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trendywaifus · 3 months ago

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TASTE OF THE MOON

01. LUTHER

lucy kushinada x gn! reader.

↳ “ even if we are worlds apart, we’re still together right now, staring up at the same sky and moon. “

cw: blood, character death, mentions of death, edgerunner spoilers, takes through ep 1-4, kinda tied with canon events, cursing, suggestive themes, reader is david’s sibling.

im gonna do a 1.5! will be adding it to the master list. first time writing a long ahh chapter like this i think. lmk how i did fr🙏🏽 i hope my characterization was good for the cyber punk lovers. prob still have mistakes I’ve glossed over tho but im fried off benadryl rn so

“ davi, you’re going out to do another errand? seriously? we just done a gig like yesterday! ”

“ yeah. i told you that i need the training. can’t sit around like this. “

the tan-skinned boy slips on the jacket your mother tragically left behind after she passed. now that he wears it everywhere as if it was the only article of clothing that he has, it feels like you’re force to see her everyday through him. it’s a cruel reminder of how fucked up night city is. having to see your mother struggle to take of you and david by herself without a father, working herself to the bone to ensure a stable future for you and him—only for her to get fatally injured during some random drive by and inevitably pass the next day because of capitalism nearly broke you. if david died along with her, you don’t know what you would’ve done. and, you weren’t even there with them during the tragic accident, you were home sick with a virus. gloria was originally supposed to pick up david early after getting a call from the academy because of an incident involving him using an unauthorized chip. you sat home alone for hours until david abruptly came home in the evening without your mother with his head hung low, and bandages all over.

you bombarded david with questions about gloria’s absence and his injuries. he was so dispirited that he barely wanted to talk. once you were able to get everything out of him, you instantly regretted asking. that night you didn’t sleep at all. you went out that night to walk aimlessly around and gained the habit of moon gazing. within the several days, everything was hell for you and david. one thing piled after another—collecting gloria’s ashes and her emt jacket, overdue rent, david finding a military grade-sandevistan she unknowingly left behind, he went from wanting to sell it to installing it in his body out of anger without even telling you. then, he got into a rematch with one of the sorry boys in the academy who happened to be the son of an arasaka board director. david ended up getting exiled and you haven’t been to the academy since the day you got sick. there’s no absolutely no reason to go there now that your mother was gone. you were on your last warning anyways for consecutively being in heated arguments with shitty classmates yourself. your only focus now is to make sure david is okay while living on the edge for survival.

“ alright, let me hop with you this time. “ you said, standing up from the couch, grabbing your black, leather jacket. david huffs, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“ (name), you don’t gotta come with me, you know. i can do this on my own. ‘don’t have to trouble yourself, i’ll be alright— “

“ shut up gonk, i’m comin’ with. i need ‘training ’ too, you know? “ you mocked his grumpy voice, he smacks his lips and waits for you by the door, impatiently tapping his foot. that boy is really dedicated in wanting to fit in. “ i’m followin’ you, give me the detes as we walk. “

—

cop sirens eerily echo in the distance as you and david tread cautiously along streets of vistal del rey, stepping over burned-out cigs, empty chip bags, and broken bottles. deteriorating building become more outdated as you venture deeper into the infamous district. the streets are less crowded, only a few civilians occasionally walking by; it’s nearly dead. you bet that if some gonk were to shout two streets away, it would reach your ears within seconds. crumbles of minerals fall to the ground as cars speed through the highway above. the stench of strong tobacco and other addictions nearly burns your nose. you never really been to vistal del rey or parts of heywood but you are aware of the strong grip that the valentinos has over these areas. gloria hammered down on teaching her children about the dangers of ruthless gangs. one of her lines that stuck to your brain like glue was —“there are never good endings to those who live their life on the edge, miho. ”. your mother was an emt who seen many tragic endings. being the oldest, she shared to you many stories of gang members who lost their life to gang violence. you growing up in arroyo, santo domingo, a shitty, district full of degenerates and poverty made you hyperaware of your surroundings for you and david’s sake by the age of ten.

and especially now since you’re apart of an edgerunner crew, your awareness has been razor sharp.

“ fucking pilar. did that bastard really send us here for one of his useless packages? you call this trainin’ david? you were better off with me teachin’ you how to fight good with that sandevistan of yours!” you whispered harshly, crossing your arms in frustration, digging your nails into the leather texture of your jacket. the younger boy merely grunts, surveying the area for a particular clue pilar given him about the meetup spot. “ we’re in the right area, he mentioned something about some alley and a tall, purple haired guy leaning against one of the oh—found him. .straight ahead. “ david lowly relays to you with the nudge of his elbow.

a suspicious man who looks to have shaggy, purple hair, was slouched against the wall, clad in black silicone pants, a light purple fitted t-shirt and black boots. compared to the dull, washed colors this area had, he was a anomaly. from the sound of your footsteps, he turns his head towards the direction of the source. his grey eyes coat into a sheen light blue as he scans the two of you from head to toe suspiciously. once you approached the guy and stopped a few meters away from him, he spoke with a thick, hispanic accent, “ the striped jacket boy. .david, yeah? “

