Baby Let Me Take You

by dikecountry

Summary:

V is very interested in a certain fixer with a horrible haircut. Turns out that lust can change into something different. That was not part of the plan.

Ex-corpo V struggles with her own mortality, leaving behind her past and new feelings for Muamar "El Capitan" Reyes. A race against the chip in her head ensues.

No one said it would be easy, but at least the people she keeps around make it bearable.

Chapter 1: Thievery

Summary:

V delivers a very interesting shard. Muamar gets thirsty.

Notes:

I’m just really thirsty for Fem V×El Capitan. I think them both having limited time left, ex-corpo V dynamic with ex-corpo Muamar is a really interesting scenario. And Muamar’s flirting(?), nicknames and praise in game inspired... things... in me lol.

Sometimes V's POV, sometimes its Mu's.

I adjusted the timeframe of how long the relic will take to kill V to about a year. This fic starts around 3 months after Jackie died. V already has done a lot of merc work and has a reputation by now.

Flirting, fluff and smut. Sometimes a bit of angst. Lot of swearing, mentions of violence and gore. Alcohol and drugs mentioned. V is aged up, 32. I think Muamar is somewhere around 43. He is in my story at least.

I wrote till chapter 8 as if I was possessed and didn't want to keep it to myself. Haven't written since I was a teen so don't expect too much.

Full disclosure, it started as me just writing smut, to some scenes, to it escalating further. Don't know where it will be going or how long it will be. Typing this on my phone lol

Just doing this for fun as a non-native English speaker, who’s not using a beta reader.

Hope you understand and enjoy :-)

 

Today was hot as fuck in Night City and his garage patio was no exception.

The sun was out bright, Muamar practically cooking as he leant back on the shoddy lounge chair, eyes closed in full relaxation mode. An equally shoddy plastic table sporting a faded rainbow parasol protected the sacred beers from turning warm.

Today had been a good day.

He mentally made an itinerary, thought of what he could cross of his list. Daniels fixed a nice deal for the two of them to share spoils of. His dad called him to bitch about how his new AC was costing too much in electricity bills, rickety Spanish for being thankful. One gonk that was supposed to deliver a sweet new klepped ride ended up in the river, but you can't win 'em all.

He sighed lazily as he took a sip of an ice cold Broseph, condensed cool lingering on his lips before it evaporated in the heat.

He deserved to kick back for once, wouldn't the Lord have wanted it any other way, on a Sunday of all days? Fuck no, he thought to himself.

The air cooled as a cloud cast shadow over his mini vacation.

When it didn't pass, he opened a single irritated eye, only to find that the cloud wasn't a cloud at all, but a spoilsport merc he had forgotten was coming. Shard, something-something, politician, he recalled.

"Jesus, V, scared the shit outta me." He frowned as he only turned his head towards her. "You always ninja your way onto property?"

V said nothing as she shot him a look, opening a beer from his cooler and drinking half of it greedily, a spilled line of wetness trailing down her throat. He watched it disappear into her cleavage with amusement.

"Sure, go ahead." He remarked dryly as he watched thievery unfold. Her majesty always got what she wanted, even if it was his own fucking beer.

She exhaled with satisfaction as she put the drink down. V was sporting a gaudy top that said "braindance ruined my life" and it clung to her midriff where she had tied it into a crop top.

"I only ninja when you pay extra." She smirked, rummaging in the pocket of her shorts. "Probably should charge even more in this heat."

"Besides..." She continued, gaze flitting across his unbuttoned shirt. "You always have your tits out when you expect company, Mu?" She leaned forward as she said it, pricking him on his bare chest with the promised shard. There were pieces of lint stuck to it.

"Actually, I forgot you were coming, consider the 'tits' your bonus."

She smirked when he narrowed his eyes with feigned annoyance, quickly plucking the shard from V's fingers. Their eyes locked as the tips of her finger grazed his skin for a millisecond when she pulled her hand back.

He liked it when she tiptoed on the lines of bravado and professionalism like that.

He slotted the shard in his Chipware Socket to see if everything about the orgies of the local politico darling had translated into viable proof. He whistled approvingly as images of a normally professional brunette being spit roasted by rando gonks filled his lenses.

Screamsheets were gonna looove this.

"Great work your Majesty." He grinned as he ejected the shard after copying it to the clients secure file drop.

"Happy client, happy fixer and you-" he pointed at her for dramatic effect "-continuing to roll in eddies. Merconomics in action, beautiful."

V snorted as she took another sip, gazing at the busy road a few beats away.

"Dunno if I would call what I saw on that shard beautiful, Capitan."

"No accounting for taste, V." His eyes crinkled as he said it, a cheeky grin beneath. "Besides, lotta people pay good money to see that shit, let alone when a local hero is involved."

She tilted her head for a second, eyeing him in an oddly feline manner. The can reached for her lips again, only to halt a moment before it actually touched the cold metal.

"Self-proclaimed local heroes might be intriguing to some, in that aspect, yeah." V said from behind the brim of the can, a suggestive glint in her eyes. Only sound heard was her last sip of beer being swallowed. Made him thirsty, that.

"Yeah right." He retorted, not taking the bait.

He met that gaze for a moment but was disappointed to see her already turn and sling her backpack over her shoulder, readying herself for departure. He had hoped to soak in a few more moments like just now before she left.

"Gotta delta. Thanks for the beer, Mu. Call me if you need me."

The last part came out lower than she normally sounded, husky almost. Made him wanna hear that inflection more. Preferably in situations where he could lick that beer off of her neck.

"O'course, Reina."

She shot him a small smirk at the term of endearment.

He halfheartedly waved her goodbye, shit-eating grin on his face as she turned around and revved the throttle of that tacky 'Tino bike of hers.

Not a better sight in this world than a woman on a motorcycle, he mused as he saw her speed off.

He thought a little more about that look she gave him before leaving. More than he intended to.

He liked to keep things professional but something about her lit a fire in him whenever he saw her zipping around, guns blazing and on a war path. Sometimes he had a creeping feeling she played up the ante when he had drones watching her as she klepped rides for him.

He remembered when he first heard of her and started to sniff around to see if she had potential for biz.

Thirty-two years old. Konpeki plaza, dead crewmates, wasn't pretty. Heard noise around town she liked toying with fights in bars and illegal underground rings.

First time he saw her she had an ugly shiner on that smug face of hers. Didn't surprise him that she was an Arasaka ex-corpo as well.

He had known people like that, hell, he had been those people. People with those backgrounds liked to decompress with brass knuckles in whatever form after getting fucked in the ass in the boardroom.

That need would be ingrained to you even after you get kicked out of glass high-rises. He was just lucky his hard work and fixer-focus had made him what he was today. Much luckier than most.

He had wondered for a long time if her way of dealing with things would seep into transactions, if she would be a liability. He was veeery pleased when he found out she was a grade-A professional, stone cold when she wanted to be.

Sometimes, he saw other things in her. A speed demon which he enjoyed, bona fide adrenaline junkie. A wildcat, fire in her eyes whenever she went after what she wanted. A bit soft too, he had found out when she consoled him at the dam. He had taken a shine to her before, but her work that followed had cemented the fact that she was his Queen to him, in whatever way that meant.

Her body he though? Thought about that the most in the end, he admitted. Tall she was, about the same height as him. Made him feel... things, whenever she wore those thick platform boots. Had to literally crane his head up a bit if they talked when she had those on. Used that length to her advantage in the gym too. He was no lightweight but fuck she had some muscles. He saw her use those for their greater good multiple times when she was working.

The look she tried to hide whenever he called her his Queen, her Majesty made him grin like a fucking teenager. Putting a woman like that off her balance was addictive. Made him want more.

She however, would have to cross that line if it ever would be crossed. He wouldn't give in like that, not with her. Very dignified and professional of himself, he liked to think.

Sometimes he wondered if all those thoughts were simply transference from all the eddies she had made him.

Capitan rested his chin in his hand as he took a sip of his now warm beer, decided the sun had been enough today. Enough griping as well. Back to reality.

 

 

Chapter 2: Bloody Earring

Summary:

V loses some jewelry and an earlobe, El Capitan comes to the rescue.

 

 

 

>>> Incoming call: El Capitan

V accepted the call as adrenaline raged through her body, the polluted Night City wind through her hair. The motorcycle roared underneath her as she left the previous owners behind in pools of their own deep-fried brains and viscera.

V's eyes switched over to her gentleman caller, a satisfied smile on his mug when he saw she got the mark.

"Nice piece of wheels huh? Now delta before Tyger Claws make Swiss cheese outta'ya V, pronto." 

A half-smile tugged at her lips as she winked at Muamar before the call was changed to audio.

Revving the monstrous machine beneath her for good measure, she sped along the highway, a noisy blip of light. Not long before Arroyo revealed itself more and more along the city lights, awakened dust tailing her.

She thought she had hit a homerun with no fouls until two red dots appeared in her HUD, flashy outfits revealing two veeery lost Tygers on bikes in Santo Domingo.

A beat passed before she felt bullets fly past her like angry hornets - a nauseating sizzle was heard too close to her left for her liking, gritting her teeth as she deduced that one of the bullets had blasted the bottom of her left earlobe to smithereens.

An angry sparking -CLINK- on asphalt confirmed her new gold earring went along for the ride too.

Those fuckers wanted a bike so bad? A vindictive bitch would make sure they would be together for eternity with one. She'd be happy to supply a last wish.

Japanese expletives sounded closer and closer as her overclock mode went active, filling her mouth with the taste of pennies, goosebumps from her scalp to her spine.

She spun her cyberdeck into overdrive as she sent off commands, sealed with satisfying clicks that made her mouth water in excitement. Adrenaline junkies paid in blood after all, especially ex-corpos. Two commands of destruct vehicle would make short work of 'em.

As the command was sent out, the aftermath played out in hyper speed behind V. Screams were music in her hurt ear, accompanying the crescendo of exploded bikes, the result mixing innards and metal parts in a final fulfilled wish.

V whooped as her plan came to satisfying fruition, laughing maniacally as she continued speeding further away from the scene. She sounded the horn for good measure in a plan well executed, the pain in her ear barely felt through all the excitement.

 

....

 

It had begun to rain as she arrived at El Capitan's garage. Muamar was only seen backlit by the harsh fluorescent light from behind him, casting a shadow over his face in the late night, leaning against the opening of the garage door.

V made a point of screeching to a halt right in front of him - missing his toes by a few inches - his hair slightly flying by the gust of wind she had brought.

"Good evenin' cap, you called?" V grinned at him. She always did love giving him a show.

He looked slightly bemused at her as she descended the motorcycle, handing it over to him.

"Could do without the theatrics you know."

Anyone else it could've been seen as slightly annoyed, but she could hear the humor in his voice. V knew him well enough for that, she liked to think. Had been working together for a while now.

She followed him into the garage as he parked it inside, spare auto parts and oil littering the space. His eyes glowed LED blue and the rolling of the garage doors followed, dust settling as it shut. Rain was still heard tapping on the cheap metal sheet door in a steady rhythm.

He stepped away after a final caress of the newly klepped bike, walking to the edge of the room. 

"Fine fucking machine." He noted as he admired it in the light of the garage, leaning on the desk as he lit a cig. "And even finer work with getting it for me - fireworks and all. You're insane, your Majesty."

V took him in with amusement, she could never take him completely seriously with that funky haircut of his. He somehow made it work for him though, she had to admit that at least.

"So I've been told. I do like to please." She said as she feigned a cool facade, lighting a cig of her own.

"Really, V?" Johnny said with annoyance in his voice. "Give me a bucket. You're not in Bushido Five."

She chose to ignore him, simply happy that no one else could hear him.

Muamar looked up from the bike before turning a bit more serious as he met her gaze. "Have you had contact with Daniels about the harbor gig yet? Time is health here, V."

She got a bitter taste in her mouth when she thought about that prick.

"Your choom is a real hard-ass Cap, got any others that do play nice in that arsenal of yours?"

He squinted at her, not pleased with the comment.

"I trust him V, don't need opinions on what he's like, know that already." He shifted in his position as he said it, cocking his head to the side. "Now can I trust you get it done the way I want?"

She held a glare at the comment he made, not liking the fact that she wasn't getting out of working with the gonk. "Sure, as long as you're paying."

A small smile appeared and the seriousness of his tone broke away with it. "Good, that's all I ask."

That Daniels was like talking to barbed wire, so fucking touchy all the time. She'd almost rather do it alone. She knew the gig was important to Muamar though. Biz is biz as usual but when they spoke on the dam and she saw his face, it was like seeing a puppy being kicked. She was surprised it hit her like that, or rather that it hit her at all.

Her train of thought broke when she became aware again of the blood that was dripping down her ear and neck.

"You got a band aid somewhere in here?" She asked, sheepish look on her face.

He perked up at the question, saw her making a futile attempt at getting the blood of her shoulder. Was her favorite jacket too, dammit.

He sighed as he walked through the room and started to rummage in some long forgotten first-aid kit.

"This ain't a kindergarten V, bleed over your own damn garage next time." He grumbled with the cigarette still between his lips, signaling impatiently with a single hand to come to him.

She had a soft smile as she murmured a halfhearted yeah-yeah, finally sitting on the desk where he was searching for ancient band aids.

A frown sat between his eyebrows as he concentrated. Cute, she thought. It unfurled as he found what he was looking for.

Gold jewelry swung in the opening of his shirt, a peek of a tattoo visible from where she sat. V silently thought back to the moment she saw him lounging in the sun last time, getting a tan that looked delicious.

"Hold this." He ordered as he put his cig between the fingers of her free hand, standing in front of her now with a bandage in hand.

"Look to the left, no, my left V"

She chuckled as she did as he asked, suddenly feeling a bit vulnerable with both her hands full. Even more so when he stepped closer, tucking her hair behind her ear, softer than she expected, a certain heat creeping up her neck as he did it.

The feeling quickly dissipated as she hissed when the alcohol of the cotton swab hit her mangled earlobe.

"Fuck Capitan, ouch." She managed through her teeth, almost letting the cigs hit the floor. "Could've warned, that."

She saw an evil smirk form from the corner of her eye as she kept her head turned to the left. His left.

"Comedians, mercs, the lot of you." He laughed as he finally put a comically large band aid over her ear. "Come bleeding in my shop and expect me to kiss and make it better, ey."

"Now there’s an idea." She pouted as she turned towards him, her hand gently feeling her ear.

A look she couldn't place flickered across his eyes when she said that. He shook his head and clicked his tongue disapprovingly. But she noticed the sly smile he had as he reassembled the first aid kit, putting it away to its original place.

"Thanks for fixing me up, Muamar." She murmured as she held the leftover cigarette in front of his mouth, eyeing him as he skillfully plucked it from her fingers with his lips, ever so slightly grazing the pads of her fingertips.

She noted the playful glint in his eyes, her fingers feeling hot where he had touched them. She pulled her hand back to place it on the desk, enjoying the familiarity between them in the moment. Somehow, she liked toying with him like this, it felt like playing with fire.

He had crossed her mind once or twice, especially when she was alone in her bed late at night. Wondered what he would sound like if she lightly bit his neck when he came. The way he praised her when she completed another gig for him with flying colors didn't help her restraint either. She never thought she would be the kinda woman who would almost get wet when he called her his Majesty.

Made her think of more things.

Wanted to hear those praises when his breath was ragged as she rode him.

She felt herself slightly clench at the image, her downcast eyes fluttering over to Muamar as he walked over to the beat-up couch in the middle of the space, settling himself down as his finished the last of his cig before putting it out.

"How's that old car, V." He said casually as he leaned back. "That rusty death box still satisfying my Queen?"

The question lingered suggestively in the air as he flashed a bright smile at her, the prick knew what he was doing.

She had made up her mind she thought, about what she wanted from him. Not sure if she was going to act on it yet, though. She had used pleasure as a tool for business before yet this was new to her. She could afford to lose a fixer and gain a fuck. Damn indecisive she was.

Her heart skipped a beat a she followed him to where he was sitting. Finally she sat on the arm of the couch he was leaning against, cocking her head slightly while staring instead of answering him.

"You insulting my beat-up wheels, Mu?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, your Majesty."

V smiled softly at that, a beat of silence passing between them.

She touched the fingers laid out on the armrest - the lack of any other sound stretching on as she started playing with the gold rings she found there. He mirrored her tilted face as if to figure out what was going on in that head of hers.

Whatever he was searching for, he couldn’t find. Instead he tilted his ringed hand to stop the fingering, lazily taking her hand in his as he started to draw mindlessly slow circles with thumb. His hands were warm and clean she noticed. She didn’t know what she was doing, just that she felt the need to do it.

"Business or pleasure, V?" He finally murmured, breaking the silence as he inquisitively searched for her gaze, holding it tightly once she finally looked up.

She saw his posture ever so slightly tighten as she leaned towards him.

“Biz Mu, I'll keep you posted on me and Daniels, okay?"

"Mhm."

Biz, my ass, his face seemed to reflect, leaving him looking more disappointed than she had intended to.

"Didn't your mother teach you to not torture clowns?" She heard Johnny say.

Dick.

She lingered in the opening of the door for a second, before she finally left, ears hot as she got on Jackie's bike and sped off.

 

...

 

He sat there by himself for a while, ruminating what was going on between the two of them. What was she playing at?

Games like this, exactly why Muamar had left the corpo world. As a fixer, he made the board game, he decided the rules, he decided who would get their head bashed in with the shortest end of the stick. That was exactly why he had chosen to become one.

Helping his community and a nice financial prospect were the close second and third reasons.

Yet with her, he let her burn the ridges of the script he had meticulously created. She gave him just enough fire to excuse the overstepping, yet they never went too close to the edge to fuck it up. They made a good team, too. If he had enough time, he could take the entire city with a merc like her.

She had asked him once if he had been a corpo. Inquisitive one, she was. Right in the bulls-eye too - which surprised him at the time. Didn't really know her well then.

He feigned offended ignorance when she did, but they had seen each other for what they were then. Ex-corpos who knew how to play games in the only way boardroom cutthroats could. V faked a bullshit sorry, but the look in her eyes betrayed that she had enjoyed calling him out on his own turf.

He had watched her get in that trashy beat up Hella of hers, the first wink of many before she left.

Officially he didn't like it. Off the books he enjoyed the new color it had added to the fixer-merc relationship. Muamar had noticed how seemed to miss her after he hadn't seen her for a while. He also liked the way she mindlessly bit her lip on the holo, only for a second, when he called her Majesty - and how her cleavage seemed to get sluttier each time they saw each other. The shorts she wore so easy to potentially get his hands into.

He lit another cigarette as he sighed and melted into the scruffy synth leather.

"Fucking mercs." he lamented to no one.

 

 

Chapter 3: Some Regrets

Summary:

Daniels is a dickhead. V has some drinks with Panam after a busy day. Preparations for an important gig start.

 

 

V was pacing around in front of the Glen building where she lived. It was very early morning still, too early for her liking. Working as a merc meant she was not used to getting up at dawn anymore and it showed, dark circles were accompanied by endless yawning.

She was going to the Aldecaldos camp in a bit. Panam had called, asked if she could, pretty please, help steal some resources and a car back that the Raffen Shiv had nicked. V couldn’t refuse. Wasn’t the first time she would klep something back for Panam.

She liked Panam, and the Aldecaldos had started to treat her like she was one of their own lately. Felt nice. A bit strange still, to be treated like that by practical strangers. Panam’s opinion of V had clearly been enough to vouch for her. That, and the work she had done for the clan.

