Chapter Text
V and you had been inseparable for as long as you can remember, growing up on the streets together, looking out for each other. No one else would have your backs, but you’d always have each other’s. That’s how Night City worked for kids like you, and as time went on, how it continued to work into your 20s.
Work got harder, pay got better, stakes higher… kinda got used to only being able to rely on each other. Didn’t need anyone else anyway, your little family of 2 was more than enough to keep you happy.
For a while anyway.
As you got older, you admittedly craved more, wanted out of the hard life, but didn’t wanna tuck tail and turn Corpo either… Unfortunately, there were little other options these days.
You and V had lucked out lately, running up a good rep with the local fixers, getting gigs done right, impressing the right folks. Made a name for yourselves, though, everyone knew you to be a package deal – you refused to do a job unless you both went together. Things were just easier that way, more reliable, less messy.
You knew each other’s habits, didn’t have to talk much to get the point across – perk of knowing each other so long, made jobs easier when a single glance across the room could convey so much to the other person without giving anything away to third parties.
One glance is all it would take.
You could read each other like a book.
Too well sometimes…
She started to see it, in both your eyes and your actions. You wanted out… wanted to find a slice of quiet life, whereas she wanted to be a legend in Night City. Sure, she wanted to share it with you, but only problem with that way, legends here are only made one way – going out in some kind of style or blaze of glory.
Wasn’t worth it, not in your eyes. A life well lived seemed more and more appealing, even at the age of 27. V, being 23, wasn’t too much younger, but still had her eyes set on what other people thought of her too much to see the value in ‘fading into the background’ as she liked to call it.
She’d all but scoff any time you’d bring it up.
Where she threw her Eddies towards new gear for new gigs, getting more wrapped up in the lifestyle, you put most of it aside, saving for the day when you could both get outta here and get away from it all.
You quit telling her your plans, knowing she didn’t approve or understand – not yet anyway. But… part of you yearned for someone to talk to about it, someone who got why you did it all, got why you wanted out.
V jumped at every gig because it was a chance to prove herself; you only kept it up because it was great money...
She breaks the code though, goes on a gig by herself… gets knocked around by the fuckin’ cops…
Worse than that, she gets involved with another merc: Jackie.
You’re livid when you find out, seething white hot with rage and boiling just under the surface of a calm demeanor plastered falsely across your features like a mask. But… with some time… Jackie expands your view, expands your family, becoming like the brother you never had – 3 musketeers and all that jazz.
He’s good people, starts working gigs with you and V, even bringing the 2 of you in on some of his own jobs, sharing the wealth, climbing the ladder of reputation even quicker working as a trio.
Things go smooth, you finally have someone to talk with, who seems to understand a bit more than V does. Jackie thinks about it too… getting out, settling down with Misty, living a quiet life where he knows for sure he’d be able to go home to her every night instead of finding himself dead in some dumpster.
He finally takes you to meet her one day, after all his talking about her; Misty this, Misty that. It makes you happy to see him like this, albeit a bit strange, watching him all domesticated and fluffy around her.
Part of you is admittedly jealous, you don’t see Jackie that way of course, but… jealous of what they have together. You can tell it’s genuine, unconditional, and something you know you’ll never have.
Somewhere deep down, you still craved that kind of companionship. Even if it’s a lost cause.
Still, it made you happy seeing someone you care about so happy.
Maybe one day… you’d be able to convince V to give up on the legend thing, make her see reason, then you’d both have the time to find someone.
Or maybe you’d both go out, guns blazing, like she talks about all the time.
Misty’s friendly, got an innocent vibe about her, a ‘clean aura’ as she would probably call it, being into that spiritual side of things. Nothing wrong with it, we all got our way of looking at things. Definitely a healthier way to view the world, that’s for sure.
Feels good being near her, reminds you to smile, to keep your chin up. You can see why Jackie loves her so much.
“Oh, I wanna introduce you to Vik,” she motions for you and V to wait, taking a few steps back towards the side door, “he should be done for the day, I’ll bring him up. Just wait one sec.”
She darts away, leaving Jackie to chuckle to himself as his eyes linger in the now empty doorway.
“She’s good for you,” you lean against the counter, placing your hands along the edge to hoist yourself up and sit, “glad one of us gets some real happiness around here.”