“ yeah, that’s me. “

he turns his head to you, brow raised as he openly admires you with interest.

he casts you a flirtatious smile and your nose crunch up with disgust. “ thought that gonk said you’d be by yourself, choom. butt, i’m fine with this. the name’s rayez, who might you be cariño? “

before you can open your mouth, david surprises you by taking a step forward, seemingly positioning himself protectively in front of you. “ that’s my sib, we’re just here to pick up a package for pilar and go on our way. “ david explains firmly, throwing the man a pointed stare. the taller, fair-skinned man tilts his head to the side, bearing an intimidating expression on his face as he sizes the shorter boy up with his statue. they stay silent for a few, prolonged moments as they glare into each other’s eyes, not one moving a muscle.

rayez willingly surrenders, throwing his hands up with a friendly smile that’s clearly condescending. “ you got it. i don’t want no beef, kiddo. you just have a fine-lookin’ sibling, that’s all. “ he gestures his head towards the alley, “ behind me into the alleyway, i got the package in the trunk. “

david tries to follow the dealer but you abruptly stop him in his tracks by the sleeve. you noticed his arm slightly shaking—was david scared? “ wait davi. i don’t trust that, how about you bring the package to us? this area is dead as hell right now, there’s not a soul in sight.”

rayez narrows his eyes at you, a glint of annoyance swimming in them. you glared at him right back and once again, he relents, throwing you a relaxed grin. “ si, si, i understanddd. you lookin’ at me like that really gettin’ me nervous, cariño. i’ll go get it~ “ then he walks into the alleyway, disappearing behind the wall. you send each other nervous looks, silently agreeing that if rayez tries something you’ll be on alert to react. after a minute or two, there wasn’t any sounds of his supposed car turning on or his trunk opening and closing. the shaggy-haired man simply came back out with a brown package in his hands.

“ here ya go. “

like that, he plops it into david’s hands. your brother thanks him and just as you were about to leave, rayez inquires suddenly,

“ before you birds dip, what’s y’all’s last names? “

“ uh. . martinez? what’s it to you? “ david answers ‘nonchalantly’, but you can still hear the uncertainty behind his words.

the older man shrugs, glancing between you and david with a lazy smile.

“ the martinez siblings, huh? i can tell you, little man is the youngest, “ he points at david, “ and you’re the oldest. “ he points at you.

you click your tongue, “ again, what’s it to you? “

the corners of rayez’s gaze softens, he shrugs again, digs in his pocket and brought out a pack of cigarettes. “ nothin’. just observation, choomba. from the way you two have each other’s back, i can tell that all y’all got is each other. i respect that a lot. if it weren’t for you, that little man would of been zero’d in that alleyway by now. “

david spats, “ tch, bullshit, as if i’d—“

“ naive, but david’s smarter than you think. “ you snarled abruptly, “ i maybe the oldest, but my lil bro here is the special one. make no mistake, he wouldn’t of been ended so easily by the likes of you, cockmuncher. “

you grab the collar of your brother’s jacket, dragging him away from the grinning man. rayez brings the cancer rod to his pierced lips. “ i wonder, “ he takes out a lighter from his back pocket, flicks it open, and sparks a flame with practiced ease. the small flame is strong and unwavering, “ of how your stories will end. . . .together in a blaze of glory or. . “ he lights up the end of his cigarette and takes a long puff.

he close the lighter and tucks it back into his pocket.

“ or alone shrouded in smoke and chaos? “ rayez finishes, taking out the cig to blow a puff of smoke into the dead air. he turns back around into the alleyway, joining a group of armed men.

—

“ gotta tell bec to shoot her stupid ass brother for me. “ you spat, stomping along the asphalt, chest tight with anger. “ first he got us going to fuckin’ vista del rel for some shady bastard who deadfucking ass wanted to fuck me and literally fuck you over, and now we have to walk and take the train over to their crib to deliver this man his golden, cyberware dildo! “

david sighs, letting you rant while he thinks about your words to the dealer. considering that he had the sandevistan implanted in him without much complications and he’s able to use it several times in a day before getting fatigued with just a nose bleed, can he really cement the idea in his head that he’s special?

“ (name)? “

“ what davi? “

while the package is tucked under his armpit, he awkwardly rubs the back of his head with his free hand. “ what you said back there, is that true? that i’m special i mean. “

all your irritation instantly melts away; you crack into a grin, draping an arm around his shoulders, and pulled him into a clumsy side hug.

“ i mean, yeah. on top of that, you’re the smartest guy that i know. i believe in you. “

david bites down on his bottom lip, a lodge almost immediately forms in his dry throat. he swears that he hears gloria in you.

night city really is a cruel reality to live in.