First though, she had to ring Daniels and set up the last bit of the plan, what time they were gonna start. One more conversation with him was enough to cause V to not want to do the entire gig anymore.

She could not shut up about how much of a dickhead she thought he was. If she even breathed near his direction, he would call her a “merc” like it was a slur, among other things. To be honest, she never had heard of that word being used as slur before. Almost Shakespearian she could call that cop. If she didn’t want to wring his neck so bad.

Took a few breaths to prepare herself before she rang his number. Waterfalls, kittens, not getting riled up when someone bitches at you. It never really worked, those mantras, but it didn't stop her from trying.

Impatient she was, tapping her fingers on her crossed arms as she walked in mindless circles. It seemed to take an eternity before he finally took her call.

Foul mood he was in, she saw when he picked up. Figures. Real ray of sunshine on her morning. Didn’t take long got them to start bickering like an old married couple who definitely should’ve divorced long ago. Almost would’ve been funny if they had a minor degree of mutual respect for each other. But they didn’t.

Managed to agree to a time place somehow. Fucking finally.

“...Yeah I will see you soon. Don’t need this from you Daniels, Jesus fuck. Shut up.”

V gritted her teeth as hung up the call. Screamed into her jacket a little bit, to muffle the sound. It wasn’t successful, a few people looked up at the disturbance of their morning commute.

Hated that stupid prick Daniels. Perfect, just perfect. Absolutely could kill him as soon as the gig is over. What a freaking cunt, she thought as she sat on her bike, tried to calm down before she would break something.

All she had asked was if he knew a little bit more about the security sitch he had been looking into.

Didn’t matter what she would have asked to be honest. She still got an earful of frankly, weirdly nasty remarks. Not that she held any punches. Wasn’t like he was the one actually paying her.

Muamar was lucky that he was cute, otherwise she would have ghosted him as soon as she had met Daniels. Texted El Cap’ to update that she had played nice with his friend.

A day spent shooting Raffen Shiv was just what she needed. Sped off as fast as she could to get to Panam.

 

…

 

“I think I’m going to fuck my fixer.”

Panam looked back at V and raised an eyebrow at her friend. V was lying on the bed, fiddling with the label of the beer, avoiding eye contact. An electric fan was rattling in the background.

“V, where the fuck is this coming from?” Panam smirked, turning her body so she could lean her elbows on the bed. V did not like the impish smile on her face.

“Dunno what I’m doing Panam.” She began, feeling slightly embarrassed. And drunk. Did she mentioned she was drunk yet? They were both lightweights after the day they had with the Raffen Shiv, every beer hit like a truck on their tired bones.

V was trying real hard to have serious expression on her face.

“He has a really bad haircut.”

Panam’s eyes widened before she burst in a fit of liquored laughter, V giving her a shove on the shoulder, feeling bullied.

“Well, shit V, now you gotta do it!” Panam grinned. “Bad haircut, potential ruined fixer contact, what more could ‘a girl want?”

“Dunno…” V mused a she propped up her head on her hand. “Good dick, a good night’s sleep, chip outta my head and millions of eddies?”

Panam rolled her eyes at her as she went to grab the last beers from the mini fridge. Her tent was nice and cool tonight, she liked being here. Made her feel somewhat at peace, quiet in her head that she almost never had.

Even Johnny seemed to enjoy the nomad camp, shutting up for once. She saw him lying on the hood of a car outside, watching the stars in silence as he smoked.

“Well… that’s just unreasonable. I think you’ll have to settle for the first one. If you’re lucky.”

V pouted at that realistic assessment. Can’t have shit in Night City.

Panam held the beer out to her with a warm expression, which V took gladly. She had a beer blush going on, she noticed. Suited her.

“You know we’ll help you with that chip, right? Won’t leave you hanging V.” She said as she sat next to her on the bed, slight worry in her expression.

God, V was lucky to have met her. It really helped when someone had your back, especially if it’s someone like Panam. Firecracker with a heart of gold, she was. Rogue setting them up was the best thing she had ever done, the highest form of praise from V for a fixer she didn’t exactly vibe with. Getting Panam out of that little gig? One of the few good things that had happened to V lately, to be honest.

They had been running around for a month or two by now. Always helping each other out, having fun. Made her feel the normalcy she craved sometimes.

V realized she deeply cared for her friend in that moment, more than words could express.

V’s gaze softened, a smile of endearment tugged at her face. “I know Panam, thank you.”

Her friend laughed as if she had won something. “Look at you getting all mushy! Adorable.”

V felt a goofy grin creeping on her face, not denying the statement. Maybe she was a little mushy now. Some people brought it out of her. It was nice to be softer sometimes, when life would allow it. God knows corpo Valerie hadn’t been allowed to do any of the sort.

She was a bit sad, yet thankful, when she thought of Jackie. He was the one who had helped her get out of that mindset. Taught her you could trust some people, every now and then. She missed that big gonk something fierce. He probably would’ve made fun of her if he had heard she had the hots for El Capitan. Pendeja, don’t fuck around, V, she could her him say with that grin of his. What she wouldn’t give to hear that. Just a little.

“Hellooo? Earth to V?” Panam said as she waved a hand across her face, making her snap out of her thoughts. “Know if you’re gonna shit where you eat yet?”

“Yeah, V, dish it, just us girls after all.” Johnny chimed in from his stargazing spot.

V feigned an quizzical face before turning to Panam with a grave expression.

“I think we both know the answer to that, Ms. Palmer.”

Panam snorted at the statement, raising her beer into the air all of the sudden.

“To fucking fixers, V! No regrets!” She yelled with glee.

V felt a laugh burst out of her before sitting up to raise her beer as well.

“To fucking fixers! Some regrets!” She followed, nearly missing each other’s bottles when they tried to clink them together, giggling like schoolgirls before each taking a swig.

 

…

 

“Blaze of glory or the quiet life, miss V?”

V startled awake in a cold sweat, gasping for air as she sat up. She jerked around, wide eyed, before realizing she had that nightmare again.

It was eerily quiet in the Aldecaldos camp. She was sleeping in the backseat of her car tonight, with borrowed blankets from Panam. She had been so tired that she couldn’t even think about still driving home after the long day they had.

She had a nasty burn on her fingers from a freshly used gun she knocked out of a Raffen’s hands. Bashing him on the head with it until he bled out had only made the pain sweeter. The slight shaking of her hurt hand made her return to the nightmare, fat black Jesus' question ringing through her ears.

It always ended with seeing the light disappear out of Jackie’s eyes, his blood spilled over the backseat, over her hands, her face. The mirror shards that caked into her raw knuckles in the No-Tell motel. Mama Welles screams as her last son, her Jackito, had left her alone in the world.

“You okay there, Rambo?”

Johnny was sat in the front of her car, feet on the dashboard as if they were on a road trip. Was that genuine concern in his eyes or was she still asleep? Didn’t matter.

“I’m gonna have a smoke.”

“Try to not get eaten by coyotes.”

“I’ll do my best.” V promised dryly as she got out of the car.

Wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, preparing for the cold desert wind. Strange how the nighttime could be so different even though Night City was so close by. She could walk around town without a jacket in the city, this time of the year. Here in the desert? Made her almost regret not wearing winter clothes.

A shiver ran through her body as the bitterly cold wind caressed her face. Made her skin feel dry as she scrunched her nose.

No coyotes, she thought. The Rockerboy was wrong for now.

Sometimes it started to feel like they didn’t actually hate each other anymore. Meaning her and Johnny. Wasn’t friendship, not really. More akin to having an understanding between them that they shared a life now. No use in fighting what you can’t run from, he was stuck in her head after all.

Maybe they could be actual friends at some point. Would take a little time, though. And a little bit of him not acting like a dickhead.

It was beautiful out here, she noticed as she craned her neck to the sky. The stars still visible even though a line of dawn was starting to creep in on the horizon. 4:47 am, her ocular HUD told her as she sat on the hood of her Hella, lighting the cigarette. Her hands were still slightly shaking from the nightmare as she did so.

She might just turn back to NC, get an early day before conking out around 10 pm.

But she had a little time to sit there for a while, ruminate about what had kicked her heartrate up. She should be used to them by now, those night terrors. She always got them before a big gig was about to happen.

Less than 33 hours before she had to meet with Daniels and steal that truck.

She was bit jittery, she had to admit that. But little could put her off from doing the gig now. She had promised Muamar and she was a woman of her word nowadays. Perhaps she was also motivated a bit more than normal because it was for Muamar.

She could hear a few coyotes howl in the background. Always sounded a bit sad to her ears, somehow. Big scaredy cats they were towards humans, so no V on the menu for them tonight. Johnny would have to settle with being dissapointed at that.

She pulled the blanket even tighter as the wind picked up a bit. She looked down for a minute, flashes of little reflected lights had caught her eye. The blanket had made patterns in the smattering of dewdrops covering the hood of her car, fabric leaving textured prints where she had touched it.

Pretty, she thought to herself, almost like an abstract painting.

She never noticed those things in Night City somehow. Were there even things like that in that hell hole? Things that made her halt the daily grind for a second and appreciate the beauty in the ordinary. Beauty was often artificial, loud and screaming in NC, overtly so. Like she was, to be honest. Anything less would disappear in comparison, never even noticed.

Wondered if she would even miss the city if she left it, sometimes. She liked to think she would. Plenty of work, friends, fun. It was her home, her reflection. Had been so for most of her life.

V never really had liked the quiet very much that she experienced outside of NC at first glance. Made her skin crawl. However, it also gave her a certain peace she couldn’t deny.

Panam had told her once that there would always be a place for her with the Aldecaldos, if she wanted it.

It was sweet of her, really. She had taken the offer seriously too. Still took it seriously, V had promised she would think about it. Wished that it was an easier decision to make.

V took a final drag of her cigarette before she stomped it out in the sand. Left the blankets in front of Panam’s tent with a note before speeding off towards the rising sun behind Night City.

 

…

 

It was around eight in the evening when she had finally gotten back to the Glen. It had been a much more productive day than she thought it would’ve been.

She spent most of the morning training with Coach Fred, wired on a pre-workout concoction that was supposed to help amp up her strength training. The man was relentless in making her work for it, she absolutely loved it.

Scolded her for not doing enough cardio, her defense speed had suffered for it while sparring apparently. She hated cardio. Nothing was as mind numbingly boring as running for miles in the same asinine movements. It was a necessary evil, in the end.

Strength training however? Couldn’t get enough. Loved the burn, the passion she could deposit into it… made it addictive.

The results spoke for themselves, if she might say so. The mirror showed a strong woman, toned, gold cyberware that cost an arm and a leg littered her limbs. Implants and rigorous, religious visits to the gym made her into a machine, the baseball bat being her favorite weapon after Jackie’s gun. Emergency hacks were fun, too.

She had chatted with Fred for a second before she left, managed to book a few street fights. No better training than beating the shit out of someone, better than running for her cardio. Lucrative as well.

Much more lucrative than getting kicked out of bars, she mused. No money was paid to her when she would head-butt someone’s skull in when she was drunk. Just to take the edge off.

It was the effect that dying had on her.

Her first (corporate encouraged) vices had been doing copious amounts of neurostims during her Arasaka days, binge drinking with coworkers every time they had a tough day in the office. All the days were tough, so you can imagine how often she did that.

After becoming a merc, she had calmed down a bit. Still drank and went out partying every now and then, just wasn’t a daily thing anymore. Did it for fun instead of using it to cope. She liked hitting the clubs with Panam or bars with Misty whenever she could.

When Konpeki Plaza was a failure she had lost Jackie, had gotten that chip in her head with the attached expiry date… her self-destructive behavior had come back in full force.

It just was a different beast this time. Sick of the constant comedowns of illicit substances, she had quickly taken like a duck to water in the street fighting rings as a replacement.

Talking, showing emotional vulnerability, that was like pulling teeth with her when she had a knot in her stomach. Beating the shit out of someone to let off steam? Easier and much more enjoyable.

The elevator opened into her spacious apartment, Nibbles yelling at her feet for scratches and kibble. Not like he hadn’t been fed, the fat bastard just wanted her to forget that he had an automatic feeder. V gave him a few cuddles before she got back to business but he still clearly wasn’t pleased, whiny meows trailing behind her.

V walked to her pool table, meticulously spreading out the supplies she got for tomorrow’s gig. A grin on her face as she looked at all the goodies in front of her.

Ammo with juicy calibers, new and improved flavors of grenades... F-GX Frag Grenades to be specific, her absolute favorite. Wilson had been more than happy to assist her with her daily shopping.

She even went to her favorite shady shop in Kabuki that she frequented. The spot being a vendor for goods smuggled from Dogtown, which in turn had come from all over the world.

The secrecy was clearly reflected in the prices, anything you left with made you feel like you got ripped off somehow. But they offered the best of the best, and V liked to flirt with the pretty woman who always manned the register. V would get a discount one of these days, you just watch her.

The rest of her groceries that she got from there? Military grade combat stims, illegal and overpowered RAM boosters. She didn’t take them often anymore but sometimes they were necessary for a gig like this. Plus a few updated quickhacks which she installed under clear instruction.

Johnny had appeared in front of the pool table - was curiously studying if there were any fun pills in there, disappointed when he noticed the lack of them.

She cleaned her gun, Jackie’s old reliable, for good measure. She loved that gun. Handled like a dream and it felt like she always carried her friend with her, no matter where she went. Meticulously she was, in taking it apart and cleaning all the tiny bits that she actually lacked the patience for. Finally ending with polishing the gold metal until it shone. She was very pleased with how pretty it looked in the light as she held it up.

Everything was prepared and ready to klep an Arasaka Behemoth truck tomorrow.

She popped a downer with a glass of tequila, ensuring a dreamless sleep as she finally laid down in bed.

 

Chapter 4: The Gig

Summary:

V finally kleps the Behemoth for El Capitain. Daniels becomes a martyr. Chaos ensues as V gets kicked in the head by new-found feelings.

Notes:

Oooooh things are gonna heat up :D

 

 

 

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" V screamed, hitting the steering wheel at the rhythm of her words.

She whipped the vehicle around as fast as the big Arasaka beast could. What was that fucking gonk Daniels doing being a fucking hero?

She looked back in the mirror one last time before making herself scarce from the harbor. The man was getting absolutely hounded by 'Saka goons, already shot in his shoulder, whale-eyed, he held the wound with one arm as he tried to stand his ground. The sounds of a constant rain of bullets echoed across the water and across the walls of the adjoining warehouse.

She gnashed her teeth at the realization that this was it for him. She couldn't help the bastard even if she wanted to, the alarm already had rung through the harbor as soon as she had taken control of the cargo truck. Corporate huscle was on the way.

V centered herself with a deep breath as she continued to drive, barreled through the streets full of adrenaline, blood pounding in her ears as she left the harbor.

 

"Out of the port? Fucking delta V, now!" She heard Muamar yell on the holo.

"You seein' me now?! The fuck cap?!"

"Drones, V! I got you on my sights!"

 

She suppressed a sneer as she returned her focus on driving the Behemoth, feeling creeping guilt about leaving the poor gonk behind. She was the last person who would say anything nice about him. But this? This was fucked. Dying for a mission you pulled to rescue some kids with medical equipment. Felt like a bad movie was playing out in front of her.

 

"What about Daniels, Muamar?" She couldn't help it.

He looked frustrated, had a clenched jaw on the holo as she asked.

"Just drive. Get outta there quick, s'all that matters."

 

Alright. His call.

Shaking it off came easy to V.

Drones zipped behind her as she pumped the CHOOH. Loggin' brick of steel was too slow for her taste but she would give it everything she got to get to the destination unscathed. Felt like driving a freaking freight train. Multiple RAM boosters and combat stims rattled her teeth in anticipation of the chase, skin and bones screaming for action.

The tires shrieked as she took a sharp turn towards the main road, the back of the truck skidding more than she had liked before it thankfully fell in line with the rest of the vehicle. People she barely noticed screamed as they ran to get out the way, a blur of noise as buildings flied past her.

Normally, she would have absolutely reveled in this feeling. Of the smell of fear and anger, adrenaline and iron. The stakes were too high this time to enjoy what she normally lived for, what she gladly accepted she could die for every day.

 

"On your left V, get rid of them."

 

V eyes snapped back when she heard the warning, multiple black Arasaka vans had joined the race.

Three for now, her Kiroshi's showed.

One hand was on the steering wheel while the other jumped into action to grab her iron, locked and loaded. Bullets were already flying around the truck, thankfully barely making a dent in the tank-like structure of the vehicle.

"Try me, motherfuckers." She hissed through gritted teeth.

She grabbed the Chingona Dorada and aimed it out the window best she could while speeding, gold of the gun glaring in the sun as she took the leading vans front wheels out. V saw panic unfold as it crashed into cement railing with a loud bang, limbs of innocent pedestrians crushed with the impact. She halted pushing the truck's pedal for a second, one eye closed as she focused a final bullet between the drivers eyes.

Not following anymore after this - she thought grimly.

Soon her feelings shifted, the carnage mixing into what was now becoming devilish delight. Threw her gun next to her. Seems the high stakes had little to do with enjoying the current situation after all, she noted with a grin on her face. Adrenaline junkie through and through. Whatever it would take to get her through this.

She didn't have any more time to enjoy her small win as the other two trucks were still on her ass behind her. Her HUD alerted her of one more incoming towards her from the opposite direction.

V's brain went haywire as she devised a plan as quickly as she could, soldering loose thoughts into brutal sequences as she got to work. She had a plan, booted up her cyberdeck in anticipation of the chaos.

She always felt something sickening happen to her body when she went into overclock mode, as if her bone marrow crunched and crackled under the mental load. The pain of it almost had a Pavlovian effect on her as it caused goosebumps all over her body, eyes dilated like a cat ready to pounce.

With lightning speed she executed a Take Control command on one of the two vans behind her, the left one - somehow remaining in control of the Behemoth simultaneously.

She made a mental note to thank Vik with a bottle of his favorite bourbon for the suggested upgrades he had fitted her with last time.

Time seemed to slow down as she saw the corner building she had spotted earlier pop up, ramming the left van onto the right sided twin before executing a Destruct Vehicle command. The explosion they shared as they hit the corner building would've put a smile on her face if she had the time.

For the coupe de grâce she zoomed in on the incoming van that was facing her head-on, the distance closing in sooner than she had accounted for. V tried to scramble for her gun, free hand rummaging the seat next to her. Her gun just out of reach where she had thrown it, fuck.

Blood boiled over and a splitting headache jittered through her brain as she made the incoming vehicle execute the Emergency Break instead, the Synapse Burnout that followed frying the guy to a crisp. If the brain hadn't imploded from the command it would've at least been heavily impacted at the abrupt stopping of the van.

"FUCK YEAH!" V yelled as it was immobilized, thanking her lucky stars when it stayed that way.

She returned her focus to the road. The GPS route warned her of the bridge she was to cross a few beats away, she pushed the gas pedal until the structure entered her eyesight. She cursed to herself, seeing that a blockade has arisen, two vans parked perpendicular on the road of the bridge. Her breath ran ragged and her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets from the strain of the previous commands, her cyberdeck HUD was screaming at her that permanent damage to her health was imminent if she pushed it further. Any more of that and she would end up in the hospital, if she was lucky.

V wasn't a true netrunner and it showed in the moment.

She mindlessly bit her lip until it bled, only releasing it from her teeth when she finally knew what to do.