“C’mon,” he waves his hand vaguely, “don’t say that shit, you got all the potential in the world right at your feet, you’re in fucking Night City, you’re young, you’re racking up jobs left and right making a name for yourself. Both you,” he nods to V, smiling as she nods along, “you got different end goals, maybe, but we’re gonna make in this city. I’m tellin’ ya,” his grin broadens, “got a good feelin’ about today, somethin’ in the air just…” he takes a deep breath, “yeah, today’s got somethin’ special goin’ for it.”
You roll your eyes and arch your back, stretching your hands above your head to pop along your spine, the day having drawn on rather long already, but your current company was too enjoyable to ditch out early just to go flop down in bed.
Misty returns, a tall, solid brick wall of a man walking behind her, the warm smile on his face faltering slightly as his eyes land on you. You drop your arms, sitting more comfortably, the ache in your back gone after the stretch, suddenly acutely aware of how tired you must look and feeling oddly self-conscious about it.
He seems to snap out of… whatever was going on, his glasses a bit too dark to fully see his eyes, his smile returning as he playfully greets Jackie.
“Vik,” Misty motions between you and V, introducing you both.
“Good to meet ya,” he shakes V's hand first before taking a large step towards you, offering his hand.
It absolutely swallows yours, and you’re not exactly small. Standing at 5ft10 and with a decent bit of lean muscle yourself from your line of work, you weren’t used to feeling dwarfed by anyone, but this guy… his grip is gentle enough, but you can tell by his build, not to mention the little gold glove hanging at his neck, he’s definitely seen some action in his day. The tattoos of his sleeve give away boxer, if the rest hadn’t already, but you greet him warmly, trying to avoid staring at him too long.
His hand seems to linger, or maybe it’s just your imagination. His dark glasses blurring his eyes too much to fully see if he really just glanced to your lips or not.
The hell is wrong with you anyway?
Must be Jackie and Misty… their gooey, lovey, smitten energy has you craving someone for yourself.
Gotta snap out of it.
This guy surely looks at you like some punk kid. No way you’re remotely his type.
Even if he’s definitely yours…
He clears his throat and takes a step back, shoving one of his hands in his pocket, the other still outfitted with his surgical glove and equipment, which he motions with towards the back door, “ever need any work done, come to me, yeah?” he glances between you and V, “can’t have you two walking around with half-baked implants, lotta shitty work getting done by these hotshot illegal clinics.”
“We’ll keep you in mind, for sure,” you nod, meaning to sound grateful for his offer, though… admittedly… and somewhat unintentionally already wondering what his chest felt like if a few more of those buttons popped open. You’d definitely keep him in mind…
His head turns to you, grin broadening, “good, I’ll have to keep my ears open for you two, sure I’ll be hearing and seeing a lot of you around here.”
Misty hands him a to-go box, the delivery guy having just dropped off a large bag of food, “here ya go, Vik.”
“Ah,” he takes it gratefully, moving as if to walk back to his office, “thanks, good to meet you two,” he calls over his shoulder, almost having escaped, the view of his broad back with his shirt messily tucked into the waist of his jeans distracting you briefly before Misty calls after him.
“Don’t even think about it!” She leans around the corner, “Viktor do not make me come back there, you need to be more social, those old boxing videos will still be there when everyone leaves.”
He reenters the room, a crooked grin on his face as he apologetically nods, “yeah, yeah, force of habit that’s all, not tryin’a be rude.”
You all sit around the rather small folded out table, Vik somehow ending up next to you, his knee bumping yours as you scoot forward to open your own box of food.
He clears his throat and tries to move his leg, but you offer a short chuckle, “it’s fine, Vik. You’re a big guy at a small table, not gonna hold it against ya.”
He smirks in response, relaxing as his leg again brushes along yours.
You try to ignore it, knowing he didn’t have much choice, the table genuinely being too small for the amount of people trying to cram around it. The heat prickling along your cheeks pushing you to concentrate on your food instead, trying to ignore the fabric of his jeans on the bare skin of your leg.
Why, today of all days, did you wear shorts?
His arm brushes along yours as he reaches for a napkin, casting another apologetic glance your direction, met with a smile from you.
Fuck.
This man has to know what he’s doing.