—

while david stands awkwardly behind you, you angrily knocked on rebecca and pilar’s apartment door a few times. it only took a half second for the door to swing open and for a barrel to kiss you right on your forehead. “ explain why the fuck you’re—oh, (name) and david! what’s up chooms? wow, (name), you looked pissed! ” rebecca whistles, drawing back her pistol as she stands at the doorway only in her black bra and underwear.

“ bec, call for your son of a bitch of a brother, please.”you requested calmly, barely holding back your raging anger while presenting her the package in your hands.

glancing down at your quivering hands, she grins with anticipation, practically hearing the anger bubbling in your voice, and whips her head around to call her brother who’s too busy doing his own shit in the back of the apartment.

“ yo bro! (name) and david got your package from maine again! come n’ get it! “

as soon as you hear pilar’s excited, crazed laughter and seeing him skipping around the corner to retrieve his package, you hurled the thing straight at his face without any regards. before he had time to react, it hits him right where you want him and he falls back against the wall.

“ aw, fuck! the fuck was that for, you crazy gonk?! “

“ fuck you, you lanky armed bastard! get your own package next time! i hope you enjoy that new golden dildo up your ass! “ you spat, sharply turning on your heel to stomp away. the sounds of rebecca’s loud laughter fills the crispy, lively air.

“ davi! make sure you get our tip from bec. i’ll be over there to take a chill pill! “ you shouted, brushing past david to go stand by the pole near the entrance of the complex. you fix the collar of your leather jacket and crossed your arms tightly against your chest. shitheads like pilar pisses you off, they’re so common amongst santo domingo and the academy. those type of people who’d get what they want from you, completely fuck you over and laugh in your face like you’re the biggest gonk in night city. your temper and patience dwindled as years passed by, developing a short temper.

“ heyo, “ lucy’s smooth voice rings though your receptor suddenly, earning a exasperated grunt from you. “ you and david gonna be free tonight to run? “

“ yo. yes lucy, sure will be. “ you replied more annoyed than you wanted to be. there’s a small pause on the other end and lucy hums before speaking up,

“ you sound upset. wrong timing? “

you glance over towards david’s direction, he’s currently still talking to rebecca for the tip. you let out a short sigh that’s meant to cool off some steam. “ yes and no. it wasn’t directed at you or anything, me and david was just doing some shitty errand. “

“ oh fun. i’ll leave you both to it then, see you later. “

she ends the call and you just slouch against the sign, looking up at the yellowish, blue sky. the sun is starting to set and the moon’s slowly becoming visible by the hour. lucy was a strange character—an enigma who holds pieces of herself behind her back. she’d give you broken shards and hide the rest away, leaving you to figure out the ones in your hands. your first impression of her was already rocky since she tried to steal your chip. thanks to david catching her in the act with his sandev, she didn’t. but, one thing led to another and you ended up witnessing two deviants stealing shit for some eddies. not wanting to be involved, you got off the train early. you really wish that you didn’t because david exhausted himself trying to impress her by using his sandevistan too much which caused lucy to call an ambulance for the stupid boy. lucy explained that during the ride to the hospital, the emt deliberately missed the turn to the location, pulled a gun on her and david while he was on the carrier, and revealed herself to be a scav who wanted his sandev.

what lucy did made your jaw slack all the way down to the ground. not only did she endanger david, but also herself by releasing the carrier from the ambulance, throwing themselves into highway traffic and hazardously maneuvered it around in reverse, avoiding speeding cars while having a absolute blast. although you were thankful of her for saving david, you couldn’t help but think of her as a nutjob—but a cool one. you met up with them at docs for david’s treatment and made sure to chew him out for overusing his sandev.

“ you two wanna come over my place? “

her sudden question made you look at her like she was crazy and david reluctantly just accepts the invitation. you can tell your brother was intrigued by her and honestly, you don’t blame him after she risked her life (and his!) to save him. not to mention, lucy was a sight for sore eyes herself—a pretty lady with a nice amount of sense (still a nutjob!) that others in night city lacked. however, you knew better than to wholly trust her when you only knew her for half a day.

upon you, david, and lucy entering inside of her home, your eyes locked onto a large, rectangular window in her apartment with a perfect view of the moon nestled in the night sky. after settling down with the netrunner, you learned about her common interest in the moon both from the poster on her wall and through chatting. just like you, she had the habit an interest in staring at the moon to fill the void in her heart, just like you, she wanted to get away from the clenched jaws of night city. but unlike you, who had your mother’s crumbling dreams floating through the skies of a shithole of a city and david to look after; lucy has no ties other than the crew she’s with. who knows how much they really mean to her. maybe if given the chance to, she’d probably run away.

your guard around her dwindled as the conversation continued. it completely dissipated when she introduced you to a brain dance of a reconstruction of the moon which strengthened your dream to travel to the moon. the moon simulation felt so real, the sun’s warmth kissing your skin, its shine nearly blinding you as if it actually could. your body was light so the first you did was jump and float around, feeling free. lucy would laugh fondly at your childlike discoveries throughout your time with her. she showed you so many things, made you feel so many emotions during that short time with her. after a fun while, you and lucy sat down to gaze at the fake earth ahead, full of joy and satisfaction.

