Note on character structure and this story: Charon's got an eidetic memory, and he automatically catalogues each day for himself. This would be what his mind is doing in the background, whether he's thinking about the same things on the surface or not. This is most likely the only holiday-centric bit of fic you'll probably see me write, and is geared towards people who have read OotD, for anyone who doesn't know what's going on, read it! I'm not adding big ol' spoilers in here for it. ;) Thanks for the condolences and the reviews on Maggie and Gob and Pitt, folks! I appreciate them much.

5:23 - Woke up. PA system in the hall bleated out Reveille seven minutes earlier than normal, sloppy timekeeping. Need to ask Irving again why they use something so fucking insipid to get everyone moving. Screw tradition, a long single klaxon would work just as well and not annoy the everliving shit out of me. Allowed myself to pretend Cort was going to snap out of it and talk to me for a little while. Give me orders. Say I'm doing a good job. That she loves me. Can't stop doing this. Need to.

5:40 - It's Wednesday. Gave Cort a wash. Got the idea to ask the mutt to make sure I got all of my stink off of her a few days after we got here, saves me from being too fucking paranoid. Glad I have the stupid thing around. Not going to tell him, though. Bastard would lick me. Picked out the tangles in her hair with a toothpick before brushing this morning. Pulls less, and I think it keeps it from hurting as much...and her head doesn't loll around if it catches. Wish she would pull back.

6:30 - Bathroom break.

7:00 - Took Cort to Great Hall to eat. Fed her two apples, told her how to set mines so they only blow off target's lower legs. Grabbed some paper and a pencil and drew out several diagrams to show her the different angles and trajectories. Included the math, since she likes math. Vargas offered me a Nuka-Cola for them for some inane reason. You'd think none of these idiots were shown how to do this shit. Wish I could demonstrate it for her instead. Gunny has enough trainees who are too stupid to live anyway, why not make some of them actually useful for once.

9:30 - Bathroom break.

10:18 - 'Accidentally' smashed door out into Initiate who mimed Cort drooling last week while he was coming in from the Bailey. Don't think she knows I planned it, timed arrival at door precisely. Didn't fake being sorry for it, that would give me away faster than telling her I smashed his face in on purpose. Called him a dumbshit instead. He is. Little fucker should learn to vary his route.

10:30 - Back to the room. Uncapped Nuka-Cola to go flat for later. Figured out it was the bubbles making her choke on it. Allowed myself ten seconds to feel accomplished, then chastised self for full minute since I should have realized that sooner. Spent rest of morning reading to her. Definitely hate Paradise Lost. Fuck John Milton. Dumb bastard seriously needed to get his hands on a dictionary. Wish I had one. Cort's not ready to tell me what the words I don't understand mean yet. I fucking won't ask anyone else and show them I'm stupid.

11:30 - Bathroom break.

12:00 - Took her outside for lunch. Figured out I could slice up Cram with a thin string, braided some threads from my shirt together for best ratio of diameter to strength; used same technique with wire for an improvised garrote a few years ago. Allowed myself another ten seconds to be pleased for adapting that knowledge to another use. No chastisement. Little cubes should be more interesting for her than scooping hunks out of that crap. Wish I could go hunting for a Mirelurk.

13: 56 - Knew it was a good idea to stick around after I saw that Maxson kid was getting weapons training; whoever the fuck made that brilliant move is going to be dead meat. He shot Sarah in the damn ass while she was walking to B Ring. She'll be sitting at a tilt for a few days, refused to use up a Stim-Pak on a flesh wound in a non-vital area. Also refused to let the on-duty corpsman see her 'area'. I think Cort thought it was funny, one of her thumbs twitched. I sure as hell know I did. I should stake out the kid tomorrow and see what other kinds of amusing stupid he can produce for her.

14:30 - Bathroom break.

15:00 - Gave mutt his weekly bath and brushed him. Want to make sure he's clean and soft when Cort decides to pet him again. Don't care if brush pulled on his tangles. Bastard licked me in the face when I yawned. I think there's a dog hair stuck to the back of my tongue now. Know he did it on purpose. Bastard.

17:00 - Dinner in the Great Hall. Apples again, her favourite. Wish I could cut them into nice shapes. Need to stop fucking wishing.

17:42 - Bael came off-duty with four mutfruit from some scavenger. Arm wrestled him for them after he refused to trade. Staked my shotgun and told him he could keep his armour on, sour fuck couldn't resist. Only had to drink one stinking bottle of glowing water to repair muscle damage to my hand and shoulder. Durga was right, he's too sloppy with his equipment maintenance. Was expecting the need to ingest two at least.

18:33 - Cort ate three of the mutfruit, only looked at the last one. Stomach didn't feel full when I pressed at it, so maybe she wanted to save it. Don't remember her liking them as much as the apples, so maybe she thinks their colour is pretty. I think maybe I'm going fucking crazy, presuming to know what she likes without telling me...but I know she likes bright colours. Will ask Irving to look for things in the same hue when he goes out. Less chance of him finding things at night, but he's the only one who doesn't fucking look at me like I've gone soft in the head when I make these screwball requests. I think. Fucking helmet.

19:30 - Bathroom break.

20:00 - Took Cort to see a film in the Bailey. Scouting party found print of 'Dracula' on last mission, Lyons let them set up a projector outside since people went batshit over something new to watch. Thought she might like it better than a replay of those damn military newsreels about the Chinese invasion and how to avoid crotchrot. Everyone except for Van Helsing massive idiot, but I got her to drink the whole bottle of Nuka-Cola while she was watching without spilling any on herself. Still had to hold it up and tilt it for her. Will ask Irving to look for more films. And straws.

21:30 - Bathroom break. Think she tried to help me after she was finished. Definitely asking Irving to look for more films.

22:00 - Went to bed when Taps played. Much better than the morning shit. Passed Durga on the way and asked why she was hugging a full box of snack cakes and looking idotic. Didn't say idiotic part out loud-Cort wouldn't want that, think she likes Durga's stories. She said it was Valentine's Day. Asked what that was. Ditzy Pre-War holiday some of them still observe. Thought about doing something for Cort. Decided not to. I don't think I could find a good way to show her I love her. I'm not even good at fucking saying it. I'm useless.

23:42 - Decided to pretend I can do everything right tomorrow. I'll do everything right for her tomorrow. It'll be tomorrow.

23:43 - Fell asleep.