The engine roared underneath her as it picked up the truck's max speed, barreling towards the left turn that would bring her to the bridge.

Her knuckles were white as she gripped the steering wheel with all that she got, bracing as she used the momentum of the sharp turn to brute force her way though the blockade.

The Arasaka agents realized that she wasn't stopping anytime soon, scrambled to get out of the way while continuing to shoot at her.

They were too late in their efforts.

Metal and meat splattered across the window, cracks first forming from the impact in the glass before exploding. Glass splinters barely managed to avoid her eyes as the windshield finally burst. Blood had seeped into the cracks of the little remaining pieces of the ruined windshield, red abstract patterns appearing as it did.

V's breath was erratic as she tried to regain control of the steering wheel. Tried to prevent the truck from speeding off the bridge. It took all her strength to reign it in against the pushback she got from the Behemoth, the violence that had occurred shaking the vehicle dangerously despite its incredible weight.

No, no, no, she screamed in her mind, not going to fucking happen, not after everything working out so far. Not going to topple over after being so close.

She prayed that the straight path that was ahead would stabilize the truck if she really pushed the speed again. The anticipation nauseated her until she noticed that it was working, the swinging truck was slowly reaching its equilibrium again, nearly making her cry with relief. The homestretch was happening now and she was almost delirious with glee as she realized it had worked, she had fucking made it.

A moment later she skidded up to El Capitan's chop shop, electricity raging still inside of her and blocking any feeling of safety as she screeched to a halt. Took of the seatbelt and checked if the glass had hit anything. She was lucky as far as she could see in the moment. The only mangled limb in the Behemoth was a ripped off hand from an Arasaka agent, stuck on a leftover shard of windshield as if it was waving hello.

V stumbled out of the truck and almost broke her ankle as she forgot how high up the seating of it was. Slammed the door and leaned her forehead against the cool metal for a spell, catching her breath that had almost neared the tempo of a panic attack during the gig. Slowly, some bodily sensations returned to her, she hadn't even noticed they were missing. Her skin was slick with sweat and she felt like a raging bull, but she had fucking made it.

She collected herself before running towards the entrance of the garage, knowing that it wasn't over just yet. Once she slammed the door open, V looked around, found Muamar there sitting on his car. His face was tense and deep in thought when she stormed inside, the sudden entrance causing him to look up at the sight of her.

"Michaels, take care of the cargo." He barked to an unassuming guy in the garage, getting up from his car to spring into action. "Dump the truck afterwards, now delta the fuck outta here."

The guy quickly slipped out of the garage without a word, the sound of the truck's engine slowly disappearing as he left.

Finally she could give in to the abuse she had put her body through. V felt pathetic as her knees nearly buckled, forcing her to lean against the wall next to her. She felt as if she could fall through the concrete floor if she didn't. Dust and grime had made it hard to blink, to breathe, even that felt like it was sucking energy she didn't have anymore. Her hair was sticky against her forehead from sweat. Some warm liquid was running past her chin.

"Hey, easy now you hear me?"

She felt him snake a hand around her waist, forcing her to lean against him instead of the wall.

"No passing out in my shop, V. Come on, to the couch."

It came out strained, but she couldn't look up to read his expression. Had to focus real hard on staying conscious at the moment. She stumbled against him, hand fisting the fabric of his shirt as she held on to reach the couch. The synth-leather was cool underneath her as he helped her lay down, felt like medicine for her body and mind. The static under her skin was slowly stabilizing, it took a couple of breaths before she managed to open her eyes, only a limited view available as she peered through dust-encrusted eyelashes. A minute or two later she felt sorta good enough to carefully sit up, back planted against the couch.

That disgusting liquid was running off of her chin again.

"Here." He said softly as she felt a calloused hand gently tilt her head back by the chin. "You've a nasty nosebleed V, keep your head back like that."

For once in her life she listened, focusing on gaining control of her body back. Next time, no more netrunning like that. It always had been good in a pinch, when she couldn't simply hit, cut or shoot the problem. But she never knew where her limits were when doing it, causing her to cross boundaries that shouldn't be crossed far too easily.

Wasn't the first time she had gotten a nosebleed from it either.

The weight of the couch shifted as he sat down next to her. She felt a damp cloth being put into her hand, grateful to have something to put pressure on her bleeding nose with. Started to throb like a son of a bitch. She stayed like that, with the taste of pennies in her mouth and in the back of her throat. Swallowed the disgusting gore until it was slowly coming to a halt. It took a spell before she dared to position her face downwards again, pleased when she noticed that the bleeding had stopped.

It was the simple pleasures in life, that made her happy, really. Like not leaking blood all over the place anymore.

Took a drink of what seemed like a glass of water on the table next to her, relieved it wasn't something else when she swallowed. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees as she gently dabbed her face clean with the cloth. Felt nice and cool on her skin, the grime removed as best as she could right now. The first things she saw properly was the horrific painting she had left on the fabric of the cloth, sickly pink with deep reds in the center. She folded it for no reason, laid it next to the glass of water on the table.

They did it, she realized at that moment. She was safe again. They had fucking robbed an entire truck from under Arasaka's noses.

Holy shit.

She felt shards of glass fall out of her hair anytime her head moved slightly, like a broken chandelier. Her appearance must be quite the sight right now.

"Hows'it look Mu?" She croaked as she turned her face to show him, a grim smile accompanying the question, a morbid attempt to lift the mood.

He was sitting with his torso slumped forward, hands clasped into a strained fist. Took him a moment to look up at her, when she had asked the question. She had never seen the man so serious in her life.

Made her regret trying to make a joke at all.

"Like shit, Reina." He murmured, rubbing his hands over his tired face.

The soft laugh that escaped V hurt her lungs. So honest. He was probably right. She didn't have a mirror right now and she was happy about that fact. She almost didn't dare to ask the next question.

"Daniels?"

"Dead, V."

"Oh."

A moment of silence passed as they both sat there, staring into space, marinating in the realization of the cost of the stint.

She knew. She had known it. No way he would've made it out of that situation. Yet V couldn't help but ask, hoping that the somber face of the man sitting next to her would be alleviated somehow if facts had changed from reality.

She frowned at the thought.

V realized she actually cared about him now.

Wanted to take those feelings of sadness away from him and make it better. The jester-like persona she had wanted to fuck was no longer just that, apparently. She didn't know what to do with those feelings that seemed to burst in her brain all of the sudden. Just knew that she felt that things were different now. She saw his eyes glow blue for moment, before mumbling something in approval to the caller, hanging up.

"How about the cargo?" She asked softly.

She watched him silently stare into space while his chin rested on his hands again, seemingly lost in thought.

"Unharmed. You did good, V. Thank you."

V felt a pang in her chest as she saw that the good news did not change much in his somber demeanor. There was nothing that came to her mind that could make it better right now. What could you say to a person who has just lost one of his oldest friends? Even if he was a dick. V wasn't used to doing shit like this, wanting to console a person. Didn't know how to fix this, if she could at all. Nerves struck her as she thought of words that could help.

Instead her body moved without thinking, foreign comfort in her intentions.

She almost didn't know who she was anymore when she did so. As if something deep inside of her had awakened, making her move towards him. She leaned sideways until their shoulders touched, gently taking one hand away from underneath his chin, enveloping it into both of hers with a squeeze. She tried to swallow her nerves but the stubborn feeling in her throat wouldn't leave.

She had felt less scared of doing the Konpeki Plaza heist then what she was doing right now, her heart in her throat.

She thought about that day with Panam in the Aldecaldos camp for a second.

She wanted to be soft, right? Sometimes?

Then she needed to be strong.

Unwavering.

What good was left in her actual life if she didn't act if something did finally move her? Her life would be too short to deprive herself of that. Running away from her emotions had never done her any real service. It had only stunted her in many little ways.

So she simply held his hand in silence, not knowing what to do now.

Her breath halted as she felt him shift next to her. Her stomach doing flips. She felt like a goddamn teenager with the nerves running through her body.

Muamar turned his face towards V, looking at her from the corner of his eye as he felt her touch, not fully meeting her gaze.

She couldn't quite pinpoint what that expression was that he held right now.

Just that it wasn't a warning to back off.

That was good enough for her.

He looked so tired in that moment, so small for a figure seeming larger than life at times. Made her upset, to see him like this.

"Don't need to do this, V." He griped, but the hand that interlocked his fingers with hers juxtaposed the words.

Warm, he was, she noticed. The fabric of his shirt smooth against her beat up skin. She was now fully leaned against him, a soft kiss planted on his shoulder before settling her head there.

"I know I don't." She murmured against the fabric of his shirt, her heartbeat hitched at the proximity. "But I want to."

A beat passed as they shared comfort in each other. She felt him shift as his free hand reached for her jawline, making her meet his gaze.

A thumb grazing the soft skin he found there. His eyes flitted across her face as their noses nearly touched, his expression as if he was waiting for something in baited breath. He smelled nice, she thought, much nicer than she did at the moment.

The kiss that followed as she finally closed the distance between them was different from what she had imagined it would be. She thought it would've been fast and dirty, all teeth and lust when it did finally happen. Instead his lips were warm and soft on hers, the movement between them slow, emotional and deliberate.

She dared to wrap her arms around his neck when he pulled her into his lap. A hand caressing her back, the other softly touching her repaired earlobe before snaking into her hair.

His touch had emboldened her, as if it had removed the lock on her own body. Her breath deepened as she drank him in, feeling the skin of his neck beneath her fingers, fisting the gold chains before her hand settled on the bare skin of his chest. She liked how she felt in his arms, a kiss on her neck causing her breath to hitch before she could protest the lack of his lips on hers. V never could've imagined how natural this would feel, no awkwardness in their movement against each other.

The warmth he caused in her was intoxicating when he caught her in a kiss again, tasting him this time as his tongue found hers. The feeling grew stronger and she decided to shift her position, straddling him, desperation for him now apparent as she kissed him with hunger this time. He met her intensity for a moment, seemingly as lost in her touch as she was in his.

But as soon as it had escalated, he had grabbed her face gently to break it off.

He looked as if he was surprised, his chest rising and falling fast as he caught his breath.

V showed an unsure smile on her lips before disappearing immediately. Confusion set in on her face as she realized that he had stopped them for real.

"Fuck, V, I'm sorry." He started, a hand still caressing the crook of her neck as she sat up straight to look at him. "I can't do this right now, I gotta go."

His eyes were kind as he said it but something shrunk inside her as she got off of him to stand up.

"No, no, 's fine." She answered a question that was never asked, rubbing a jittery hand across her mouth in visible confusion.

What was that, what she felt? Embarrassment? Had she misunderstood something? What was wrong?

She looked towards the exit, chewing the inside of her cheek raw. Her racing thoughts only halted when she felt Muamar place something in her palm, his other hand squeezing her for a second as she looked at the object in her hand.

A keycard? What the hell?

She looked up at him with visible confusion, trying to figure out what he was playing at.

"The Outlaw." He said as he pointed his chin to a beast of a car in the corner. "It's yours, V."

She was stunned out of her sorry state when he said it, turning towards the car. A dark vision it was. V hadn't even noticed it in the garage until he had pointed it out. Ran her hand across the hood in silence, feeling the sleek black metal underneath her fingers. It was magical. She scanned it with her optics and found even more than she had hoped in it. Armor plating, machine guns with neuroport integration. Sex on wheels.

It confused her even more as she looked back to see a small smile on Muamar’s face.

"You serious?" V asked incredulously.

"As sin. There’s a bottle of champagne inside, too."

She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry at that.

He already was on a holocall before she could say anything. She could feel his eyes burn in her back as she got into the car without a word. The leather plush underneath her, the car like nothing she ever had felt before. The door of the garage rolled open when the machine roared to life, the engine vibrating through her body as she revved it. She looked in the rearview mirror before she drove off, El Capitan already deep in conversation as she headed home to her Glen apartment in tense silence.

 

...

 

She texted Misty and Mama Welles that she wasn't coming for dinner tonight, her body tired to the bone as she stepped into her apartment, bottle of champagne in hand.

Part of the reason she lived here now was so she could be close to Mama. She felt responsible for her after Jackie died. The woman had taken her in like a daughter as she got back on her feet, when she first started out. The woman was a treasure and the parent she never really had.

She thought of her own cold parents who had been disappointed when she was kicked out of Arasaka, never even relieved that she made it out alive of that viper nest. They hadn't talked since she became a merc. It suited her just fine.

Nibbles was sleeping on the couch as she entered. A small smile escaped V as the cat purred when she scratched his chin.

Multiple cuts and scrapes whined with pain as she moved. They weren't deep but they might have just as well been, with how she felt right now. V dragged her body up the stairs, metal of the construction creaking underneath her as she made a beeline towards the bathroom. Dropped the bottle of champagne on the bed as she passed it.

She dragged a hand across her face a she leaned against the sink. It was a miracle he has kissed her at all, she thought as she took in her reflection. The wet cloth had helped but there was still blood caked inside her nostrils, a dried streak of it across her neck. Small lacerations spread like sporadic webbing across her skin.

 

She looked like absolute shit.

 

Felt like it too, after what had happened with Muamar, the comedown of the combat stims only adding to the weight in her chest. She picked out a few shards of glass that were still stuck in hair, before finally giving up.

V scraped of her sweaty clothes in slow motion, enjoying the sensation of the warm water when it finally hit her face. The water changed color, red and brown tones from the blood and dust gathering in a pool at her feet. She stood motionless in the shower as she did a quick check up of the damage she had done to her implants today. It wasn't as bad as she thought – for now - but she still would have to stop by Viktor tomorrow to get some issues sorted out.

Multiple little warnings were popping up that she didn't want to assess right now.

Better bring an even bigger bottle of bourbon to prevent a bollocking from him. Vik was a sweetheart and cared, especially if she put herself through the wringer. Didn't spare her of stern words though, sadly.

 

The water turned off with a squeak as she stepped out of the shower to dry herself off. Her heavy lids were screaming for sleep. She didn't even bother to kick the champagne bottle out of her bed as she faded away into a dreamless slumber.

 

Today's problems were for tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

I'm sorry, that was kinda sad. It'll get better I promise.

Have around 12 chapters written out in total (for now) but there are still some kinks to beat out of them.

Also unsure about the direction it is taking in the ones I haven't posted yet.

Hope you guys are enjoying it so far, I'm having a blast writing it! So fun.

See you soon with a new chapter :)

Chapter 5: Dark Energy

Summary:

Grappling with the aftermath of the gig, V needs to get checked out, in more ways then one.

 

 

V woke up with a nasty hangover-like feeling. Her eyes slowly creaked open like unlubed hinges, her stomach was doing somersaults with a giant rock in it. Nausea was suddenly building inside- oh no.

“El Clowno got your panties in a twist, V?” Johnny snickered as she ran to the bathroom.

She couldn’t answer as she hugged the toilet, hoped the mentally sent profanities would hit Johnny in the head, clamped onto the cold porcelain until the last wave of nausea was expelled from her body. Flushed the toilet. At least the ceramic was nice to rest her hot cheeks against, she mused bitterly.

God, she felt like hot garbage today.

Felt like one of those old timey TVs that got static after a certain amount of time. A fuzzy screen with multiple dead pixels in her head, it tingled in her fingertips and toes. Plus that fucking nausea. Anything but that, she couldn’t stand throwing up.

Yeah, something definitely needed a tuning at the clinic, V felt it in her body even more so today.

Time to call her guardian angel.

 

>>> Calling: Viktor Vektor

 

“Vikyyyy.” V’s voice echoed as she hung above the toilet. Her voice sounded more sad sandpaper ghost than cheerful supermarket greeter.

He raised an eyebrow at the sight of her when he picked up. “Normally don’t get calls from the toilet, V.”

Oops. Forgot. She quickly scrambled to sit up, leant against the wall next to the porcelain throne. Even that hurt a little bit.

“Listen, I think I sprained a cog or something yesterday. You got time to see me?” She rubbed her head as she groaned, trying to really upsell the urgency. Have him kick someone out of his operating chair for her or something.

Please say yes, please say yes. Before I vomit myself to death, she thought.

“Sure.” Oh thank god. “Got a slot for you in about an hour or two, that works?”

She happily sighed of relief when she heard that. “You’re making me the happiest woman alive, Vik. Thank you.”

He shot her knowing smirk. “Tell me something I don’t know. See ya V.”

She thanked her lucky stars as the call ended, used the toilet and the wall as supports to get up.

Stopped to look in the mirror again as she passed it, slight improvement from yesterday without the leaky bloody nose and glass bits in her hair. Looked at her skin with a bit more care this time. At least the small cuts from yesterday were already starting to heal. Some of them were still a bit open and angry looking, but nothing she hadn’t had before.

Most damage had been internally, after she had kissed Muamar. Softly slapped herself on the cheeks to not think of him, snap out of it. Made her upset. Didn’t want her stomach to hurl anymore.

She had a cold shower hoping it would wake her up a bit, feel a bit better. Only thing it did was burn soap into her wounds. Good thing she hadn’t accidentally grabbed the salt scrub gel instead of the body wash, she would’ve damn near fainted right here. Not like she had done that before, of course.

Brushed her teeth to get rid of the acid taste in her mouth as well as she could. Brushed her tongue for good measure, nearly threw up again because of it. Today was great. Rambling through her activities, certainly not to avoid thinking about certain things.

It took a while before she felt good enough to actually get out of her place. She was armored with a nice outfit she had scrounged together from the clean pile, plus some heavy sunglasses to strengthen her against the daily grind.

As she finally stepped out of the building, a black sparkle caught her eye.

 

The car.

She had forgotten about the car.

 

Everything came flooding back in that moment. Dreaming never helped V when trying to process her feelings or things that she experienced. All those people that say, ‘sleep on it for a night! You’ll feel better in the morning!’, liars, all of ‘em, she’d tell you.

She would try her hardest to block ‘em, so she could conk out, then it would punch her in the face come morning, right hook straight into the embarrassment button.

Dying, she was, full dramatics inside her noggin’. Sink through the floor kinda stuff. She been so brave when talking to Panam about it, all cool and suave-like – at least that’s what she thought it had been.

Sure I’m gonna fuck my fixer, she said. I fucked a lotta people, quite good at it too, so I’ve been told. Five-star reviews all around the board, like she was a local sightseeing marker. ‘V was a great fuck – 4 stars’. See? Great performance reviews. People on the net don’t lie.

But no, all of the sudden it had turned out like those stupid romance plots. She had stupid feelings bubble over in her stupid chest, and just had to be all sweet and nice to him when he looked so, so, so sad.

Felt like she had been ambushed by herself. Wasn’t fair, this. Run for the hills or die in the fields situation all of the sudden. Not the plan. Was supposed to have some fun on the side and continue to grab easy eds together kinda deal. Fuck.

So, what she was getting at.. V didn’t feel better in the morning. V wanted a delete yesterday button and the memories that came with it.

She kicked a rock like a little kid before turning to the car again.

As much she wanted to leave it there, that beautiful, beautiful machine, this car had air-conditioning. Her beloved Hella would cook her from the inside in today’s heat. V already felt her stomach gurgling in protest at the thought of it. She ran a hand through her hair in frustration but opened the door to the luxury car anyways.

Leather seating made her forget most of her bitching after she sat down. The sound of the engine even won a little smile from her. How dare a car be so nice. She drove off, grumbling to herself.

 

…

 

It was only a few streets before she arrived at her first destination.

Hoped she could get through it, she hadn’t seen Vik yet after all. Could puke over a Valentino gangoon if she needed to. Fun for all ages and up.