“ i never showed anyone this before. i. .had fun. “

breaking your attention from the earth, you turned your head, and you became speechless. painted rosy lips curled into a soft, warm smile, her pastel eyes twinkled at you, holding a unreadable emotion you couldn’t decipher. all you knew was the feeling of awe and soon after, a sharp pain to your cheek, forcefully taking you out of the bd.

you grit your teeth at the remembrance of the interrogation with maine and his crew. at the time, getting pressed by a group of edgerunners and feeling utterly betrayed by a stranger you almost trusted nearly made you throw a fit. however, you held back the anger, almost like holding back the most shittiest urge to vomit while standing in public. you didn’t want to get you and david into deeper shit. the boy himself almost got his sandev ripped from his body if he didn’t impress maine with his rare, high usage of the military grade implant.

—

“ yo, (n/n), i got the tip. you nova now? “ david asks, joining your side, pulling you out of your thoughts.

pushing yourself from the metal rod, you lazily stretched your arms above your head. “ when we leave this place, yup. also, lucy called. told her that we’re gonna be free to run with her tonight. “

the boy awkwardly scratches the back of his head, his facial expression brightening from the mention of her name. you notice and simply started to walk; david follows after. “ preem. i’ve need to get some more training in. “

“ and with lucy, the girl who saved your live and almost ended ours together by snitchin’. “ you grumble, crossing your arms back over your chest. david lets out a soft sigh, tucking his hands in his jacket pockets.

“ i was starting to get over that. not really that mad like before though. “

“ when i think bout it, i can’t help but to. normally i don’t get my shit tangled up like this, but i don’t exactly like getting hung up by my ankle with a black eye after getting taken to the moon by a girlie who likes to be spontaneous on the first day. .” somewhere in the back of your mind, you don’t really blame her.

cars occasionally rode past as you and david stroll down the streets of watson. the district wasn’t much different than heywood, vistal del rey, and santo domingo. it used to be an area once full of life, bubbling with lively biz—now it’s sour with gang violence much like the corners of night city. maelstrom and tiger claws are the cause as they ruin everything they touch, greedy and terrible, just like corpo rats. they’re so territorial that they’re fighting each other over parts of the district. many tragic endings of innocents are caused by them, families separated, and young, impressionable adolescents left to make series of bad choices that’ll have them leave the earth as one of many statistics in night city.

“ yeah, maine and them came barging in while you and lucy was in the brain dance. caught me by surprise and before i knew it, maine decked me in the face. hurt like a bitch too. “ the younger sibling clicks his tongue, lazily kicking away an empty can of beer without a single thought.

“ trust me, i know. fuck, that black eye lasted for a good min, didn’t it? i swear one day i’ll get my lick back. and lucy definitely owes me an apology. double too. “ you ghost your hand over your port on the side of your neck where the netrunner discreetly implanted the tracker in. the audacity for maine to warn you and david to not run away—like, where the fuck to? david remained quiet up until you reached the metrostation with him. you paid for his ticket and yours with ease. luckily the train hasn’t arrived yet and not many people were around so you sat down on a bench while david stood beside it.

“ . .why didn’t you tell me your dream was to go to the moon? “ david spoke out, breaking the silence, his still gaze was fixated somewhere off in the distance.

you leaned back into the bench, looking up at the sky that’s now turning into a dark purple. “ because it’s a wish. a wish for the most part is just wishy washy thinking. besides, in this city, no dream can become true unless there’s a sacrifice or if you’re a corpo rat.”

“ was our ma’s dream for us to be at the top of the arasaka’s tower ‘wishy washy’ too? “ his voice quivered, you don’t know if it was out of anger or sadness. perhaps both.

letting out a long exhale, you just shrugged. was her dream wishy washy? ideally no, realistically yes. unless you dedicated half of your life to kissing corpo ass while losing yourself in the process, there is absolutely no way to even achieve such a dream as poor, santo domingo babies. but, that was gloria’s dream and even if it was a fairytale, you and david tried anyway to make your mother happy.

“ you know, if she were to say, i want my children to be the most influential peeps in night city! “ you made an attempt to copy gloria’s accent jokingly, david cracks a small smile. “ that may sound like the most ridiculous dream ever coming from our backgrounds but since we love our mother so much—we’d do our best to make it come true anyways. .no matter how impossible it may be. but to answer your question, bro. .yes and. . no if it came with a sacrifice.”

the tone of your voice goes grim, the sinking feeling in your chest heavies down on your heart. david swallows thickly, his fists tightens in his pockets, a bead of sweat rolls down the side of his face.

“ what kind? “ david replies tentatively, glancing down at you with a nervous look.

