You & Lucy are sprawled on the bed in her quarters, your shoulders pressed together as you share the same faded book, its pages worn from the plenty of hands that must’ve held it before you. The Vault’s limited library doesn’t get restocked, after all, though the same can be said about pretty much everything, down here. It’s how it has always been.

Your whole lives spent in the halls of Vault 33, following the same routines, day by day. It is these little moments in Lucy’s room that offer the biggest variety, in your day to day life. With her, things never felt repetitive. Ever sind your earliest childhood memory, Lucy’s presence had always made the Vault seem bigger than it was.

Still, tonight feels different.

“You know,” you say suddenly. “People in the vault are always talking about how it’s normal to...experiment?” Lucy's head jerks toward you so quickly, it’a a miracle she doesn’t pull a muscle. “Experiment?”

“Yeah,” you hum. “With other people. Everyone says it's no big deal. ‘Limited options’, remember?”

Lucy swallows, her palms suddenly clammy. “Uh...sure,” she says, trying to sound disinterested. “I mean, that’s just how it is, right? Have to keep the gene pool going!”

“I’m not talking about marriage and babies, Lucy. I mean...” you trail off. “Practice.”

Lucy blinks. “Practice?” she repeats, her voice an octave too high.

“For when we do get married someday,” you clarify. “Not to each other, obviously.”

Lucy feels like her brain is short-circuiting all over again. She barely manages to parrot back, “Right...Gee, of course not to each other!” hoping that saying it out loud will make it feel true.

“But think about it! Vault life does mean limited options, right? Most people are already making out with their cousins to ‘prepare for marriage’-”you pull a face, wrinkling your nose in distaste “-at least this way, we’re...helping each other out. As friends!”

“As friends,” Lucy echoes, gripping the edge of her mattress to keep her hands from shaking.