Had wanted to stop by El Coyote Cojo first to see Mama Welles, to make up for missing the dinner yesterday. Otherwise she would never hear the end of it.

The place was practically empty as she arrived. It was only eleven in the morning – not exactly prime time drinking hours. The smell of cheap beer and cigarettes hung in the air, smelled like home. Calmed her gurgling stomach a bit, weirdly enough. Only a few of the regular viejitos were sitting at their usual table, playing dominoes and gossiping, drinking coffee that was so strong and sweet it shook you to the core.

“Hey there, V.” Pepe greeted her from behind the bar. “Drink?”

“Espresso, please.” V sat herself on a chair, fingers tapping on the wood in quick succession. “Got the machine working again Pepe?”

“Sure do.” His face was proud as he said it, turning to work his magic. He had broken the machine often enough out of impatience, so often that Mama had to have a few stern words with him about it.

V shivered at the thought, Mama had done that to her and Jackie a few times when she lived with them. V did not come with the fear of god installed out of the factory, but she sure as hell did come with the fear of Mama Welles’ scorn. As soon as you saw that little eye twitch pull up, you knew you were toast. Didn’t matter that V wasn’t her actual blood, she would get the same treatment as her son did when they were back from pulling gonk shit.

“How’s it going with you and Cynthia, Pepe? Baby almost ready to pop?” V was genuinely curious. She had been busy, been a long time since she had been able to talk to him proper.

Pepe smiled as he sat the espresso in front of her, the strong brew smelling better than she had expected in her sorry state. She must be feeling a little better if she actually wanted to drink it. Wishful thinking probably.

“Any time now, V. We can’t wait to have her in our lives.”

V grinned at the proud family man before taking a sip of the bitter goodness. She had been happy to help them when they had that little spat a while ago. They were one of the few people in Night City that had found happiness in each other, no matter what bumps were along the journey. That was rare, V was happy Pepe had realized that.

“You look tired mija, you eating alright?”

She recognized that voice. V spun around in her seat to get up and kiss Mama Welles on the cheek, the woman pulling her into a hug before finally sitting down next to her. Made her feel all fuzzy inside, seeing Mama, how she treated her like a daughter.

It didn’t matter what she answered, she would get set up with some sort of delicious home cooking before she stepped outside of the door anyways.

“I’ve been working Mama, time is eddies. Doesn’t leave much room for cooking.”

Not the answer the woman was looking for.

“Ay, V. You have that fancy apartment with an actual kitchen now, and you don’t cook?” A stern look in her eyes as she shook her head in disapproval. “You and Jackito, one and the same. Would rather starve.”

V shot her a somber smile at being mentioned alongside Jackie in the same sentence. The more new people she met, the less things like that happened. Sure she could tell people about him, when the topic came up, when she wanted to. But it wasn’t the same.

She still thought of him everyday, hurt like someone squeezed her heart in her chest. Her best friend who had learned the corporobot called V how to be human, like that old movie, Wizard of Oz or something it was called. He was the Dorothy to her cold tin heart.

It had been around three months since she had to leave him behind in the Delamain cab, covered in his own blood.

She still called his number anytime something happened. Hoping that somehow the actual afterlife, not the bar, would have voicemail too. She didn’t know why she did that to be honest. Didn’t really understand why she felt that need.

V had never been much of a sentimental type. The funerals she had grown up with were slick events and expensive, as cold as the body they actually were for. Corpos took the sentiment that funerals were for the living waaay too far, so far that they forgot they were actually there for a dead person. Example: her dad schmoozing business deals over her grandmother’s casket with the boss he had invited. Classy stuff like that.

The ofrenda for Jackie had surprised her. The warmth that everyone expressed made her uncomfortable if she was honest.

Her tin heart still had a lot to learn.

She talked about Jackie there, his dreams, who he was to her. Tasted blood in her mouth from where she had bitten the inside of her cheek raw, after she was done. Didn’t want to start bawling, make it about her somehow.

V never really dreamt of the major leagues as he had, but when he died… V wanted to carry that legacy for him.

Be the best of the best so she could take him with her there, somehow, in the little time she had still left. Probably less than little. The attacks caused by the chip in her head and the coughing up of blood in the shower had gotten her scared. Not that she would say anything about it. Didn’t want people to worry more than they already did. Viktor, Misty and Panam knew of the true severity, that was enough of a burden.

She couldn’t bear the thought of telling Mama. She had to, soon, but Mama was still reeling from Jackie’s death. So they talked of other things. Like Pepe messing up the espresso machine, or a loud gangoon Mama had put in his place yesterday with a baseball bat. Light stuff, ya know?

V and Mama stayed like that, drinking coffee and talking about Jackie and life for a while. V lit a candle at Jackie’s altar, leaving before Mama could be nosy about her new car.

 

…

 

V forced down something, apparently, delicious as she sped towards Viktor’s clinic. She couldn’t appreciate it right now. It wasn’t exactly sitting right in her stomach but she had promised to eat one.

She was turning into a “flaquita” as Mama had put it. It stung to be honest. All that cyberware and time in the gym, only to be called skinny.

The rest of the plate she had packed her would be for Misty.

She had things to do today and that was exactly what she needed. Possible gig for Regina later on, too. Anything to avoid thinking about what happened yesterday.

She felt like an absolute gonk after what had transpired between her and Muamar. She still didn’t fully understand what went wrong. She had felt like a tall child when he had stopped her, taking it as a slight towards her enthusiasm in some form.

She shouldn’t have kissed him, approached it like that.

She should’ve just fucked him when she klepped the bike for him last time, maybe that would’ve spared her feelings. Because this right now?

It sucked.

It hurt.

She felt like she only had herself to blame.

V was frowning as she parked her car on Bradbury & Buran, flipping Gary the preacher a few bucks so he would watch it for her. That was something to be mindful of now too, she cursed. Nobody wanted to steal her old beat up Hella. This machine however? Eyes glazed over it no matter where she went. She felt like she had a trophy wife to protect. All fucking Muamar’s fault.

Childishly angry she was.

Bells rung as she entered Misty’s Esoterica, Misty herself looking up with a raised eyebrow as V stomped inside with her boots. The scent of incense did nothing to calm her today.

“Such dark energy, V.” Misty mused as she eyed her, amusement coloring her expression.

“From Mama.” V grumbled as she put the plate on the counter and plopped down on the stool, ignoring Misty’s comment.

Misty pursed her lips as she eyed the plate. “Already told her she didn’t have to yesterday…” she begun before turning a fiery look at V “…haven’t forgiven you for letting me go alone to dinner with her as well, V.”

Misty had been uncomfortable by the sudden overload of affection from Mama Welles after Jackie’s ofrenda. It was kinda jarring, going from the hated girlfriend of Mama's son to almost feeling like a replacement of Jackie himself. Misty was too nice to say anything to her about it, for now. Scared to lose whatever line to Jackie she only had gained a moment ago.

Towards V, however? That was a different story. She had promised Misty to help as a landing cushion as they navigated this new dynamic, but she had fallen short on doing so after the gig yesterday. V was a shitty friend for that, but she doubted Mama would have wanted a strung out V bleeding on her table.

“I know, please forgive me, I promise I had reasons.” V whined as she slumped over the counter, face against the table as she grasped Misty’s hand in full dramatics.

Misty giggled at her antics before patting her on the head, getting V to look up with a goofy grin as she was successful in being granted clemency.

“Let me make it up to you by getting drinks after Viktor checks me out? My treat. I’ll tell Regina an emergency came up.”

“Mhm, we’ll see.” Misty smirked at her. “Go get yourself fixed, V.”

“You’re a doll.” V mumbled as she walked over to the exit behind the witchy woman, planting a kiss on her head before disappearing into the alleyway towards Vik’s clinic. V felt a bit better after talking to her friend.

She rummaged around in her backpack to find the comically large bottle of bourbon for Vik that she had picked up along the way, stepping over a vidhead before descending the stairs.

“There a doctor on this plane?” V grinned as she rattled the gate. Almost startled the poor man, always so focused when he was tinkering at his desk. Tightlipped expression on his face as he buzzed her in.

“Hey kid.” She heard as she closed the gate behind her, turning to walk towards her favorite ripperdoc. “Awfully chipper for someone who was dyin’ a short moment ago.”

She greeted him with the bottle, ignoring the comment.

“What’s up with the Molotov cocktail, V?” He asked, suspicion settling onto his face when she planted the bottle on the desk in front of him.

“Gratitude for last time, asking forgiveness for today.” She stated matter of factly.

He whistled approvingly as he looked at the label of the bottle in his hands, fingers tracing it before he set it down.

“Alright…” He said as he stood up, kicking the rolly stool he had sat on towards the operating chair. “Let’s see if the gift is worthy of the forgivin’.”

It wasn’t. A few safety breaks from overload caused by her cyberdeck had burnt out, explaining the nausea she had felt ever since the gig. It took hours before everything had been replaced and reattached by Viktor’s skillful hands.

“Mending takes longer than preventing, V.” Viktor lectured as his machinery whirred in the background. “Cheaper too.”

V was grateful she could just stare at the floor as he operated on her, no sensation in the back of her neck as he worked his magic.

She could handle gore of others, no problem. Her own, however? She had fainted once, when her pinky was removed by an angry Scav with a Cut-o-Matic. She was lucky Jackie had pistol-whipped the gonk after, leading her to safety. Picked up some ice and a plastic baggy at a mini-mart, V hanging her head outside of the window like a dog while Jackie drove her Hella. Couldn’t even look at the finger Jack had made her hold herself, heartless he was. The ice that was melting in the baggy made the finger look like some fucked up goldfish, almost made her throw up in her own car. It could still be reattached, had a little ring-shaped scar there now. Only ring she wore, actually.

“What happened anyways?” Vik asked as he started closing up her skin. “Haven’t seen your cyberware in such a sorry state for a long time.”

“Unforeseen difficulties during high stakes operations.” She answered in robotic corpo-speak. She didn’t feel like giving Vik the rundown today. Not with this.

“Eloquent answer, corpo.” Johnny was in a mood today.

“Sure.” Vik snorted as he wheeled on his chair in front of her, signaling that she could slowly get up.

She had to laugh at Vik’s excellent bullshit detector as she hoisted herself up, her hand feeling nothing but normal skin as she carefully traced the back of her neck.

The man was a magician, even the nausea had disappeared like snow in the sun. He ran a final diagnostics check before giving her the OK to leave, provided her with the appropriate inhaler and dosage information.

Relic effects aside, she was doing great. Not that it actually said much. Nobody really talks about how good the engine of a sinking ship is, in the end. Other matters were more glaring in comparison. The water was entering the broken hull, the people were screaming, no matter how good the engine was still rattling on. But, better a death rattle than nothing at all, right?

V settled her bill after a stern warning from her doc to not act the fool next time. Grenades were for last minute resorts, not expensive, labor intensive cyberware, he said.

She promised to better herself as she practically ran outside, looking forward to hang out with Misty after.

 

…

 

Her smile faltered quickly as V’s eyes bulged at the fifty eddie starting prices for cocktails at the place they ended up. Misty sure knew how to pick her revenge, made V wonder if she had been a corpo in a past life.

It didn’t matter though, Misty was happy and to be honest, V was rolling in eddies at this point. Merc life had been lucrative for V, her bank account was bursting at this point in her life. Eddies were the least of her concern by now. She could actually pay Vik right away each time she stopped by.

V snickered as Misty popped the dry-ice bubble on top of her fancy drink, watching the cold mist spill out of her glass in amazement.

“V, have you ever seen anything like it?” She cooed in her excitement.

“No, I haven’t.” She lied. She didn’t want to burst her bubble, pun intended. Most of V’s amazement had been dulled by lavish corpo shindigs in the past. What did tickle her, was seeing her friend happy because of a gimmicky drink. Priceless.

“Tastes amazing too.” She said as she sipped it, enjoying the intricate blend of flavors.

V swirled the tequila around in her glass as she leaned back against the booth, causing the ice to clink in the beverage before taking a sip. The burn did her good, the taste of it like a spicy hug. She needed that.

Her eyes followed a scantily clad bottle service girl that passed their table, carrying the same brand of champagne Muamar had given her. The bottle in question still laid in her bed, uncooled and uncared for.

“There’s that dark energy again.”

V looked up as if she had been caught red-handed in the cookie jar by Misty.

“Sure you’re not an actual technomancer from Alpha-Centauri?” V quipped, using Gary’s manifesto as a distraction strategy.

Misty pursed her lips at that, not amused by the deflection. ”V…” She warned, staring at her in a way she couldn’t evade. “What’s with you today? Tell me.”

V knew she hadn’t been acting like herself.

She stalled for a second, wondering if she wanted to talk about Muamar at all. Not like something ACTUALLY bad had happened, in the grand scheme of things.

Worst case she could block his number and sell the car so she didn’t have to think about it anymore. The coward special.

She couldn’t do that though. She didn’t want to do that, she never backed out from difficult situations, biz or otherwise. Well, most of the time. Besides, if she was honest, she would miss him. She actually loved the car he had picked out for her. V had a creeping feeling that it was a custom job.

She felt even more pathetic admitting that she wanted more of him. Not just work. Shame it had all turned to shit before anything had actually happened. Fuck.

“Can I be honest Mist?” V asked as she looked into her glass. Her voice sounded smaller than she had intended.

“Always.” Misty nodded as she leaned forward to listen intently, resting her chin on her knuckles.

V sucked in a breath as she tried to navigate how to tell her. She came up blank, no plan for eloquence.

“I tried to fuck my fixer and I somehow messed it up. He gave me that new car afterwards and now I don’t know how to feel.” Like verbal diarrhea it spilled out of her, absolutely no capacity to edit her words before uttering them.

Misty didn’t laugh at her, just blinked as she was processing what V just blurted out. “Why would you have messed it up?” She asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

“Dunno Misty, maybe because I feel a bit like shit now? The way it left things between us?”

“Okay…” Misty nodded as she thought for a bit. “Did you think you messed it up because of the professional aspect of it, or because there are feelings involved on your side?”

Dang. Straight to the point with her, no gloves.

Coward she yelled at herself internally. Coward. Stop being a fucking bitch. Be honest, for once in your life.

V grimaced. “Bit of both?” She answered, taking a sip of her tequila for courage.

Mist squinted at her shoddy answer. “Can’t help if you’re not honest, V.”

She squirmed in her seat as she tried to get to the point.

“Alright, alright.” V sighed. “I… I think I caught feelings. First I thought I just wanted sex but yesterday…” She paused for a second, trailing off. “…he lost someone important to him during the gig I was involved in. When I delivered what was asked we sat on the couch for a spell, 'cause I had pushed myself too far getting it done.”

She downed the rest of her glass as Misty continued to look at her in silence, holding the space for her to tell it at her own pace.

“When he confirmed that the gonk had died Misty, it just broke my heart when I looked at him. Didn’t know I felt like that about him until then. I don’t think I would’ve exactly cared if it was any of my other merc contacts.”

V’s voice grew more frustrated as she continued, the facade she held earlier melting away.

“I wanted to just, take it from him, make the grief go away. I touched him without thinking, one thing led to another for a bit and it was so, nice.” She sighed exasperated at the admission.

“And then?” Misty asked softly.

“Then he suddenly stopped, said he couldn’t , that he was sorry, that he had to go. I was so embarrassed and confused that I could just sink through the floor.” V looked at the table while biting her lip for second.

“After, he just gave me the key for the car as an extra for the gig, mentioned a bottle of champagne in it. Said he had to make some calls. I just sped off in a daze afterwards. The car has fucking neuroport linked built-in machine guns, Misty.”

V put her chin on her fist, sulking as she finished her tirade.

“Built-in machine guns, huh?” Misty remarked dryly as a moment of silence passed.

That made V look up with a frown, before shaking her head at the stupidity of it all, her first smile appearing since she told the story. Misty always knew exactly how to break her out of her griping.

“Well, obviously it's not about the built-in machine guns.”

“V, I don’t think you messed up at all.” Misty continued as she returned to business, finishing her drink as well.

Another round appeared as if by magic. Magic as in the perks of being in an expensive bar with excellent service.

“Whad’ya mean?” V asked, seriously curious about how that answer would continue.

“Well, I obviously don’t know the guy, or the exact situation between the two of you...” she started. “...I think it was just a case of him being overwhelmed in a situation where his friend had just died. Imagine if that happened straight after Jackie passed, didn’t you have other things to do? Even if a hot merc was throwing herself at ya.”

Misty leaned back in her seat as she sipped her fresh cocktail loudly through her straw. Clearly pleased with the effect that her astute deduction had on V, who was sitting there short-circed as she soaked in what her friend had said.

She was probably right. V was so caught up by the sting of perceived rejection that she hadn’t really thought straight about the sitch.

In her defense, she wasn’t exactly used to anyone stopping her when she was involved in situations like that. Not in a rapey way, you know what she meant. She was a perfect gentlewoman if she noticed someone wasn’t feeling it, or said something that expressed that.

The Muamar sitch was just so different compared to previous experiences. She felt like he had been completely into it, like she had been. Didn’t get why it had ended in the way it did. With Misty’s comment, it started to make a lot more sense now.

“Well, shit Misty.” She only managed to get out.

“That car was made for you, V.” Misty added with a sly smile. “No fixer would give away a car like that to a merc as daily biz. An extra gun or money shard would be much simpler.”

“Fucking A, Misty. You missed you’re calling as a therapist, for real.”

“We’ll get the corpo out of you yet, V.” She giggled. “Realign your chakra’s a bit and you’ll see!”

The rest of the night was spent drinking too much until they stumbled out of the bar. V dropped a sleepy Misty off at her place before she eventually returned to the Glen.

Tired, but feeling much lighter, she fell into her bed.

Huge water bottle to chug on her nightstand, along with the last cigarette of the night. Champagne bottle still stuck between the sheets.

Rolled onto her stomach, lit cigarette between teeth as she grabbed her phone. She burnt a hole in her sheets as the cig fell out of her mouth from surprise. Quick removal of the ashes and putting it out would have to do for now.

A text from El Capitan himself.

Well, shit. This should be good. The alcohol had dulled the stinging of the shame and made her curious.

 

>>> Muamar

 

How’s the champagne, Reina?

 

V looked at the text for a second, not sure how to respond. She had originally planned to ignore Muamar until she couldn’t anymore.

Of course, she was sober when she had those thoughts. She also hadn’t had that champagne he asked about.

Quickly she staged the bottle, snapped a pic of it lying against her pillow, tucked in, blanket and all.

 

V <<<

 

See for yourself [IMAGE SENT]

 

 

>>> Muamar

 

Didn’t your mother teach you not to play with your champagne?

 

 

V <<<

 

That’s a new one. So no, she didn’t.

 

 

>>> Muamar

 

I could teach you.

 

Just say the word, V.

 

 

V bit the inside of her cheek as she debated what to say. If she would take the bait at all.

She might’ve talked it through a bit with Misty but that didn’t mean she knew what she wanted to do.

She decided to sleep on it. For now.

Tomorrow she could get punched in the embarrassment button again.

 

 

 

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed this one. The "It's not about the built-in machine guns" was sorta stolen from the legendary "It's not about the Iranian yoghurt" post from reddit lol.

Might take me a bit to get to the next chapter. I wrote a ton without any plan or outline, but that's changing a bit now <3

Chapter 6: Boy Scout

Summary:

An unsuccessful bribe causes V to run into someone she didn't expect. A boxing match starts.