“ losing yourself. arasaka is full of rotten characters, you can’t go at the top if you’re just your authentic self, you know. “

the screeching sound of the incoming train hits your ears and you stand up, watching the transport timely arrive at the station. you stroll over to the train and stepped inside once the doors opened with david following along. “ i refuse to lose myself and be seen as those toe-lickin’ losers. you experienced the way they treated those who weren’t like them in the academy. i can’t believe we had to put up with those suckers, “ you grunted, finding a seat next to the door and plopped down. “ be good, don’t let them get to you, blah blah—. .oh mother. if it wasn’t for her, i would of been the one to get exiled first. would of loved to kicked the shit out of that one cockroach who did nothing but patronized me for the smallest shit. but, it made me feel better that you sucker punched that asshole who knocked you on your feet. i still don’t approve of you implanting that sandev behind my back and using it right after though. “

david shrugs, taking his hand out of his pocket to grasp one of the bars to hold onto as the train departs after the passengers aboard. he looks out through the window, eyes trained on the arasaka tower in the far distance. he begins to tap his right foot. “ had no choice. was out of options and couldn’t let that bastard go after he talked shit about you and our ma’s death. can you honestly blame me? you would of done the same, right? ” david’s grip on the metal bar tightens; the corner of his caramel eyes sharpens. the leftover anger slowly rises up his throat as if it was a lanky hand.

without a second thought, you instantly responded back darkly, hands clenched into a tight ball—so tight that your nails was starting to create crescents into your skin. “ i would of done much worse to him. “

you zipped up your hoodie all the way to your neck, shivering from the cold air nibbling at the areas of your exposed skin. why the hell does it feel like it’s 50 degrees tonight?

“ looks like you should of brought a bigger jacket tonight. ” lucy commented, humor hinted behind the rasp of her voice. she stands at the edge of the dock, throwing you a side glance. like the last few fridays and mondays you and david been jogging with her, she wore the same neon and pink-colored tracksuit that complimented her figure perfectly. you hate the fact that you have to rip your gaze away from her figure to respond to her properly.

“ i’m good, choomba. i’ll warm up once we start. david, you ready? “

“ yeah. “ david answers, taking his hands out of his pockets besides you.

lucy takes it upon herself to start the jog, getting a head start past you and david. you trail behind her and the younger boy does the same. usually the jogs last about twenty minutes, just a few laps that ends with you wanting a hot shower and a feeling of satisfaction after a long day of bullshit. cardio helps clear your mind.

“ you not gonna talk to her? “ david whispers to you, maintaining a moderate speed. you raise a brow, still looking ahead, more so at lucy’s back.

“ why should i? continue to talk to her like you have been for the past nights we’ve been running together, davi. “

“ think you should on this one ‘cus how else do you want her to apologize to you if you’re acting like you’re not interested in talkin’ to her? “

you snorted, “ huh. all of a sudden you’re the relationship expert, is that right? “

david clicks his tongue, “ fuck off. i’m tryin’ to help you out. the way you’re oglin’ her makes you look like a loser. “

“ fuckin’ rich comin’ from you. “ you blurted out, rolling your eyes. he let out a grunt and nudges your arm with his elbow.

“ go, you gonk. “

letting out a deep sigh, you sped up just enough to catch up to lucy, matching the same pace as her. clearing your throat, you open your mouth to awkwardly speak, “ so. . lucy, it’s been a minute since we’ve chatted it up. “

“ mhm. it has. “ she responds back blandly, not sparing you a glance. yup, her walls are definitely and rightfully up.

“ how have you been holding up since our last gig yesterday? “

“ pretty nova. can’t really say much since the gig was like any other gig i’m use to. . how about you, newbie? “

you scoffed, “ hey, it’s only been. .like four weeks! don’t call me that, geez. but i can say nova too. the gigs are something i can get used to. it’s gonna be a pain in my ass to watch over that boy behind us too.”

“ hey, i can still hear you! “ david shouts in the distance, lagging behind as his feet began to burn.

“ how about you focus on catching up, short legs!” you half-shouted and laughed, throwing a quick middle finger at him. since you’re like two inches taller than him along with having good stamina from running around in the streets of santo domingo a little longer than david, it was pretty easy to outrun him. but now that he has a sandevistan, you hate to admit that he can compete with you if he used it.

“ you should worry a little more about yourself too.” lucy suggests, barely out of breath as she counts the second lap in her head.

“ huh? “

“ you’re the same as david in terms of experience. actually, if shit were to truly go down, he would have a better chance at surviving cus’ of the sandev he has. you don’t have any implants that can give you an advantage over a punk one on one. “

you hum at her criticism, beads of sweat dripping down your chin. adrenaline rushes into your veins, pumping you with natural energy to continue your jogging. however, you’re beginning to get tired and you’re starting to become slow, yet, you don’t stop. “ that’s true lucy. m‘not even mad at that. gonna make somethin’ work in the future so i won’t be a deadweight to you and the others. wanna protect david too cus’ he’s all i have. “

the older girl stays silent for a few moments, allowing your soft huffs and puffs to take over the silence to think about her next response. the question that sat on her tongue for the past few weeks runs off and slips through her lips.

