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Dusk over Night City. The view from Judy's apartment rooftop gives a clear view of it, as the sun retreats behind the towering skyscapers and bustling megabuildings that pollute the skyline. When they'd come up here, it was still light; felt like just minutes ago. Time always flies by so fast when she's with V.
Meeting her was the only silver lining to the clusterfuck that led them both to this point. The one last thing Judy has Evelyn to thank for.
"I should probably head back soon," V says, breaking a long, comfortable silence.
"Not staying?"
"Sorry, Judy. Gotta be up early tomorrow for a meet with Takemura - I told you about him, right? Crazy Arasaka guy, got me out of a tight spot with Dex..."
V's endless list of shady associates. Judy can't keep track of all the names. "You trust him?"
"Goro's a corpo lapdog, but he's alright," V remarks, sincerely. "'Sides, let's just say he's not exactly in a position to burn me."
Heard that one before, is the first thing that springs to Judy's mind. Her lips press together and her brow furrows, subconsciously. She still hasn't decided whether V's insanely lucky or unlucky - her propensity for self-sabotage, and yet resilience against all odds, seem to be equally binding.
But she knows one thing for certain: in this city, nobody's luck lasts forever.
"Hey, V?" she eventually manages, before the other woman gets a chance to leave. V glances back at Judy, wordlessly.
"Just... please be careful, okay?"
"I'm always careful, Judy." The irony in her voice is almost palpable, accompanied by that shit-eating smirk she wears whenever she thinks she's being smart - which is most of the time.
"I'm serious. First Evie and now..." Judy trails off, her voice growing hoarse and strained as she feels her eyes welling up. "Fuck, V, you're the only good thing that's happened to me in this damn city. I... I can't lose you."
"Hey, hey, it's okay..." V shuffles next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Nothing's gonna happen to me. I swear."
Judy shakes her head, letting out a exasperated sigh. "Don't fuckin' do that. Don't sound so goddamned sure," she utters, between sniffles. "I might start actually believing your bullshit."
"Judy... you're not the only one with someone to lose. Cuts both ways, right?" V takes Judy's hand in her own, grasping tightly, warmly. "And I'm not gonna lose you in a hurry. Doesn't matter what I gotta do - who I gotta cross. I will figure something out."
Looking at her now, hearing the hopeful determination in her voice, she does believe V. Against all sense, she believes her.
"God, there you go again. You and your silver tongue," she scoffs, defeated, as she rubs a forearm across her cheek, wiping away the streaks of her tears. V instinctively reaches forward, cupping her other cheek and stroking her thumb across it, gently.
"Thought you liked my tongue?"
There it is. That fucking shit-eating smirk.
Judy feels her own lips matching it.
"Shut up, V."