Notes:

Things are gonna get spiceyyyy, lemon warning.

V was slightly tipsy. And angry. Pissed. Absolutely fuming, and all those other related words. She was in a ratty house with a ratty party containing ratty people. People out of their minds off of glitter, black lace and booze passed her in the hallway where she was sulking. She didn't have any narcotics to lift the mood so she was nursing cheap beer no. 6 like a teenager. Didn’t even taste nice. Watered down as shit. 

The reason for her anger? The junkie she had given a royal bribe for a tip for Rogue's gig, had returned nothing. She had looked around the crowd for about an hour or two now but couldn't find the gonk she was supposed to accost anywhere.

"Told you it was a gonk idea V." Johnny said as he leaned against the staircase opposite of her. "Guy was skezzed out of his mind, would've said anything to get a few bucks. Know I would when I was like that."

"Shut it, Johnny." She muttered. "For once in your life."

That mean smirk was on his face as he fizzled out of view again, a blur of blue artifacts as he disappeared.

He was right, Johnny. She knew that, didn't want to admit it though. Was too caught up in the scent of a lead when she had handed money over like Santa Claus to that addict.

The hallway walls were covered in shitty 6th street graffiti, saying, were there weren’t holes exposing electrical wiring, the floors covered in trash and other unsavory bits she didn't care to identify. Typical Rancho Coronado slums. The fizzy bitters of the beer convinced her she could wait to update Rogue until tomorrow.

Annoyed at the thought of Rogue's imminent bitching V leaned against the wall, finishing the last of her disappointing beer with a swift swig. Ready to get back to her car and apartment to sleep the night off.

V went to grab a final cig for the road but before she could light her way into a nicotine fix, it was rudely plucked from her lips. Her eyes darted aggressively to the thief, gripping her iron instinctively, yet was surprised to find two twinkling eyes with a bad haircut she knew.

"Long night?" Muamar asked innocently as he joined her in leaning against the wall, a sly half-smile painted across his face as he lit the stolen cigarette between his teeth.

V couldn’t contain the surprised expression on her face, she never imagined running into him, here of all places. She hadn't seen him for, what was it? A month now? V had been busy, that was true enough. Busy filling her agenda with so much work that she could ignore him with plausible deniability; that is. He had texted her a few times after the champagne conversation but V had ignored them all, mostly. Brushed him off with one word answers until she had fallen completely silent. No matter how much she actually had wanted talk to him.

She took him in as he stood next to her. He looked good, she thought. Partially intoxicated as she was, hair a bit messier and a noticeable sheen on his skin in the air conditioning lacking house. Maybe it was the alcohol in her system, but she couldn’t help but notice the slightly tan chest that was exposed.

She had missed him, she realized.

Missed his stupid haircut. The way he called her majesty, how he always had something to say that kept her on her toes. And now he was standing in front of her, it took all of her strength to not touch him right away.

He met her gaze with narrowed eyes as he graciously gave her own cigarette back after two puffs, his eyes seemingly asking -what the fuck are you doing here?- as she took the cig from his hands.

Their shoulders touched, leaned against each other. He felt hot on her skin even through the fabric, V was close enough to smell the expensive cologne he always seemed to wear. It reminded V of how they had sat the last time she had seen him, in that chop shop of his.

She tried to shut off whatever flow of thought that seemed to bring on, choosing instead to take a drag of her cig, eyes closed for a beat as she exhaled the fumes.

Her gaze returned to him as she held the cig out to him, almost as if it was automatic by now. Not really thinking about if actually she wanted to share the cig or not as she did so. V felt kinda annoyed by herself when she handed it to him.

"Long night. And last time I checked, chooms ask if you want to bum a smoke." She jabbed, eyes burning into him.

A smirk escaped him as he took it from her, not showing any reaction to the tone she had used.

It was childish. She was acting childish but she couldn't help it with him. Not after what had felt like a snub to her last time.

"So we chooms now, V?" his voice climbed in tone as the question left his lips, the final V he uttered made her a bit flustered.

He cocked his head at her as he asked the pointed question, smuggest expression she had ever seen on a man right there, it continued as he took another puff. She pursed her lips and tried to ignore the implication of the question, a warm jolt fluttered in her stomach as she remembered the kiss. She couldn't suppress the flush like she normally could when sober. The way he met her eyes when she looked up didn't help either.

There was suddenly something serious painted on his face that didn't match the humorous demeanor he sported mostly. It kicked up her heartrate something fierce and she felt slightly helpless as she watched him put out the cigarette beneath his shoe. There went her anchor, embers snuffed out. Nothing to hold onto now, not even a shitty beer.

"You never texted back or came looking for work, Reina, what gives?" He finally asked, his head tilted towards her as he searched for her eyes.

She looked away at the question. Felt ashamed she had ran away from his texts, like she wanted to run away from his questions right now. She didn't want to be brave, she wanted to hide.

"I was busy." She lied partially. "Have other fixers y'know." Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.

His face changed into slight annoyance at that answer, mouth a straight line before he answered. "Your nostrils flare when you lie, V."

What? No. V twisted her face to him at the comment, eyes wide as she instinctively touched her nose as if to hide her tell. The tell she didn't know she had.

Oh.

The tell he just made up so her gullible ass would freak out. Too smart for his own good, goddammit.

His face had that smug smile of his as he saw her scramble. He was making fun of her she realized. What a gonk she was. V couldn't help but laugh at herself in that moment, swatting his shoulder in retaliation. The ice had been broken then, familiarity that had always been there creeping back, sharing a goofy grin between the two them as they stood there.

Truth be told, she didn't know how to handle this situation. Didn't know how she should've picked up after how they had left it previously. She would take any merc gig over this, she knew how to handle that. With Muamar she was like a deer on ice.

"You like the car at least?"

The question came in a tone she wasn't used to hearing from him, made her look up at him when she noticed it. Hands in his pockets. A slight frown with anticipation in his expression. Nothing reading like the usual bravado he put on.

It touched her to see him like that, almost seemed a bit vulnerable. Made her feel like shit about the airs she had been putting on. He didn't deserve that. Being jaded wasn't a good look on her.

"I did." She finally answered softly as she plucked at her jacket sleeves, eyes to the ground. "I do."

Racked her brain for ideas as she thought about what to do. Fuck it. Honesty it is. His shoulder felt like it was on fire against her skin as she sucked in a breath. Here it fucking goes.

"I didn't know what to do after last time, Mu." She confessed, looking at him in earnest now. Took her fucking long enough, she thought bitterly.

He pressed a little more against her shoulder as she said it, felt his eyes burn into her, seemingly wanting her to continue. She almost forgot that they were at a chaotic house party, all other noise shut off as if it was just the two of them in that hallway.

"Thought I pushed something I shouldn't have. Thought I ruined..." she waved a hand around “...whatever that was."

He snorted a she said it, her face immediately feeling hot as he chuckled at her confession. The fuck kinda answer is that? Started wondering if her words had been too much. Felt anger bubble up inside of her.

"V."

She snapped her face to look at him, feeling naked in this nasty hallway. "What?" She gritted, aggravated at the situation, but any other words were quickly stopped in her throat.

The arm that was pressed against her moved, a hand snaking into hers. Her body was on fire. Hand holding. Woman in her full thirties and she was blushing from handholding.

He watched her in amusement, a sly smile curled at one side of his lips as he noticed his touch had cooled her anger. Hadn't cooled anything else though.

"Y'know... There's little you could do to ruin-" he paused, swiveling his head to mimic her previous hand gesture "-whatever this is."

"Oh."

It was the only thing she could muster, practically holding her breath. Frozen with her back to the wall.

"Had to get Daniels's body back from Arasaka after the gig, V." He said, something a bit somber at the ridges of his eyes for a second. "Had to hire someone to klep it back. Wasn't right towards his folks, having no body to cremate."

She took in the information with a frown, nodding at the answer. Of course it was something like that.

Misty was a witch.

"What's going on in there, upstairs?" He said as he watched her expression closely.

If she could've disappeared through the wall, she would've. Instead she asked him in the only way she could manage right now.

"Make this easy for me." She finally asked with a soft voice, adrenaline in her veins. "Please."

They locked eyes after that, sitting in the words she had spoken. He looked at her for a beat, nodded so softly anyone else but V wouldn't have noticed it in that moment.

Her lips parted when his hand touched her collarbone, his fingertips trailing across its edges until they slowly snaked up to her neck, sending sparks across her skin. Stone cold silence within V as she watched him, heart beating out of her chest.

Muamar's eyes were razor-sharp as he leaned in ever so slightly, face lingering in front of hers as his took her in like that for a moment. V's breath quickening as she stood there in, his eyes darting across her face as if he could read her like a book. She was surprised when he didn't close the distance as she had expected, or hoped. Instead his lips brushed the side of her face before they halted next to her ear, his other hand now resting on her waist, pressing her against the wall.

"Lemme take you home, V." He murmured with hot breath against her, goosebumps appearing on her skin as he said it. V was too lost in her own train of sudden thought to notice the hint of desperation staining his words and the way he held her.

The only thing she wanted right now was to feel him against her, to kiss him till her lips burnt. There was no use in playing coy anymore.

"Let’s go then."

 

The silence between them was tense as they maneuvered through the crowd towards the exit. A collection of drunk people and loud noise as they passed them to go outside. The only thing V noticed in the moment was how his hand gripped hers.

The cool air of the night broke away the damp heat from inside the house as they left, walked towards V’s Outlaw that was parked a few steps ahead. Her brow furrowed as she heard her Outlaw unlock before she meant to, looking back to see Muamar with a smug look on his face.

"You kept a copy of the keys for my friggin' car, Capitan?"

"Only on my turf, your majesty." He laughed as he moved her to the side. "Now let me drive, I drank less anyway. Sit down, quit yer yappin'."

She shot him an annoyed look as she got in. She figured out he had been probably watching her longer than she had noticed him for. She wasn't that visibly inebriated, how else could he know what amount she drank? Sneaky bastard.

V plopped down in the passenger seat and couldn't help but laugh when he leaned over to fasten her seatbelt, another whiff of that delicious cologne entering her nose.

"You always so forward?" V murmured.

He clicked his tongue in disapproval "I never take safety in any of my rides carelessly V. "

"Autofixer boy scout, huh."

He didn't reply to the snide comment, instead letting a sharp laugh escape, flicked a finger against her shoulder as he kept his eyes on the road. Ouch.

V stared at him for a moment, simply taking in how strange it felt to have him next to her like that.

Felt strange to want to have sex with someone she had a certain familiarity with. Meaning in the way that she actually wanted to talk to him all the time. Wanted to see him. Hoped to accidentally run into him whenever when she was in SanDomo, which she now actually had happen to her. The month of her ignoring him had been torture. Self inflicted torture.

She had shared her bed for her career and simple pleasure more than most, she had stopped counting when she her body count hit twenty. That was around twenty years old. Sex for feelings, for actual wanting of a person? Not ever. Sex was a fix for lust, or to extract counterintel. What she wanted in someone had little to do with it.

El Capitan, was at first glance a goofy caricature. She enjoyed finding out what a shark he actually was, his corpo past quickly noticed by V. She found pleasure in a person who spoke the same language as her. Liked all those sharp little edges he seemed to hide with humor.

A question concerning his corpo past had actually been burning in her mind ever since she had met him.

"What corp did you work for, if you don't mind me asking?" She faked innocence in her question, hoping it would land the weight of it softly. She really was curious about it, never could get him to bite before.

"Asking if I mind? You asked me this before. I DO, mind. What kinda question is that?" He glanced at her for a second. "That your idea of dirty talk, V?"

"Wasn’t Arasaka, I would've noticed you." She mused, ignoring his tone. "Not Millitech either, not your style... Night Corp?"

Silence continued. She pouted at him as she realized he really wasn't going to humor her curiosity about his past. She opted to barb him about the present instead, shifting the pressure of the hot pokes.

She leaned towards him, casually resting her arm on the back of his seat as she eyed him. "Why were you at that shindig anyway?” She asked with narrowed eyes. “How did you even know I drank less?”

She was searching for any hints on his face of information she could extract. It had indeed been gnawing at her. She prided herself in being vigilant. Being liquored up while executing those menial tasks were basic credentials in Arasaka. Besides… He wasn't easy to miss, stood out like a sore thumb with the way he dressed and carried himself. Made her feel like he hadn't wanted her to notice him before he had approached her. Whenever V's gut told her something like that, she was most likely right.

He simply shook his head incredulously, not giving away much in his expressions.

"T' was biz, V, biz. I pride myself in being... active in the community ya know." He tipped his head towards her for a millisec. "That includes 6th street and any of the, let's say, local addicts that are getting bribed by outsider mercs on their turf. Plus-" he halted the sentence for a second as he pointed at finger at her "-I live nearby."

She narrowed her eyes even more at the answer.

"Could've started a shootout with your gonk ideas." He muttered under his breath as his eyes returned to the road.

She processed the plausible words that still reeked of white-washed sticky lies.

Keep your secrets, mullet man.

Not like she had more time to give him the third degree. The ride was abruptly halted in front of the Glen building. V had almost forgotten that he actually knew where she lived, he had been the one to broker her lease in the end.

Irritated her how much he knew of her actually, when she knew so little of him. Until the Daniels gig he had been very sparse with what he actually mentioned about himself. Sure, he seemed open enough, with the jokes and familiarity he showed even though someone didn’t even know him well yet. Maybe that’s why he was so annoyed about the corporation topic, made him a bit touchy when she was asking the right questions. It only made her want to ask them more, like a red button she wasn't supposed to press.

"Out, you and your questions." He snipped while he waved a hand at her to signal that she needed to move.

V snorted at his annoyance as she got out the car. HER CAR, she might add, sheesh.

"Come on, be a gentleman would ya." she said in no particular direction as she walked inside.

She walked to the lobby, not looking if he was following or not. A sleazy smile plastered on her face as she heard the sound of her car locking at the hands of El Capitan. She may not be getting the answers she wanted, but she would be getting something else.

He found her waiting for him in the elevator, with both hands behind her as she leaned against the wall, simply taking him in with inquisitive eyes. Her eyes flashed blue and the elevator closed behind him, the soft hum of the machinery the only sound filling the silence as he stood on the opposite end of her position.

The tension was sharp in the air as she felt the options coursing through her brain, running a thousand ways to get him undone before her. It almost felt like a boxing match with how they stood on opposite ends of the small space. Two sharks trying to figure out what each other's tell was, not even knowing why they really did that, just that muscle memory kicked in. Two difficult people making difficult things even more difficult, for the sport of it.

She tried something. Wanted to. The closer they got to V's floor the more she closed the distance between them. His eyes following, watching her with thinly veiled interest, she could hear his breath slightly increase through his parted lips. V looked him in the optics from up close, studying him with curiosity. Reached out to touch the bottom hem of his shirt, darting her fingers underneath the silky fabric to find warm skin and enjoying how he felt on her hands. Both their breath shot up a pace as their bodies were now fully pressing into one another.

A hand grazed her jawline but she only looked up to meet his eyes again when his thumb stroked her bottom lip, heat spreading from his touch.

Fuck it. Less composed than she had liked, she finally closed the distance to his mouth, her sudden impatience making him smile against her lips as he took her in his arms fully, hands feeling her ass in a way that made her heart flutter.

He tasted like bourbon and cigarettes. Tasted like what he had a month ago. Tasted like what she had been thinking about all this time.

The elevator opened with a ding as they stumbled inside, clinging to each other, ragged breaths filling the once silent room as she guided him to the couch until she fell on him there.

"Fuck." He rasped as he looked up to her with a wide smile. "Took you fucking long enough."

"Shut up, Muamar." V commandeered as she straddled him, quickly throwing her top into a forgotten corner before returning to make out with him breathlessly.

His hands were making quick work of exploring her body, no longer were his touches sly and teasing, they had grown heated and desperate. His hand slipped underneath her bra until he found her nipple, he seemed pleased when he discovered her sensitivity and her piercing as he rubbed soft circles with his thumb.

"Fucking knew they were pierced." He grinned against her skin. She almost wanted to comment on his boyish expression, but halted when he sat up and opened the clasp of her bra and impatiently took it off. V gasped softly as he took a nipple in his mouth, softly grazing it with his teeth. Her weak spot, making her spasm as a soft moan escaped and a wet pool started to form between her legs.

"Fuck Muamar." She breathed into his hair. "That feels so fucking good." Her hands on his scalp and in his neck as she pressed herself into his touch, sending shivers down her spine.

"Made me fucking insane you know." He said as he broke away to trail her neck with his lips. "You never shut up, then radio silence."

She met his gaze then, heart burning in her chest at the way he looked at her. She knew she had been a little bitch with that. Wanted him to know she knew that. Not one of her finer moments, that one.

"I'm sorry, y'know. For that." V muttered under her breath, a bit shy with the admission.

"You better fucking be." The grin that accompanied the answer not showing any resentment of the sort. Made her feel a bit relieved actually.

She caught him in a kiss again in lieu of an answer. She wasn't in love with him, it wasn't that. But there was a fire in her she wanted to express by touching him, by making him feel good, making him feel like she only thought of him at that moment

Before long she was slowly grinding onto him while his back was against the couch, his cock hardening beneath her dripping cunt. His hands trailing her thighs, her breasts, before settling on her ass, pulling her deeper onto him. The sounds he produced when she fully pressed into him egged her on, returning to fuck his mouth with her tongue in a slow dance.

Nothing like a man softly moaning beneath her, delicious, addictive. Especially if it was the man she was with now. First, get him to the bed, off that uncomfortable fucking couch. Before she had stains to remove tomorrow.

Muamar looked up with surprise as she got off his lap, taking her cargo pants and panties off with a sly smile, standing naked in front of him.

"Come on." She said softly as she held her hand out. The hunger he had in his eyes as he stole a look of the view in front of him almost made her regret getting up at all.

He never broke away her from her gaze as he quickly threw off his shirt and removed the rest in lightning speed, making her giggle at his actions.

He took her hand, leading him upstairs. As they arrived to the edge of her bed, she turned around to kiss him. V pushed him on the bed with a grin, climbing on top of him, kissing his neck while reveling in the feeling of his unclothed dick now fully pressed against her pussy.

A hand trailed down until she found how hard he was, stoking the fire between her legs. V looked at him with absolute delight as he closed his eyes with a furrowed brow, clearly enjoying the sensation as she started pumping his cock in a slow rhythm. Muamar looked lost in her touch as he laid there, his ribcage rising and falling fast and moans escaping him when she found a particular move he enjoyed.

So open he was, in showing his pleasure. No holding back with the sounds she produced from him. Fucking hot.

She wanted to trail down his body, bite his hip before she would take him in her mouth. Couldn't wait to taste him. She wasn't even halfway past his navel before she felt a hand stopping her.

"Shit, fuck, hold on a sec." He barely managed to breathe, as he pulled her up against him. It was V's turn to look surprised now, but he cut in before she could say anything.

"We've got time now, Reina. Want to feel you first." 

Of all the things he could've stopped her for, that was the only answer she would accept.

He rolled on top of her, kissing her as his hand trailed from her breast to her stomach before settling between her legs.

She watched him breathlessly as his thumb started to circle her clit, two fingers entering her soon after. V arched her back at the sensation, one arm around his neck, holding on for dear life.