“ is that what makes you serious about edgerunning?”

“ definitely. “ you say with full confidence.

she gives you a little look from the corner of her eye and stops abruptly. you stop too and hunched over to catch your breath. you think you’re on your third lap now without stopping? you and lucy are still in the area around the shore post. david is no where to be found but you know he isn’t far away. he won’t get lost if he keeps running straight.

“ what’s wrong—“

“ here. full training regimen. for you and david. you two are on your own after today. won’t hold your hands anymore. “ lucy hands you a chip and you examine it in your palm. she continues, “ if you’re serious about this, you’re gonna need to keep up. and then. .”

you lift your confused gaze at her and she stares back with a neutral expression. what is she thinking right now? “ and then. .? “

you blink several times as she simply turns on her heel and jogs off ahead, not even attempting to finish her prep talk.

“ that’s a start. . “ you mumbled, turning your head to the direction you and lucy previously ran from and saw david finally catching up. you cast him a proud smile, waving at him as he runs up, breathless.

“ wh-where’s lucy? “

“ she went on ahead. she gave us a little parting gift, i’ll tell you what happened on our way back home. “

—

“ your punches are lacking today! what’s the problem, kid? “ dorio inquiries with concern, steadying the heavy punching bag in place before stepping over to you. running a hand through your (h/c) hair, you just sighed dejectedly. lately, you been thinking about lucy and it’s starting to become pathetic. you want to understand her. you want a answer on why she really showed you the brain dance of the moon. was it to just stall? did she truly deceive you? how much was it real? fake? was her wondrous laughter and pretty smiles genuine?

“ sorry, just been thinking, that’s all, ‘rio. “

she swings an arm around your shoulders firmly, “ well, spill it. i’m here to talk with ya. “ the encouraging smile on her face made your guard loosen.

“ i’ve. . .been thinkin’ about lucy. “

“ figured so. “

“ huh? “ you whipped your head up at the much taller and older woman with a surprised expression. she just continues to smile, this time, knowingly. “ maine had a talk with david yesterday and he told me all about what’s going on between you and lucy. i gotta say, a date to the moon? even that didn’t happen for me and maine on our first date! it was just full of cracking’ heads and thrill! “

your nose scrunched up, “ aw fuck, you and maine? ew—“ she ruffles your head roughly and bellows out a laugh.

“ ah, shut up! anyways, what’s got you thinkin’ about her? still upset that she turned you and david over to us after the date? “

you nod your head, shifting your gaze down at your feet, “ yeah. jus’ wanna know if everything was real or fake. dunno what to really do. “

“ hmm, i see. well, after the biz tomorrow, how about you try to talk to her. it’s about damn time you suckers chat it out. you’re just like your lil bro, mopin’ around n killin’ the vibe. cheer up. i bet if you stop draggin’ your feet like that and brighten up that pretty face of yours, he would too. “

you sighed, fixing up your tousled hair as the experienced merc backs off. “ i guess. but hey ‘rio, gotta question. “

“ lay it on me. “

“ how long has lucy been a edgerunner? “

a pensive look dawns on dorio’s features as she thinks, resting a finger under her chin. “ mm, maybe bout a year so? kiwi took her in and the rest was history. before all of that, i dunno much about lucy. so far, she’s been pullin’ her own weight in the crew so that’s all that matters. anyways, i gotta delta. gonna go meet with maine to discuss detes about tomorrow, see ya kid. “

dorio leaves you alone to your thoughts. you exhale through your nose and went over to the skinny, tall table to turn on the radio. using the knob, you glossed over radio channels until it was a certain channel that you usually listen to— 98.7, body heat radio. you tune the volume just enough for you to vibe. dragging your feet over to the couch, you plant your butt on the down on the cushion. you leaned back against the head and closed your eyes.

“ you are now listening to chest pain by malcom todd. “

my chest is hurting, my feet can’t fall out of bed

i don't know where to go, so I'll lay here instead

with my symptoms, symptoms of sorrow and dread

they all said it would fade but again and again

suddenly, the sound of an incoming call rings through your reception and you groan out loudly in irritation. peeling one eye open, you’re surprised to see the principal of your former academy calling you. “ the fuck is this. . “

i loveee, i loveeee

i love, i love, i love,

you accepted the call.

