That turned out quite fluffy if you ignore that it didn’t end up well
Lately Barbara had been talking about kids.
It wasn’t actually such a bad idea, thought Deacon, because he had already settled down, they were together, and he loved her. She loved him. It was incredible. Maybe he did deserve a family.
“If, hypothetically, of course, we have a baby boy, what would you name him? Hypothetically,” Barbara giggled. She was always giggly after sex, or when she was talking about kids. It was really cute. Deacon kissed her temple, hid a smile in it, and then kissed her again for good measure.
“I don’t know, really,” he closed his eyes and tried to picture a child, and an image of a certain quiet dark-haired boy appears instead. He made a face fondly. “But I do know what I don’t want to name him, and how I hope he wouldn’t turn out to be, etcetera etcetera.”
“You’re a hater on every topic, huh?” She poked at his cheek, “makes you so real and lovable, though.”
Lovable, he thought. I am lovable. A kid like that boy will actually be just fine; I hope they don’t turn out to be like me. Barbara thinks I'm lovable.
———
He tried to tell her once, but the whole concept of his years in UP Deathclaw weighed too heavy for him to utter. He remembered the harsh words they used to throw around, the cruel laughter when men and women broke down into tears, and, yes, though he hated to admit it, his friends. They had been friends, he and the gang, real friends, with genuine friendship and everything. He remembered how good he was at it, he was subtle, how he used to break things with the slightest twists of words, and how good it had felt, he had felt so powerful, and for the first time, he had felt he fit right in.
He ended up murmuring about how deathclaws reminded him of his misspent youth. Barbara assured him that he was here with her now, and he was a good person; he tried to tell himself the same thing.
Barbara in turn told him her life story, probably trying to lighten the mood. Her family had been farmers, and she had a love-hate relationship with it. She tried to run away during her teenage years, and only ended up settling down on another farm. It all turned out fine, she said, and life is awesome with him by her side.
He supposed it was. He supposed he could just be a happy farmer, married and so so in love with his wife if he wanted. And he wanted. He wanted that more than anything.
characters who dig themselves out of their graves (whether literal or metaphorical) are at the top of the list. nothing beats a character who should have died but didn't and comes back to haunt their own life and the world around them, benevolent or violent it doesn't matter, it's enthralling either way