"You're so wet." He breathed, approval dripping from his voice. "Can't wait to fuck you V, how good you must feel." He whispered in her ear. V couldn't answer as she had her arms above her head now, gripping the sheets, undignified sounds escaping her. A half-smile tugged at his lips, watching her react to his experienced touch. Her moans were cut short for a second as he applied extra pressure, making her squirm against him, rocking against his hand as if he already was inside her with his cock.

"Tell me what you want V." He rasped with dark eyes, face inches away from hers.

Fuck that was it, she thought as she pulled him against her, their breath filling the room as he leaned on his elbow positioned next to her face. Fire in his eyes as one hand was still massaging her.

"Fuck me." She rasped as she pulled him in by his neck, desperation setting in as she breathed hard against him. "I want you in me, now, please." Absolutely shameless in her request.

His eyes dilated with excitement from her words, she watched him as he removed his fingers from her before licking them clean. Jesus fucking christ.

"I can do that." He grinned before he caught her in a kiss again. Positioned himself between her folds, sliding his cock against her, making her whimper in impatience.

"You sure, V?" He said with an impish smirk, making her almost want to slap him.

Thankfully her frustration was cut short as his words were jokes, wasting no time entering her. V couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped her as he stretched her walls, their eyes locked as he fully pressed his length into her.

"Fuck that's so good." He rasped, almost a sort of disbelief in his eyes at how she felt. "Waited for this for a month V." Her back arched as he started to move excruciatingly slow in and out of her. V bit her lip as she enjoyed the feeling of him inside of her, everything she had been waiting for all this time.

Watched those intense expressions of his as he moved inside of her, how his muscles tensed with each movement. "Never make me wait again." He breathed against her lips, intense gaze burning into her.

"Then let me fuck you already Muamar." She was suddenly impatient, rolled him on his back to sit on top. Big fucking grin on his face when she did so. She loved the view she saw below, all tattoos and chest hair. Most importantly, that stupid haircut out of his face. V smiled as her hand trailed over his chest and stomach, following the path of his happy trail and feeling the warmth underneath. She just could eat him up right then and there.

He looked up at her, desire in his eyes, his hands firm and strong as they trailed from her breasts to her stomach, watching her position him inside of her again.

God he felt good, hard inside her, breathing shallow as he was helpless underneath her. She took his hands and placed them on her breasts with a mischievous smile, leaning back with her own on his strained thighs as she had started to move on him, his cock slick from how wet she was.

"You're so fucking beautiful V." He breathed. "Never seen anything like it."

She bit her lip when he said it, desperate for more of his words. Desperate for him to cum in her, to say her name. Tell her how she made him feel.

"What else?" She pleaded as she rode him. "Tell me."

Spanish expletives she couldn't quite catch streamed out of him from her movements. He didn't speak his native tongue often but when he did, it was addicting to her, her discovery of it only making her take him deeper inside.

"Your body, V." He whispered as he sat up, head leaned slightly back as he locked his gaze on her, one hand on her back as his other assisted her hips as she rode him. "The way you carry yourself. Like no one can fucking touch you. Been wanting to fuck you for months, those tiny shorts driving me insane."

She leaned forward to press herself against his torso, wrapping her arms around his neck for balance, breathing hard against his hair. Picking up the pace, the positioning hit her right where she needed him.

When his hand found her clit again it made her jerk for second, a gasp escaping her, stumbling in her rhythm for a moment before regaining it. The sensation and his words, how he looked at her... it made her almost delirious as an orgasm started to build inside of her.

"How good of a job you always do for me." He whispered in her ear, goosebumps in her neck. "Such a good girl, my queen, my Reina."

She felt something akin to embarrassment when she realized she was going to cum right there and then if he didn’t slow down a little.

"Stop, fuck, you’re making me cum already." she whimpered against his mouth pathetically, her movement frantic, she didn't want to completely lose herself just yet.

"Already, V?" He smirked with delight, clearly pleased by the fact. Her soft moans only made him more motivated to increase the pressure against her clit, the sensation making her buck her hips against him.

"Cum for me." His voice a low purr as he held her neck loosely with his free hand. "Lose yourself on me."

Her eyes were wide as she looked at him, overwhelmed at the sensations, reaching a tipping point as he leaned in to bite her neck hard, pain mixing with pleasure.

"Shit. Shit. Shit." She managed before she came undone, nearly pulling his hair out before desperately wrapping her arms around his neck, as if it was even possible to pull him closer. Warm waves spread from her core as she continued to ride her orgasm out on him, even more delighted when she finally felt his dick spasm inside of her as he hissed her name. Feeling the warmth as his cock spilt inside made her gasp for air, holding his gaze during his orgasm. Their juices mixing as she slowed her pace, only stopping when his eyes fluttered shut and his moans died down.

A few seconds passed before he came back to reality. Capitan finally looked at her through lidded eyes, still glazed over from when he came. He slipped out of her as they fell back into the mattress, limbs intertwined when he kissed her deeply, both enjoying the afterglow they shared.

V laughed softly as he lazily kissed her neck at the red spot his bite mark had left before laying down next to her again, a soft smile on his face as he caressed her arm and thigh. V toyed with his chains for a second, never really having had the chance to study them up close before. So gaudy and so very gold. She kinda had started to like them now. They looked kinda strange juxtaposed against the clinical dog tags her wore around his neck.

"This the moment where you zero me for my jewelry V?"

"Nah." She smiled as she looked up. "This is the moment I'm gonna get some water and a cig." She said as she pinched his hip, rolling out of their embrace to sit up.

She looked back at him as he lied there, a flush still on his naked body. A few red marks from where she had gripped him too tightly.

"Looking good, Cap." She winked at him before getting up to walk towards the bathroom.

She cleaned him from between her legs with a wet washcloth, weirdly almost sad to do it. She quickly peed and washed her hands as well, the UTI devil would not get her today.

Filled a glass with water as she nicked a pack of cigarettes with a lighter from her own jacket on the floor. She was thankful she wasn't that tidy, but only at this moment.

He watched her as she walked back into the bedroom, amused. She sat the glass down before she lit a cig, handing it to him as she leaned on the bed with one arm.

"Great service, five stars." He praised with a smirk as he took a drag of the cig. She shot him a playful glare as she moved to lay down in the space he made for her with his arm, he was tapping the bed to make her hurry up. She laid there staring at the ugly ceiling for a bit, a satisfied sigh escaping as she took a drag when he offered it to her. He kissed the top of her hair before returning the cig. It was really sweet. Weirdly comfortable.

It was around three in the morning, give or take. Best night she had in a long time.

They laid like that for a while, sharing the cigarette and a comfortable silence. She put it out on the ashtray on her bedside table next to him, propping herself up against his chest afterwards to look at him.

"I don't know about you..." she began as caressed his cheek, smiling sweetly "...but I'm pretty beat."

"Mhm." He mumbled as he watched her through squinted eyes, feeling a bit coming up.

"I can call a Delamain if you want?" The wording of it was innocent, but she was barely holding in the impish smile as she teased him.

"Veeery funny V." He said as he wrapped her in his arms, making her laugh.

Her eyes flashed blue against his skin as she shut off the lights, pulling the sheets over them before grabbing him into a final kiss.

"G'night Reina." He mumbled against her skin as he settled into the crook of her neck, pulling her close against him. He felt like a space heater against her but she didn't mind it. Yet.

Made her feel safe, made her feel at home, she thought as her eyes fluttered shut, her hand caressing his back in slow motions. Wondered if she could still say that tomorrow. The thought quickly slipped away, a deep sleep soon overtaking her.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Ahhh I hope you all liked this! Never written smut like this before but I am really happy with how it turned out. Thanks again for reading, means the world to me, really <3

Chapter 7: Afterlife Matters

Summary:

V scouts a place for Rogue's gig. A colleague merc joins her in a less than elegant plan.

Notes:

Just a heads up, the amazing line "it smells like pussy in here" by Johnny is from the fic Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off by the wonderful WildHarlow, here on ao3. Its amazing, go read it now if you haven't.

That fic was what probably got me obsessed with Muamar x V so I couldn't resist putting it in this chapter.

 

Hope you enjoy this new chapter! :)

 

 

 

 

"The fuck is that!" V woke as she heard the yelling, confused of its origin and reason.

"Mu?" She called out as she slowly sat up. Remembered that Muamar was here while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It was very early in the morning still, the sun was a watery orange as it hung at the bottom of the overcast sky.

She heard stomping as he sprinted up the metal stairs to meet her. She cocked an eyebrow when she saw he was carrying Nibbles like a sack of potatoes under his arm. The little gremlin had his chicken feet dangling underneath him, not amused by the development of being carried by a stranger.

"A cat, V? How?"

"That's Nibbles."

He looked peeved when she said it, clearly not the answer he was looking for.

"Of course it is."

Muamar simply stared as the beast wriggled free from his uncomfortable grasp, sprinting to hide underneath the bed with an annoyed growl.

She watched him with amusement as he went after the cat with a big grin on his face. Glad to see that he was still here, not having run off for some reason. A smile crept on her face when she thought about last night. How much she liked having Muamar here. How easy it felt to wake up with someone next to her, have someone fall asleep beside her at all.

He caught her staring when the cat was no longer interested in swatting at him from underneath the bed.

"Happy today, Reina?" He grinned as he sat down next to her, leaning in for a kiss. He was cool against her, V still warm from sleep. Muamar was already dressed in that silk shirt he wore yesterday.

"Stop gloating." A grin betrayed her as he pulled away. She did feel happy today. Ridiculously happy even. "But yeah, perhaps I am."

"Good, good." A hand caressing her thigh as he took her in for a second.

"Listen, I gotta delta." He murmured as his eyes glided over her naked body. "But if you want... we can meet after I've settled some biz tomorrow night?"

She had a sly smile, happy that he already wanted to see her so soon. But was surprised by the slight disappointment she felt about that he had to leave already. It wasn't like she had had any other expectations. Maybe a little bit, but they were both busy people after all. V had work to do for Rogue today.

"Mhm." She answered as she pressed herself firmly against him, arms around his neck as her face hovered in front of his for a second. "Think I'd like that, Cap."

She liked teasing him like that. Hoped she could squeeze a little time out him still.

"Don't be mean, V." Muamar tutted, yet clearly thinking about other things as the back of his hand trailed her breast. "Really got shit to do."

She snickered at his words, eyed him for a second before kissing him deeply. It left V wanting for more but she would have to wait for tomorrow. Watched him wink at her before he got in the elevator, goofy grin on her face as she waved him goodbye from her bedroom. Turned to fall in her bed for a few minutes, grinning like an idiot before she started her day.

"Smells like pussy in here." Johnny grumbled as she dressed after her shower. He would have to deal with it, she had seen him and Alt after all.

Kinda strange it was, how she sorta didn't feel unease at Johnny seeing everything anymore. Big difference when she thought back at the first chick she brought back home after she got the chip. Had to call her a cab with some bullshit excuse. Had her head between her legs already and everything. Even though Johnny was nowhere to be seen she could still feel his presence in her head. Knew he saw everything, felt everything she felt. Freaked her out. Now she had accepted it more. Would she prefer it without a peeping tom all the time? Of course, what kinda gonk question is that. But Johnny was here now and he wasn't going anywhere. Not gonna stop her from having fun anymore.

Looked good today, pleased as she viewed herself in the mirror. V opted for a top with a turtleneck, a faint bite mark still visible in her neck. Felt like a little secret for herself, made her smile each time she remembered it.

"Can't believe you fucked that clown, V."

"I've seen what you did with Alt and all those groupies Johnny, be happy I didn't fuck that cop." V stuck her tongue out after she said it.

Johnny simply acknowledged the mention of his escapades with a shit-eating grin before smoking a cig, ignoring the rest of her comment.

She practically glided through her morning, still feeling high from last night. She completely took back her previous thoughts - of having regrets about how she should've fucked him when she had klepped that bike.

How the situation had unfolded between them had been kinda painful, yeah, that was true. Was her own fault, that. It didn't matter anymore now. Last night had been everything she wanted from him, put a skip in her step as she left the apartment to go to work.

 

...

 

V sat on the hood of her Outlaw, gear spread out next to her for a good old fashioned snooping session. Found a new lead for the gig Rogue had set her up with, knocking out and nabbing a psycho corpo called Vic Vega.

The workers he had tried to squish under his thumb had made him appear on Rogue's radar. V was surprised that the gig had come from Rogue's own accord, her own funds.

They had a professional relationship at best and even that was slightly overstating it. V never would've never thought of Rogue as the type to be pushing for that Robin Hood shit, if she was honest. If there was any other motivation behind it, she hadn't seen it yet.

Would have to give her the benefit of the doubt for now. She did like this new side from Rogue if it had any truth to it. The fixer had mentioned something about wanting to "re-educate the bastard", V could only imagine what that would entail. And she had a very vivid imagination, if you wanted to know.

Her mind wandered back to yesterday, when she went out to scrounge together some extra info on her mark. The addict that had ripped her off at the 6th street party had turned out to have been a bust. At least she got in Muamar’s pants from it. Not that she was the one to talk as if she had been a smooth operator... this time. A blush crept on her cheeks when she thought back on how she had asked him to make it easy for her.

It still puzzled her how Muamar made her feel. She wasn't used to not simply going for what she wanted, being caught up and frozen by her feelings.

But she had to stop that train of thought, otherwise she would only be daydreaming all day, not getting paid. She returned to work, had scented blood which came with all sorts of fresh and fun ideas. Came with the proper trimmings this time too.

V had arrived early in the morning at the Rancho Coronado industry park, scouting the building for leads as she slurped her lukewarm coffee. As the slow trickle of office commuters entered the corporate location, it was now time for the waiting game.

She was set up on a hill with dead grass, surrounded by thrash and discarded construction materials floating by in bits and pieces. Irritated her when she had to pick flying pieces of god knows what out of her hair but it didn't matter.

She had the best seats in the house over here, would've cost a fortune if it was a football stadium. It was the perfect spot that overlooked the building - making gathering intel much easier without being seen. These sort of operations had been her bread and butter during her corpo days. V loved these kinda things, playing spy. Well, not really playing, it was actual espionage. Somehow it still felt like pretend to her sometimes.

Vega was there daily she had found out from previous digging. Sometimes popping out to, what V assumed, beat the shit out of uncooperative workers. Maybe an off-site business meeting, maybe he was stealing candy from a baby. That would suit him, what a cartoonesque piece of shit the guy seemed. Hired by his corporate betters to bash some skulls in whenever someone dared to pipe up about a pay raise.

He reminded her of old coworkers at Arasaka. Hell, he reminded her of herself back then sometimes, the way he conducted business. V wasn't exactly proud of everything she pulled in her 'Saka days, but there were still gems of techniques that were veeery useful when applied to her merc work.

Didn't matter what she thought of the guy, though. It mattered that she didn't accidentally kill him in a full office building like Rogue had stipulated.

She was perusing for any interesting details that stuck out, starting with the basics of any building scope out. Who opened the building? Who closed everything up? Where was Vega's fucking office located exactly? All very important questions that she would hopefully find out sooner than later.

She sat on the hood of her car, scanning with a techy headset she had on. It even linked to her Kiroshi's and other cyberware, too. Expensive little toy it had been - but very much worth the price. Judy had sold it to her, genius that woman was. Any points of interest she singled out were automatically uploaded to a private server and cross-examined to multiple databases. All gift wrapped at the end in an easily shareable file for Rogue - which she would send over later in the day.

V looked up when she picked up the sounds of mechanical whirring. Metal reinforced security blinds rolled open in a window on the second floor, a corner office. Saw some movement in the shadows of the dark interior. Bullseye. She grinned when she saw Vic Vega's ugly mug pop up, leaning out the window for a second before the blinds closed again. Fucking found him.

Now she had to put the first pieces of the op together. Second floor it was, right? She could make that jump with her reinforced tendons easily.

Security was minimal, a single guard was posted inside of his little office - right next to the parking lot entrance. She could see him through the open door at the back of the space, leant back in his chair watching some dumb show she didn't recognize. Probably only looked up from it when he had to raise the barrier gate for cars. Unless V went in guns blazing like an idiot, she would get easy access by jumping the fence from the left side of the building.

No cameras there either, she grinned. Took another sip of her coffee but quickly spat it out, it had grown cold and disappointing.

Only one problem left with getting inside. Hacking those secured blinds without causing a scene, she could not. Brute forcing the issue would take away the edge she wanted.

She had a hunch which kind of security system they employed. Needed a direct link from inside the maintenance room if she wanted access to the NET architecture and the subsequent control rod for the blinds. She had just the perfect daemon shard for it too, freshly acquired from Kabuki’s local back alley produce section.

V sat there a few hours, bored to tears as she tried to find her next piece of the puzzle. People wandered in and out of the building as time progressed, one in particular caught her interest.

An unassuming older man stepped outside, she had spotted him earlier as one of the first people to arrive. V saw him messing around with some tools again. He was wearing a grey jumpsuit and a baseball cap, probably a blue collar employee. Very interesting, V thought to herself as she focused in on the man.

V scanned him and took off the headset, went to work typing on her laptop. The headset already had done a bit of the base work for her. Now it was time to scour it for the juicy bits.

Carlos Fuentes, the screen showed. Sixty-two, married with two adorable kids, no known gang affiliations. Poor as dirt, records of evictions showed up in her homework. Another incoming car repo too.

A financial angle. She could work with that.

She popped a quick GPS tag through a piece of low security cyberware he had, all from a safe distance. He would never know it until she already had him where she wanted. Didn't exactly look like he had the skills to even notice it unless he somehow stopped by a well meaning ripper before she caught him. Cheap pieces like that made V's job a lot easier. Update your firmware, people. Or don't.

Typed away a bit further on her laptop, searched the NET a bit for some fun photos. No not that kind, get your mind outta the gutter. It was Wednesday today. Social media posts she had seen from the corpos who worked in the building, had shown her that most of them worked remote on Thursday, tomorrow, except Vega and a handful of others. Never had she been so interested in seeing cute family pictures as she had been now. All smiles showing that they were so, so happy that daddy or mommy was home for lunch. The building would be less populated than usual because of it. Perfect.

She packed up her gear as 5 o'clock caused the office crowd to trickle out of the building. Her target was the last one out before a nighttime security company took over.

Mr. Fuentes was easily stalked during his walk home after a long day at work. Waited for him to pass the alley she was posted in like a dark shadow, a vicious smirk on her face as she pulled him in by to collar to hurl him out of public view.

"No need to be scared. Just wanna talk." V said coolly as the man stumbled backwards onto the ground, clearly freaked out. Eyes nearly popping out of his sockets as he crawled backwards through the dusty ground and grime, but V continued approaching him anyway.

"Somebody, please, HE-" his words were cut short as she forcefully pressed her baseball bat into his chest, making sure he wouldn't try to run.

"No need for that, Carlos. Just want a moment of your time." V towered over the man as she said it. "Now, can I trust you won't pull any gonk moves?"

The man was breathing hard, clearly spooked she knew his name, but managed to stammer a shaky yes. That was all V wanted. Talking was much more pleasant when she could pull her weapon back.

Mr. Fuentes was clearly afraid of his boss, she soon figured out. The abuse Vic Vega subjected to the workers Rogue was sticking up for was apparently not limited to them alone. The entire building was deathly afraid of him and his goons as they roamed the hallways.

A bribe of a 1000 eddies later he was convinced to insert the provided daemon shard into the building's access point at 10 am sharp tomorrow. The promise that Vega wouldn't be around the building anymore after she was done, didn't hurt her cause of convincing him either. That, and the fact that the man was shitting his pants because of her.