“ hello, good evening, (name). how are you—“

i loveee, i loveeee

“ cut the crap, what is it? should there be a reason why you’re calling me when i—no, me and david, left the academy weeks ago? “

“ a-ah, sorry for bothering you. i. .in fact reached out to your brother and he abruptly hanged up while i was trying to explain to him—“

you snorted, “ oh, is that so? i’ll do the same then. go burn in hell, we will never go back to that stuck-up academy. maybe treat your poor students better. our mom technically died ‘cus of you, shitface. “

without an ounce of guilt, you ended the call, leaving behind a bubbling sense of triumph. did that man take you for a fool? there’s no way he would call you without an ulterior motive.

phonk music blasts loud in your ears as people danced off on the dance floor, drunk and possibly high off their asses. you ran your fingers through your hair, occasionally sipping on a carbonated drink that’s been shoved into your hand by rebecca. you’re not the one to party, you’ve discovered that after being brought to afterlife for the first time a few weeks ago. the stench of the night city’s most wasted characters made your nose roll up with disgust. strangers grinding and rutting up against each other; the club life wasn’t for you.

“ wassup, cutie! whaddaya doin’ sittin’ here by yaself? ” rebecca plops down onto the booth beside you, beer in hand. her petite frame flush against your side, not caring about personal space. since it’s rebecca, you don’t really care. you grew to like her quite a bit, she’s straightforward and honest, something you don’t really see much in night city. rebecca is really fun to hang with, the type to put a smile on your face whenever you’re upset.

“ hey bec, just chillin’ here. don’t really like partyin’ all that much. “

“ aww, that’s too bad! “ she takes a long swig of her beer before she continues, “ choom, you should of seen the way your bro was dancin’! it gotta be the funniest shit i’ve ever seen! “

you break into laughter at the imagine of david trying to show off by performing horrible dance moves. you’re not good at dancing either but you knew better than to embarrass yourself. “ that dumbass. i guess we gotta let him have it since the gig went well, yeah? “

“ oh fasure’! now it got me wonderin’ about what’s your groove like! ” she nudges your arm with hers, giving you a cheeky smirk. you playfully roll your eyes, “ is this your way of asking me to dance with you, ‘bec? “

exhilarated and tipsy, she immediately responds back with, “ hell yeah! c’mon, let’s get on the dance floor! “

“ jus’ kidding, girl. i think i’ll sit here and drink until it’s time for us to go. “

“ ugh, i’ll let you slide this time, only cus i like ya! “

you chuckled, swirling the carbonated drink around, its contents swooshes around in the glass bottle. “ i’m honored, choom. “

the pout on her purple, painted lips goes unnoticed by you.

a question pops into your head and your smile falters. “ hey bec. “

“ what’s up, choom? “ she leans into you, taking note of your expression changing into a small frown.

“ what’s it like to have pilaf as your bro? “

she immediately scoffs, crossing her legs, and leans back into the couch. “ like shit. he’s the absolute fuckin’ worst. the biggest dickhead ever. “

you raise your brow, the single side of your lips curling upward at the distasteful insults towards her brother.

“ but at the end of the day, he’s my bro. all i have is him and all he has is me. but, if the day were to come for him to he gets zero’d, i want it to be by me. “

“ why? “

“ cus’ i rather for it to be me than some lowlife gonk. ”

you hum before taking the last swig of the drink and set it down on the table in front of you. “ fucked up but i get it. .yet, if i had the choice to zero david, i’d blow my brains out. don’t have the heart to do it to my own brother. . “

she pats you on the back before rubbing it through your graphic shirt. “ and that’s okay, choom, “ you look at her and you’re met with a honeyed, easy smile that’s only reserved for a selective few and meant to plug the doubts pooling from the pores of your skin as it seeps through your troubled expression. “ you’re not s’pose to anyways, don’t let this damned city tell you otherwise. my case is just special for me and my bro. “

you can’t help but smile back at rebecca with warm appreciation.

“ thank you bec. “

“ anything to see ya pretty smile, dimps! “

after chatting with rebecca, you decided to get up to go to the restroom. you dread going to the public restrooms in clubs you’ve recently been to after gigs, because you’re guaranteed to see some drunkie puking their guts out in the next stall over. god, the strong smell of vomit and vodka makes you wanna hurl too. on the way there, you pass by the bar, catching a glimpse of lucy sitting by herself. she looks distant and uninterested in the energy around her as she quietly smokes to herself. maybe it wouldn’t hurt to hold your bladder for a bit to provide her some company. before you can even step into the netrunner’s direction, pilar beats you to her out of no where. he hops onto an empty stool beside her—not considering her personal space as he swings a lanky arm around her shoulders.

your teeth digs into your fleshy bottom lip from the irritating sight of that gonk trying to flirt with her. pilar gets touchy with her at every chance he fucking gets. doesn’t he get that lucy clearly doesn’t fuck with him? she even fried him a few times for being all grabby.

“ tch, “ you force your eyes away from them and back to what’s ahead of you. the tightness of your chest might get worse if you continue to hear that fucker pilar’s obnoxious laughter and his failed attempts of trying to impress lucy.

“ what’s with that face, sweetness? “

a brunette woman who looks to be in her mid-late twenties smoothly gives you a side hug, casting you a flirtatious smile. she smells of vanilla and alcohol.

