good compared to where they'd started. The worst of the damage had been repaired, the security grid was back online, and today would be the final sweep—patching up any remaining weak spots and reinforcing key sections.

"Let's get to it," he said.

The work started fast. Civilians hauled scrap metal and tools while the Minutemen and mechanics handled the more technical fixes. The energy was different today—not the desperate push of survival, but something else. A kind of pride.

People were joking, laughing, even humming as they worked.

"Hey, pass me that screwdriver," Jake called from one of the scaffolds.

"Say 'please,'" a woman named Martha shot back, handing it to him with a smirk.

"Please, my lady," Jake said with an exaggerated bow, making a few people chuckle.

Even Sturges seemed more relaxed than usual. He worked with his sleeves rolled up, a grease-streaked rag tucked into his belt as he bounced between different teams, making sure everything was holding up.

"You see this?" he said, nudging Sico as they secured a panel into place. "This is what I like to see. Folks coming together, getting things done."

Sico nodded, tightening a bolt. "Better than patching up bullet holes after another crisis."

"No kidding." Sturges wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "Alright, we're in the final stretch now. Another hour, maybe two, and we'll be done."

That was enough to put an extra push in everyone's step. The work continued at a steady pace, each clang of metal and buzz of welding bringing them closer to the finish line.

As Sico worked, he caught glimpses of the city beyond the wall—kids chasing each other through the streets, traders setting up their stalls, guards making their usual rounds. It was easy to forget sometimes, but this was what they were protecting. Not just the structures, but the people. The lives that kept moving forward, even after everything.

By midday, they reached the last section.

"Alright," Sturges called out, standing atop the scaffolding and looking over the finished work. "That's it! We're done!"

A cheer erupted from the workers, some clapping, others letting out relieved groans as they stretched sore limbs.

Sico stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow as he surveyed their work. The wall stood tall, reinforced, and unshakable. It wasn't just repaired—it was stronger than before.

One of the civilians, a man named Harris, let out a low whistle. "Damn good job, if you ask me."

"Damn right," Jake added, tossing his tools into his bag. "So… now that we're done, what's next?"

Sturges grinned. "Next? We celebrate."

Another cheer rippled through the group.

Sico smirked. "Thought you said no excuses?"

"This ain't an excuse. This is a necessity." Sturges clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, we earned it."

The group dispersed, some heading off to clean up, others already making their way toward the Dugout Inn. Sico lingered a moment longer, running a hand over one of the metal plates.

It held firm.

Good.

He turned, making his way toward the marketplace, where the sounds of celebration were already starting to stir. Vadim was waving people inside the inn, promising free drinks "for the heroes of Diamond City." Sico shook his head, chuckling. For once, he let himself relax.

Sico took a deep breath, letting the scent of roasted meat and fresh-baked bread wash over him as he stepped into the Dugout Inn. The place was packed—workers, Minutemen, and even a few traders who had stuck around to see what all the noise was about. The air was thick with laughter, clinking glasses, and the steady hum of a radio playing some old pre-war tune in the background.

Vadim spotted him instantly and threw up his arms. "Ah! The man of the hour!" he bellowed, waving Sico over. "Come, come! You work too much, now you drink!"

Sico smirked, weaving through the crowd as Vadim shoved a tin mug of something strong-smelling into his hands. "Go on, try! Is good stuff, I promise."

He eyed the liquid suspiciously but took a sip anyway. The burn hit fast, but the warmth that followed wasn't bad. "Not bad," he admitted, and Vadim let out a triumphant laugh.

Around the room, people were already deep into the celebration. Sturges was posted up at a table with a few of the mechanics, regaling them with some exaggerated story that had them all in stitches. A couple of Minutemen had started a dice game in the corner, and Jake was in a heated arm-wrestling match with one of the traders, both of them gritting their teeth as their arms shook with effort.

Sico made his way over to Sturges, who immediately slid a chair out for him. "Finally decided to loosen up, huh?"

"Figured I'd see what all the fuss was about," Sico said, sitting down.

"The fuss," Sturges said, raising his mug, "is that we actually finished a job without something blowing up."

"A damn miracle," Jake called from across the room, still locked in his arm-wrestling battle.

Sico chuckled, taking another sip of his drink as the conversations around him flowed freely. It was a rare thing, moments like this. Where people weren't just surviving, but living.

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.

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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:-