"Good man." She said as she pulled him back up with half-smile, she wasn't a complete monster. He shot her a weird look as she did so, a bit confused at the sudden change in her demeanor. "Remember, at 10." She warned, wagging a finger.

He quickly ran away, leaving V behind in the alley with a satisfied smile on her face. She had to trust that she had scared and paid him enough to not fuck her over.

Strutted back to the Outlaw with the bat leaned over her shoulder. As soon as V sat down, she called Rogue up on the holo with some reluctance. Always dreaded that part.

"You got the file yet?" V asked when she picked up. Hellos and goodbyes were never really the style they carried between them.

"I did. What am I supposed to do with a blue collar nobody, V?"

V suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. The iron queen of the Afterlife was never quickly impressed. Especially not by V.

"The blue collar nobody, Mr. Fuentes, and I had a quick chat about our friend Vic Vega. He will be facilitating the process of me gaining access to the building. Tomorrow morning at 10. Call you after."

Rogue's expression never changed, possibly a good sign.

"Alright. Now remember, need him alive V."

The word alive had dripped with intent, made anger burst inside V like lava. She'd never live failing Konpeki Plaza down. Always got little warnings like that, no matter how much work she did.

"Crystal." V replied with a pleasant smile that never quite reached her eyes.

Rogue hung up, just like that.

"You're ex-input is a real bitch sometimes Johnny." V grumbled at the construct in her passenger seat.

"Seems you two have that in common."

The only thing V and Rogue had in common was the Rockerboy sitting next to her, as far as she was concerned. She shot him a dirty look before she sped off to the Afterlife, her last stop of the day before heading home.

As she drove, V itemized the information she had gathered and what she still needed to work out. Santo Domingo plains slowly changed back into densely populated city sprawls as she sped a bit, enjoying how well the day had been going so far.

She currently had a plan for getting inside without raising alarm. Would choke Vega out as soon as she got her arms around his neck. She was good at that. The only problem that remained was getting the unconscious gonk out of the window without having to drag him across the office floors. V's strength had never laid in stealth, strong prep work and brute force built upon that foundation was where her work really shone.

V had debated to just let him drop out of the window to the ground but could already imagine him snapping his neck if she did that. Shit.

She needed a strong merc for hire who could catch him, someone who preferably could slip in and out of the situation without being spotted. She knew just the guy for the gig. Well, she knew a guy.

 

...

 

"Heya, V." Claire greeted from behind the bar, polishing a glass as she watched her enter.

"Hey, what's good?" Grinned V as she tapped her nails on the bar. "Could I get two of those shots I like, Claire? Thanks."

V had a love hate relationship with the Afterlife.

On one hand, it was major bragging rights to be considered an Afterlife merc. The Afterlife was the ultimate hub for all illegal operations that needed a capable helping hand or six, without the interference of the local boys in blue. Plus, Claire was nice and made a mean drink, even had a race planned together in the near future.

On the other hand? Nobody in here but a select few wanted to touch V with a ten foot pole. Meaning professionally.

V being the sole survivor of the Konpeki heist had been very bad PR for her then, just starting rep. Sure, as her street cred had increased with new gigs after, so had the dirty looks faded. Didn't mean they trusted her or that she was the poster girl for a job well done. Brick by strenuous brick she was working on getting there. The fact that Rogue had trusted her with a gig of this size also meant a big boost for V's reputation, exactly what she wanted and needed.

Getting back to that gig... V looked around after she thanked Claire for the shots, scanned if her next victim was around at his usual spot. She quickly found him sitting by himself per usual.

"Tiny Mike! Baby, how've you been!" V cheerfully exclaimed as she walked over.

V put the shots down in front of them as she sat at Tiny's usual table, grin on her face as she looked at him.

Tiny Mike was probably the closest thing she had to a colleague as a merc. They moved in the same circles and had helped each other out more than once with gigs. For a price, of course.

Besides... if she was honest, he was probably the only one gonk enough to work with her. Rumors about the idiots who had zeroed Saburo Arasaka ran like wildfire. Two inexperienced mercs get hired to klep something and they somehow ended up flatlining one of the biggest business moguls in history? Yeah, not really the desired option after that, for high stakes and low stakes ops. No matter the truth, that the man hadn't died at their hands. She was lucky Tiny Mike had seen what she could do, otherwise? He probably would've thought exactly the same.

Also helped he was easy on the eyes too. Real pretty boy with that blonde hair and those high cheekbones of his. They hooked up, once or twice. They were both very pragmatic people in that regard.

"Whad'ya need from me, V?" Mike squinted suspiciously at her.

Straight to business, she liked it.

She dragged the shot across the table to him. "Well.. since you asked. How would you like to make the easiest 5k you've ever made in your life?" Eyed him sweetly as she propositioned him, hoping he would take the bait. The gig wasn't exactly worth 5k but she needed to entice the man, probably thought it was a bit beneath him.

"Alright..." He said before he took the shot. "I'll bite. What's the sitch?"

Hook, line and sinker, V thought. Now for the less desirable details of the gig.

"First.." She began with a sly smile. "How strong are you?"

"V, you wound me. Strong enough." A smirk on his pretty face as he leaned back in his chair.

That bicep didn't lie. The expensive black Cyberarm he got after she saved his ass from Militech looked pretty solid too. But it helped to challenge his machismo if V wanted to convince him.

"O'course, o'course.. sorry for even saying anything." She nodded thoughtfully. "But I do need you to catch an unconscious guy from a second story window. Tomorrow morning."

Tiny Mike looked at her like she was asking him to herd sheep.

"Why not just throw the gonk out of the window? Much easier than breaking my back, V."

V sighed. "Need him alive, Tiny. No can do on the potential broken spine or cracked skull. Rogue wants to do that herself."

He thought about it for a second, made V real nervous that she was going to have to hustle for someone she didn't trust to show up. Or find someone who would show interest in taking the gig at all. Wasn't happening, that.

"Make it 6k and add that bottle of Yuzushu I like. Then we have a deal." He finally said, shaking his head as if he didn't believe he agreed to do it himself.

V grinned at his answer before downing the shot of her own, slamming it on the table after.

"Preem. My hero. I'll flip you the detes straight away. Thanks, Tiny." She winked at him before she got up. Asked Claire to send a bottle over before she settled her tab and left.

V stepped outside to smoke a cig, savoring those first few puffs. Happy that she now finally had everything covered for tomorrow.

The weight of an unconscious man would not be light, especially falling from a window. But she trusted Tiny Mike would be up for the task if he said he was. Not the smoothest way to wrap the gig up but it would have to do. After catching Vega, Tiny Mike would hand him over to V again so she could transport him to the car Rogue would have waiting outside.

Easy come, easy go, if everything worked according to plan.

The bribe for Carlos and Tiny Mike's fee were eating into her profits but she still would have a little less than 15k left from what Rogue was going to pay.

Not bad for a few days of work.

V looked down with slight confusion from her happy thoughts when her stomach started to rumble, with everything going on she had completely forgotten to eat today. Thankfully a remedy was close by.

She stopped by the slurp shop in front of her old megabuilding place for old time's sake, before finally heading home with the taste of synth-sirloin in her mouth. Not quite like Mama's cooking, but the memory of Jackie was sweet enough to make up for it.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 8: Windows

Summary:

V makes sure a corpo piece of shit gets what he has coming for him. A date with Muamar takes an unexpected turn.

Notes:

Warning for another lemon. Won't spoil the rest, enjoy, all you lovely people <3

 

 

 

Ten sharp, V got the notification that the daemon shard had connected to the NET architecture and the subsequent subnet. Smiled to herself when she saw that Carlos had been true to his word. Thank god. She would've looked a fool if she had to send Tiny Mike home now.

She nodded towards Tiny who was standing across the street from her, signaling him to look alive and follow. Opened the comms between them as she headed towards the races with him in tow.

Her fingers twitched in anticipation as she eyed the metal fence, jumped it in one smooth movement, careful, so that the security guard out front wouldn't be alerted. She would have to work fast to make this not turn tits up.

Even her breath was subdued as V slipped onto the premises, headed towards the corner of the building. Jitters of anticipation were starting in her belly and throat as she scanned and opened the blinds using the newly accessible control node.

Quickly now, she thought as she made the jump towards the window. V grasped the ledge of the windowsill, pulling herself upwards. Planted the spiked soles of her combat boots for extra support against the brick wall, sneaking a peek at the interior as she hung there before entering, arms strained underneath the weight.

Vega was eating his breakfast at his desk, back turned towards V's prowling spot. Somehow he hadn't thought the raising of the blinds had been suspicious. Probably too busy stuffing his face.

Fucking A, V thought to herself. Perfect.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she pulled herself up through the window, making sure the spikes of her boots didn't get caught anywhere. She had to be sneaky, even if Vega hadn't spotted her yet.

No early cheering until he was passed out in whatever transport Rogue would send.

She lowered herself onto the carpeted floors, silent as the dead, head raised as she took the rest of her surroundings in for a second. The walls that connected his office with the rest of the floor were made of clear glass, it would've been absolutely over for her if it had been a full house today. Instead it was empty, for now.

Returned her gaze to Vega, chewing and smacking as he scarfed down his food, the only sounds in the room. V's eyes burned with violent intent as she closed in on him, arms at the ready to choke him out as she stalked towards him.

Surprise flooded her with bitter cold when she felt Vega's fist connect to her jawline, spit flying from her mouth as he punched her. Fuck, so focused on the process towards her target she couldn't evade the attack on time. Big bastard was fast, she had to give him that.

Her reflection, she thought for a split second as her ears started to ring from the impact of his fist. The bright morning light that now streamed through the window she had used to enter, had made her appear as a dark figure when she stood up to grab him - clear as day in the glass.

Fuck fuck fuck.

V ducked down before he knocked her lights out with a second hook, gritting her teeth as she looked for an opening in his defenses from the ground. Her left cheek was screaming where he had made contact earlier, but she focused to ignore it the best she could.

Alive, had been Rogue's stipulation. Said nothing about crippling the guy. A sinister grin pulled at the edge of her lips from the thought.

V braced herself as pulled her fist back to release it into strength, breaking the guy's knee towards a direction it wasn't supposed to go, a sickening crunch followed by Vega's guttural scream.

As soon as she hit him he started falling down. Couldn't catch his balance as he desperately clutched onto the desk, the leftovers of his breakfast spilled on the floor.

Not good.

The few people that were in the building today weren't deaf. She had seconds to spare if she wanted to be successful.

"What's going on, V?" Tiny Mike hissed over the comms, a slight echo as it overlapped with his voice coming from outside.

V crawled over the carpet to Vega - who was clutching his mangled leg in shock at the brutal blow she had landed. Pitiful, howling sounds were quickly exchanged for strained gasps when she choked him out from behind. Nearly took all of her arm length to do it to, big blockhead had a neck with the circumference of a damn dinner plate.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up." She grunted in his ear before he finally slumped over in her murderous embrace, a few final strained coughs leaving his throat before they died down to silence. Not to worry, he was still breathing. For now.

"Mike, fucking catch."

Her voice was strained as she crudely lifted the oaf towards the window. V held him in the opening for a millisec, eyeing Tiny Mike who was standing ready to brace for the impact. As deliberate as she could she dropped him, her heart beating out of her chest as she hoped her plan would work.

Mike almost stumbled as the body hit him, made V choke on her own breath for a second but he managed to keep his torso from hitting the concrete floor. The legs were a different story - enduring further abuse when they hit the parking lot like a ragdoll.

It took everything in V to not to start cheering at Tiny from above, premature joy making her grin like a fool.

The alarm had started to scream through the building as V jumped out of the window, landing safely on the ground with a grunt. Her ocular HUD notified her of a text message.

 

>>> Rogue Amendiares

 

Transportation incoming, V.

 

 

V looked up as she heard the noise of a loud engine approaching. A beat up van burst onto the scene, knocking the only security guard who had finally woken up onto the ground as the vehicle slammed through the closed gate.

"Fucking go, V!" Tiny Mike yelled when he logged Vega over her shoulder, tapping it for luck before he jumped over the fence to make himself scarce. The comms closed with a click.

V looked around wildly as she scanned for other security coming out of the woodwork, iron in one hand, strained underneath the weight where she held Vega on her shoulder. She felt respect as she thought how Tiny Mike had been able to spot him for impact - Vega was a heavy son of a bitch, even with her implants.

The back of the van sprung open and she couldn't get the weight off of her soon enough, unceremoniously discarding him with a loud THUD before she slammed it shut.

She only seemed to breathe again when the van finally sped off, V herself following through the opening it had made.

Heart beating out of her chest as she sprinted towards where she had parked, pure adrenaline stoking her fire. Her legs moving like the wind across streets and patches of dead grass.

She ran past abandoned cars and construction materials scattered around, barbed wire carelessly scratching her arm until ruby pearls appeared as she jumped a waist high fence. A few homeless people screamed at her as she zipped through their camp, but she didn't even hear it, pure focus on her destination.

V yelped as she nearly stumbled over the edge near where she had hidden her car, finding her stride again after she almost broke her neck descending the small slope she had parked it next to.

The sound of the Outlaw unlocking was followed by her jumping in and pushing the gas as hard as she could. The wheels screeched as it sprung to life before speeding off, leaving dark squiggly skid marks behind her. V was laughing like a lunatic, sweat pearling her skin from her efforts, almost not believing that she had gotten away with it.

 

Incoming call: Rogue Amendiares

 

"Vega's taking a nap in the trunk, no civs dead. Yeah, knew you were the right merc for the job."

Was that... actual approval in her eyes? Hell had frozen over. She tried to reign in the suspicion that threatened show on her face.

"Very soon Vega will learn his actions bear consequences. I'll teach him that, personally. Pro Bono."

Rogue seemed very pleased as she said it. Probably already had a few cute dance moves thought out for Vega. Almost made V want to be there herself to see it.

"Good." V replied coolly. Maybe she started to like Rogue after all.

"Nice work V. All of Night City thanks you. Gig closed and sealed."

 

Rogue hung up the holocall and V was immediately notified of the cold hard eddies heading into her bank account.

V smiled with satisfaction, thinking of Rogue's words and what she would treat herself to with her earnings after paying Tiny Mike. She was a bit of a sucker for praise, even if it was from Rogue.

The only one's she really wanted to hear it from however, she was seeing tonight. V grinned to herself as she thought of the outfit she would wear. Something black and tightfitting, heels. Those dangly gold earrings she seemed to have dozens of pairs of.

But before that she had one little thing left to do. V texted Tiny Mike as she flicked him the promised amount.

 

<<< V

 

Thanks for having my back , Tiny :)

Lemme know if the transfer hit you alright.

 

>>> Tiny Mike

 

Got it.

Care to crack open that bottle of Yuzushu with me? My place.

 

V pursed her lips at the invitation. She would have been all over that, before. That big mouth of his that never seemed to shut up contained a trained tongue that she had enjoyed a few times in the past.

She'd normally would've been inclined to drive over right away. But she had a date with Muamar tonight. Wait, date? Never mind the actual classification of that for now. Kinda made V nervous. It surprised her that she was looking forward to it so much.

Surprised her even more how she didn't give a shit about fucking Mike right now.

Not an inch of regret as she texted Mike back.

 

<<< V

 

Sorry can't, got shit to do.

Enjoy, you deserve it xoxo

 

>>> Tiny Mike

 

Fine, fine.

See you around V ;)

 

V continued to drive as she tried to make sense of what just had happened. Why didn't she want to fuck Mike anymore all of the sudden? Never had that problem before.

Muamar was a bad influence on her, she grumbled to herself as she neared her building

It was a secret that she actually liked the new development. V bit her lip as she thought of the other night, of seeing him again in a few hours. She was absolutely giddy in her anticipation.

She hadn't felt like that since her teens, when she had a giant crush on a boy in her high school. Brady, a big jock that only seemed to sneak glances when he thought no one was looking. V had done the same of course. She lived for those moments, so dramatic it felt, like star-crossed lovers in those books she was forced to read in her English class.

Only had kissed him once. He tasted like puke and went home with his actual prom date after, a girl with glossy black hair she was very jealous of at the time.

She lost her virginity that same night when she joined a prom after party with her fellow classmates. It was all very cliché. Some guy she didn't know clumsily fucked her in the stairwell of a dingy hotel. The magic of firsts that she had seen in movies, read about voraciously in romances, had been dulled of its shine by reality.

A big fat disappointment that was. She had cried in her bedroom for days, full hormonal meltdown that her parents didn't want to deal with.

After that? She didn't have the time for crushes or whatever would occupy her time for longer than a few hours. Short health related stint in a clinic had halted her progress enough. She had to study even harder when she arrived at university afterwards.

Long nights spent in libraries were only interrupted by the rare moments she took to experiment with drugs and sex at ragers thrown on campus and outside the premises.

Men, women, she was a motivated student, a quick study. Found sex less disappointing, when she found the right people every now and then. Meaning, people who knew what to do with their tongue and hands. Unlike the stairwell guy who had asked her the golden question after half a minute: did you cum too?

That's how she continued to live. Only thing that changed was when she added sex as a form of manipulation for Arasaka work in her arsenal of methods.

That last part, she didn't look back on fondly. It was something she did because it was expected of her. How else would she progress the corporate ladder if she didn't grab the lead by the, sometimes literal, balls if it presented itself?

Not like her parents had shown her any better. Their marriage, like V, had been born out of duty and expectations. Partners and children were for executive functions, like a blip on a résumé to show off.

Any extramarital escapades that were performed off the books were ignored even if apparent. Even if a small Valerie asked why that strange man had walked out of her parents bedroom.

Charter Hill corpos throughout, any trace resembling a relationship with them had vanished as soon as she hadn't met those expectations anymore. A lowlife merc now, no longer a rising Arasaka star. Didn't fit the party chatter they wanted to have about their daughter.

It stung still, somehow. As much as she wanted to leave that part behind, the memories still had pointed teeth stuck in her psyche.

Not unlike with Muamar now, there was a disconnect in her with what she thought she should feel and what she actually felt deep inside.

Why did she feel so sad for people that had never really wanted her?

Why did she feel like she suddenly only had eyes for Muamar when casual sex had always sufficed before?

She felt a bit stunted. Didn't know what to do with those feelings.

All she knew was that he made her happy whenever she saw him. Made her curious when she was aloof about people, mostly.

The dumb jokes, the sharp mind. The way he cared about his community, yet also was a power -and money- hungry shark at the same time. All those layers of multitudes called to her, to uncover everything else she could find. She wanted to push all those buttons until answers fell out, until she understood him for what he really was. See him revealed behind the curtain that he used to build his image.

He saw her efforts and sung her praises like no one had celebrated them before. The way he had succumbed to the pleasure she gave him yesterday, how she had done the same with him.

She wasn't used to soft touches after, her name said with affection.

Fuck, she thought. She really was in for it now.

Like she had mentioned before, she didn't know how to navigate this. But she was willing to try.

So she showered, put in extra effort for her make up and her fit, and went off to war. Whatever that war would end up in.

 

....

 

Muamar got out of his car, sauntered over towards the entrance of his favorite bar.

The spot he had chosen was his usual haunt, right on the small border of Heywood and Arroyo. It was quiet this Thursday night. Few tables and booths were filled, some people dancing on the open space in the middle of it, but nothing like the Saturday nights he spent here mostly.

The neon lights of expensive liquor signs reflected in the wet pools on the bar when he had walked past. A nervous waiter dressed in a penguin uniform guided him to his table, Muamar asking for a bottle of the good stuff tonight, not the usual brand he ordered.

Muamar liked this bar for two reasons: the first was that no one bothered him, even if they knew who he was. No smalltime 6th street gangoons or street rats that tried to offload a klepped ride he didn't want or need.

The second reason was that they always had his favorite brand of bourbon in stock with those crystal glasses he liked to drink out of. If they saw his Mizutani pull up, everything would be set up in the usual booth before he even had stepped a foot inside. Disgruntled patrons that had been kicked out of his spot already out of eyesight. They were classy like that in here, ya know.

The third reason. Did he even mention there was gonna be a third reason at first? No matter, the third had just walked in, the tall merc was easy to spot as she glided unto the premises.

He had been plucking at his hair and fit for longer than usual before leaving. He would never admit it but he was a vain man. Not that people would clock him as such, mistaking his style for being uncaring towards how he looked. Most people didn't know shit, anyways.

After years of wearing suits in the stiff corporate hallways, he had promised himself that nobody would dictate his fit but him. They could laugh all they want when they thought he couldn't hear, he had eyes and ears everywhere in his domain. Didn't matter anyways if they did. He was the one who later would smile at them from his limo as a gangoon bashed their kneecaps in. He was balanced like that.

He watched her enter from his booth, eyes quickly burning into his as soon as she had found him.

People knew who she was, the few that were inside of this joint parted like schools of fishes when a predator swam through. All over Night City, her reputation preceded her. The afterlife merc who had been speed running a reputation on all fronts. He liked his women a little scary and she ticked off that box in a big way.

Muamar had never seen her in heels before, a sly grin creeping up his face as he took her in. She looked like she was a bit taller than him now he noticed as she approached the booth, normally he was at the exact same eye height as her

Jesus fuck she looked good. Made his breath halt for a split-second. A near vanta black dress hugged her sculpted body, gold metallic lines from her cyberware across her arms. New dangly earrings that he could faintly hear clinking as she got closer.

He had thought about her all damn day during work. His heart wasn't in it when he negotiated gigs with a new demanding client, had scrubbed cars clean from previous owners registrations with one foot already out of the door in his mind.

Thoughts of their previous activities had loomed over everything he had been doing since he left her. Now she was here, in front of him.

"Holy shit, your majesty. Fine fucking threads." He grinned as he got up from his booth to meet her.

Oh, she was checking him out too, he noticed smugly. He probably wasn't the only one who had been thinking of, uh... things, all day. She hadn't texted him until he flicked her the time and place, a sneak peak of her dress sent as the only reply. Can you blame a gonk for not having his head in the game after that?

Greedily he pulled her into him, the smell of her spicy perfume filling his nose as she snaked her arms around his neck to kiss him. So soft and warm as he felt her lips on him. Even more preem than he remembered, he thought with a grin.

"Hey Muamar." She finally said as he broke away to look him in the optics. He liked his name on her tongue like that. Made him regret not inviting her to his place straight away instead of this bar.

"Hey yourself. Come on, sit down." He said as he guided her to the couch, hand giving a quick squeeze on her waist.

He handed her a glass of bourbon he had taken the liberty of ordering a bottle of. She took it with a sly smile, sitting snugly against him as she took her first sip of the night. Arm around her shoulders as she savored that first sip. Her tongue licked a final drop from her bottom lip that looked delicious.

"Good choice." She complimented him with a smile, hand slowly creeping on his inner thigh. They wouldn't be in this bar for long if she kept this up, Muamar trying to suppress the heat surfacing from her touch.

"Only the best when you're with me, V, told you that before." He said as he cocked his head to the side to take a better look at her up close.

She always looked good but tonight she hadn't held back any punches. Those long dark lashes that shone as the light hit them when her eyes closed for a second. A dark lipstick his colorblind ass couldn't quite identify the hue of, framed the shape of her pretty mouth. Wondered what it would look like wrapped around him. The mouth broke into a smirk when she caught him staring.

"Care to share your thoughts with class, Capitan?" A mischievous glint in her eyes as she regarded him, almost seeming like a challenge. An extra squeeze on his inner thigh. Made his brain short-circ for a moment when she did things like that.

Well fuck. He tried to be a gentleman but that was it. That last sentence was a complete lie but you know what he meant.

They barely had finished a single glass of the bourbon before he zipped home with her in his Mizutani.

Next to being a vain man, he was actually very impatient. For work he made exceptions, can't go all gung ho with biz, not if you wanted to stay at the top.

Now, though? On his own time? Impatience took him over with the merc that sat next to him. Couldn't get that hand on his thigh outta his head.

Tough cookie that one. But a soft center if you bit hard enough. Almost broke his teeth on her sometimes.

Thought back on last time he saw her before she ran off. The events that caused her to sit here in his car with him.

When she hadn't replied for a while, he didn't know how to get her back. Not like he could exactly stalk her at her apartment. He wasn't built like that, chasing people who didn't want to be chased. It frustrated him though, like nothing had ever done before.

Muamar tried to entice her once or twice with a gig but she blew him off. Some bullshit about being swamped. He knew it was bullshit because the change in her behavior had started after the gig.

Heard about the other gigs she had been flying through all around town. Made his body perk up when he heard her name in passing from some chooms that ran in the same circles as him. They turned out to be real when he asked. Even if V was quiet he would still hear about her, somehow.

Chooms asking why he was in such a foul mood all of the sudden, chain-smoking as he lied through his teeth about the reason. Didn't want to admit that a merc got him so off balance.

Made him a bit jealous that other people were hearing from her before him. Real fucking jealous actually. He might be kinda pissed at her for running away like that but that didn't mean she wasn't on his mind all the time.

Intrigued him a bit actually, that she ran.

She had kissed him first, he had been true about his word with that - wanting her to make the first move. Surprised him when she did. Weirdly sweet how she held his hand before that when he was sad and shit. But he couldn't continue even though he wanted to. Maybe a bit desperate in how much he wanted to keep going. That moment embedded her into him in some strange way.

The day he finally saw her again, after a whole fucking month, had started as any day before.

Got back into his own hood after being bored to tears by a client that kept bitching about stuff that didn't matter.

Was a couple streets away from his house when he was stopped in his tracks by a local 6er gangoon muttering about some "fucking bitch ass afterlife merc" who was "trying to buy his people on his own fucking turf" on the holo.

Pure serendipity. Bone tired he had been, until he perked up at the 6er's words. Felt the fatigue flying off his shoulders as if he had taken synth-coke.

Some more muttering followed about a house party he had heard of. Knew the place. Was only a few streets away, wasn't even worth it to drive his Mizutani there.

His turf, hilarious, Muamar thought as he eavesdropped. Gonk looked greener than grass but was already flaunting gang assets that weren't his to yap about. Muamar quickly put two and two together concerning the identity of the merc he was talking about. Only knew one afterlife merc brazen enough to do that sorta thing around here. It was the one who had been running away from him.

Cornered the 6th streeter against some dumpster real quick. Easy grin on Muamar’s face as he asked where choombatta was skipping off to, iron kissed upon the guys chest.

Gangoon knew of him even though he was just some beginner nobody. They all knew of him - got him real scared real quick. Muamar loved the stammer in the guys throat as he tried to explain he just wanted to scare her with his chooms.

"Oh, for real?" Muamar had smiled at him. All sweet-like. The guy started blubbering on as he promised him everything he could think of, probably would sell his own momma in the moment. Only made him press the gun into his chest harder, some fucked up glee taking him over as he heard they were probably going to tear her to pieces. Not that they would've been successful. He'd seen the messes V had left behind whenever she was on a mission. This guy would be no different.

Muamar had no respect for that kinda type. Losers. Quickly turned his gun up from his chest, a final "wait" left the guys mouth before Muamar blew his brains out through his chin. Stared into his eyes as the light went outta them, only releasing the lock trained on him as he slid down with his back against the dumpster, hugged by his own brain matter from the back.

No blood on his fit, he had checked. Wiped the few spatters on his iron on the guys clothes - after he ripped the dog tags off of him. Nobody would miss him, not his momma, not even his own crew. The rest of the crew that was probably on their way to find V right now. Gritted his teeth as he realized he had to be fast before they got to her.

Sprinted to the house party with his heart in his throat, sweat on his brow as he reached the place. Never ran for nobody yet here he was, his breath sounding along the empty streets in the night as he closed in on his destination.

Muamar knew she could handle herself but he knew these people better. Besides, if he was honest to himself, he wanted to see her. Hear her excuses why she had ignored him after she kissed him. Wanted to kiss her some more after he heard her out.

He walked up to the living room of the slum house where he found her. Took his breath away when he finally saw her, sharp eyes looking at the crowd as she was at work, in her element. She hadn't seen him yet. Too busy looking for a person that didn't look like Muamar.

He scanned around himself for any other goons that looked like they were on a mission. The crowd was thick, full of lead heads off of their rocker. Found them quick, careless they were in their efforts. Probably lazy because they were in their own domain.

Pushed the bloody dog tags he had ripped off the dead guy onto the chest of the ringleader. They understood the sitch real quick as they exchanged glances amongst each other, leaving Muamar with a heightened heartrate before he found relief in preventing the shoot out.

Slid back into the shadows as he just watched her for a bit, never got the chance to look at her in silence like this before.

A frown on that pretty face. Cropped jacket and some cargo pants that hung low on her hips, that gaudy piece of gold iron she always carried in a bedazzled holster. Watched her drink some beers before she went to sulk in the hallway.

A few moments later he approached her as if he had only just found her there, by chance. Not because he had grasped at straws to see her again.

He wouldn't exactly call the murderous woman next to him cute, but he couldn't call her anything else during that convo in the 6th street house. Couldn't do anything but oblige when she asked him to make it easy for her. And hey, it wasn't like he hadn't wanted the same thing, right? Right.

Whatever her majesty wanted, he would provide. As long as she blushed, moaned his name in his ears. Didn't ice him out anymore. He couldn't keep his head straight when she did that. Kept klepping rides and beating gonks heads in for him on the side. Sometimes, it was simple like that.

Now she was in the car with him. A dark look in her eyes before they fluttered shut as he slipped a hand underneath her dress as he drove. Pushed her panties to the side with his fingers until he found what he was looking for.

He smiled to himself when he felt that she was already wet. Yeah, he definitely hadn't been the only one with his head in the clouds today.

Soft moans got him heated as he drew lazy circles on her clit, trying not to crash the car as he hurried home. A hand snaked in his hair as she looked at him, lips containing a wet sheen and slightly parted in anticipation, fire in her eyes.

Beautiful, when she looked at him like that.

Especially when she looked at him like that.

He pulled away from between her legs as he reached the driveway of his house in Rancho Coronado. A hand caught his wrist. Did she just fucking suck herself off of his fingers? His was almost ready to burst out of his jeans when she looked at him as she did that, fucking him with her eyes. Almost better than eddies, that.

"Out." He said darkly.

Almost kicked his own door in, groaned against her mouth when she quickly found her way inside his pants. Made him stumble for a sec when she did, devilish grin on her face as she noticed. The way she touched him just did it for him, somehow.

Fucking perfect, she was.

Practically carrying her upstairs to his bed as he made out with her, felt her up some more. Couldn’t get enough of the feeling of her lips on his. No time for a house tour when he had a dress to tear off. He wouldn't. She would probably bash his head in, black little number looked more expensive than those stupid graphic tees she sometimes wore.

He threw her on his bed, that laugh he loved escaping her as she bounced on the mattress from the impact. Muamar smiled sweetly when he stopped her as she tried to remove her heels. Those were staying the fuck on.

Stripped down to his boxers as he kneeled in front of her with a grin, reminded him of Catholic church somehow. A holy place between her legs.

She giggled as he grabbed her by the hips and dragged her to the edge of the bed. V helped him remove her panties, lifting herself as he wriggled them off with a wolfish smile, her dress now hiked up past her bra. Black lace he noticed, went well with her dress. But that wasn't important right now.

A meticulously manicured lawn awaited him, couldn't help but trace it with his fingers. He kissed the inside of her thigh, grazed the sensitive skin with his teeth which earned him a soft gasp. Nothing got him going more than the reactions he got outta her.

He looked up at her before he plunged in, her eyes hazy and lustful as she looked down at him, a hand stroking his hair, confirming she was still very much into what was doing.

Fuck she tasted good. He liked to think that if hadn't if you tasted a woman, you haven't had her properly. He loved doing it whenever the opportunity had arisen, but with V he could do it all damn day. That tangy sweetness covering his tongue as he explored.

She didn't speak anymore, communicating with fervent touches and gripping the sheets. Couldn’t help but smile as he felt the grip increase on his hair. Only sound that came out of her being her moans, as the soft massaging of her clit with his tongue turned to increased pressure and sucking her swollen bud, lapping up her wetness every now and then.

"Best pussy I've ever tasted." He breathed against her sex, teased her with his fingers for a moment. "You're so fucking hot like that, moaning because of what I do to you."

"Don't stop." She simply whimpered at the lack of his tongue, impatient as her legs hooked over his shoulders. He gladly went back in, continuing the suction in tandem with a softly swirling tongue around her clit.

She looked almost embarrassed as her moans increased, her legs starting to shake around his neck. The hand in his hair almost pulling on it but he didn't care.

"Fuck Muamar, I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna-" her breath ragged as her legs locked around him, shaking rapidly, her chest falling and rising faster and faster until she finally let herself go. Music to his ears. His name on her tongue as she released what he had teased out of her.

He was relentless as he continued to stimulate her clit, eyes laser focused on her enticing expressions as his hands gripped her hips to make her stay in place. She wasn't going anywhere right now. He made sure of it.

She almost looked as if she would cry as she spasmed at the overstimulation he caused her, jerking her hips against his face in desperation. White marks on her hips and thighs as his grip held her in place.

A near religious experience as she came on his face.

He slowly stopped as her cries died down. Kissed her mons pubis before he wiped his face, turning to face her with a smug grin from his work. Something made him stop in his tracks as he saw her.

Wait - was she actually crying?

V scrambled to sit up, tried to quickly wipe the tears from her face, probably hoping he wouldn't see. She wasn't full on bawling but he wasn't a fucking gonk, he had eyes.

Did he do something wrong? He thought for a second as he froze, a confused frown on his face, thinking of what to do as the silent tears kept coming. Her face was red as she pulled her legs under her chin, hiding from him there as she tried to wipe the tears to no avail.

Not a fucking chance. He got up to sit next to her on the bed, to reach her, get her to look at him.

"V." His voice was soft as he called her name, tried to carefully remove the hands she was hiding behind.

Wide eyed, she pulled a hand back from him, covering her mouth, apparently perplexed by the situation herself. The tears had slowly come to a halt by now.

"You okay?"

He didn't know what else to fucking say. Never had a chick fucking cry in his bed before. He was scared he had missed something, did something wrong. Had he? Didn't fucking know, he was racking his brain to figure it out.

"I'm sorry." Her voice broke. "I- I don't know what happened, never had that- I think I'm gonna go."

She started to pull her dress down with shaking hands and grabbed the panties from his bed, never looked at him as she did so.

Made him angry that she did that. Like she thought he wanted her gone. Infuriated him.

He grabbed her by the shoulder as gentle as he could in that moment, stopping her from getting up. Didn't want her to run again, obsessively looking for signs of life as she ignored him. Couldn't do it.

"Hey. Hey." He said as he touched her. "Don't fucking go. Don't fucking leave."

She could punch him if she really wanted to go, thankfully she didn't. Instead she looked away to the ground, her brow furrowed, eyes still wet. Broke his fucking heart to see her like that. Wasn't used to it.

"What just happened, Reina?" He tried to coax out of her, pulled her into his arms as he tried to have the patience she needed. "Did I do something you didn't want?" He asked.

"No, no, not that." She finally answered, tipping her head back to blink away leftover wetness from her tears, wiping them away with the back of her hand.

Relief washed over him when she said that. Yet it didn't remove the worry that sank in his chest.

She finally looked him in the eyes again, hers were slightly bloodshot from the strain, watery irises as they met his gaze.

"I don't know what came over me." She rasped, voice raw. "Literally actually, I don't. Not sure if this is the moment Muamar, but I have had plenty of people in my bed, but never had this fucking happen before."

He nodded silently to that answer, jaw strained. Feeling like she still wasn't telling the whole story. Wasn't like he could force her to but goddammit he needed to know. Had to.

"Talk to me V. No bullshit."

She pursed her lips as she looked away, embarrassment again painting her face.

She still didn't say anything. Annoyed him a little but he understood why she was silent. Like he had said, tough cookie, broken teeth.

Alright. He wanted no bullshit? Then he would have to be the one to start. Had to be a big truth, if he wanted her to do the same.

"Dunno if you like, knew it yet." He began, as he grabbed her chin to make her look at him. "But I've kinda been falling for you lately, V. You can talk to me. Please. Don’t run away right now."

He tried to be cool about it but to be honest, he was shitting himself big time. He would be the biggest gonk in the world right now if he had it wrong. If this wasn't what the situation was about. He watched her face for anything, anything at all.

She started crying again. Goddammit.

Wasn't until her grimace broke into something reminiscent of a smile that he stopped feeling like he was falling through the ground.

Muamar had never been so fucking confused in his life as he had been right now.

"Me too." She finally croaked. "I think that’s why my eyes are so fucking leaky all of the sudden. I'm so fucking embarrassed."

Had to concentrate to frown instead of expressing the laughter he felt coming up. Push it fucking deep down to not fucking laugh right now, not at her, but at how fucking ridiculous the situation was.

She had to cum on his face for them to be honest.

He was surprised, happy when she turned to sit in his lap fully, arm and legs wrapped around him, his neck wet as she buried her face there.

That softened the tension in his body - wrapped his arms around her in response, squeezed her tight. Muttered that she was a gonk in her hair, making her laugh against his skin, laughing for the first time since she had started crying. She wasn't going to run anymore, sighed in relief at that.

It was kinda strange to have the tall woman he had seen people brutally flatline in his arms like this. She looked kinda small, fragile, like he could break her into pieces if he as much as touched her right now. If you had said a few months back that this would be how they'd sitting, he would've pissed himself laughing.

But it was real, she was here with him right now. Trusted him enough to show herself. He wasn't getting laid tonight, but he got something else in exchange. Something he had wanted from her for a long time. Ever since the winking started. Didn't matter either, they had time now, so he thought.

She went to the bathroom and came back without the makeup or the clothes. Naked, no more pretenses. She switched off the lights, glided in dark silence towards the bed.

He took her in his arms as she laid down on his chest, face in the crook of his neck as she found her calm again. Kissed the top of her head before he rested his face there, caressed her hair and arms until she was fully relaxed against him, a shaky sigh against his skin confirming it.

After a while, she sat up on his chest to look at him, something serious in her expression that he couldn't place. Only a sliver of moonlight illuminating her face as she regarded him. She cupped his face with her hands as she took him in like that for a moment, before kissing him like she had done that first time after the gig, on the couch in his garage.

He knew what she meant then, now.

Shit, almost made him emotional too. He was just glad it was dark.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

*holds a microphone as I point aggressively towards the crowd* You get aftercare! V gets aftercare! Everyone gets aftercare!

Nah, in all seriousness, I imagine a person that's dying like V has the weight of the entire world on their shoulders.

Wanted to write something that brought comfort to a character that I love like my V.

Even if it was during a 'weird' moment to be emotional like that, when not all cards have been laid out on the table yet. Hope you liked it too :)