“ sorry, that’s nun of your biz. i was on my way to the restroom. “ you answered back dryly, attempting to brush her off and she holds on a little tighter in response. growing bashful under her now seductive gaze and increasingly annoyed at a stranger hugging you without your consent, you smack your lips.

“ is that so? maybe. . afterwards, “ she leans in closer to your face and you uncomfortably tilt your head away. “ we can cool that heat off your face, it doesn’t fit you~ “ she purrs.

your brows knit together in agitation, without thinking twice, you shove her off your body. she nearly stumbles into another stranger.

“ christ, you know nothing about me. don’t you tell me what fits me. “ you snarled as you brushed passed her, disregarding the offended look on her face. the audacity. “ go find some other gonk who actually wants to be blowed by some stranger in here. “

you stomped off to the back for the restroom. in the back of your mind, you knew that you mostly overreacted and let your previous frustrations out on her. but did you regret it? no.

unbeknownst to you, a pair of sharp pastel eyes observed the whole interaction.

“ woah, hey there, partner! “ a familiar southern voice calls out as you unexpectedly bump into his body after exiting the shitty restroom too quickly. you grunted, one second away from snapping on the man for the collision but you stopped once you’ve recognized him.

“ falco? watch where you going, choomba. i almost fell on my ass! “

“ likewise, kiddo! sheesh, “ he combs his fingers through his maintained hair. “ don’t think i seen ya with the crew. david is quite the trickster when he’s all loosened up. “

“ i heard from bec. i was just drinking in another booth with her. not really used to parties. davi is quite the pleaser so you’ll see that more times than not. glad he’s having fun though. “

falco chuckles huskily, “ oh, i get it. i woulda figured you’re not a people person too with that short fuse of yours. “

“ oh, fuck you. i’m not short-tempered! after what i’ve gone through, i just despise how night city serves me bullshit in a sliver plate. “ you crossed your arms, tapping your foot subconsciously. falco looks down at your foot tapping, your arms tucked tightly to your chest, and lastly, the frown on your lips.

his thick brows raises. all telltale signs with those who has short patience. though, the foot tapping habit is something he’s noticed between you and david. you both do it out of anxiety. he signs heavily, stepping aside the doorway to the restrooms and leaned against the tile wall. “ listen, (name). word of advice from a older folk like myself. i heard about what happened to you and the boy’s mother and my condolences. i don’t know much about your stories before that, but, don’t let your anger get the best of you. i tell that to rebecca because she herself is quite similar to you when it comes to short fuses. although, i can say she’s more mature since she’s been in the game for a hot minute and is familiar with the ins and outs of night city. the more you let shit get to you while walkin’ on the edge, the quicker and harder you fall. “

you stay quiet, soaking in his speech word by word. so far, you gotten a few cuts and nasty bruises from picking fights during negotiations in recent gigs because of the shady insults and sneaky looks thrown your way. things probably would of been smoother for you had you swallowed up your anger and let things play out differently. it wasn’t like you’re still in the academy and only getting written up for disobedience. this time, the consequences are colorful while running on the edge; a barrel of a gun pressed ever so lovingly against your forehead, sprawled out unconscious or dead in some landfill, or a unrecognizable face at the hands of some chrome’d up punk.

“ . . .i understand falco. i’ll try to keep that in mind.”you relented, hands dropping at your side and your body posture slowly relaxing. a long puff of air runs past your lips.

he merely grins at you, placing a palm on your shoulder and pats it proudly. “ good. ‘member, if you’re ever stuck in a pitch, don’t forget to holler. i’m gonna go inside of here. the crew is going to be leavin’ in a few, tell em’ i’ll be out after i’m done. “

you nod with a small smile and he cruises past you to enter inside the restroom.

returning back to the front, you only see david and lucy standing in front of the bar. although lucy was the first to quietly notice you walking up, david acknowledges you with a half wave.

“ yo, you catch falco? we were waiting on you and falco. he’s our ride back. the crew’s gonna delta soon, they’re outside. “

“ in the back taking a piss. give him a few. i’m gonna go tell the others before—“

“ nah, i got it first. “ david chimes, already pacing towards the only exit to alert the others. before he runs off, he sends you a sneaky grin.

“ that boy. . “ you groaned.

“ mm, that boy indeed. “ lucy rasps, crossing her arms over her chest, looking seemingly bored. you feel a little discouraged by her closed-off body language.

“ we might as well go after him. falco’s gonna be out any sec now. “

“ good idea. “

you glanced at her, a single brow curled. was that sarcasm?

walking after the chocolate-haired boy who’s most likely already alerted the others and is waiting with them by the ride, you make an attempt to spark up a conversation.

“ what are you going to be doing tonight, lucy? “ you inquired, awkwardly tucking your hands into your washed jean pockets.

“ nothing important. I’ll prob just go home and sleep early for tomorrow’s gig. “

“ yeah? “

“ mhm. “

you nearly cringe at how awkward you’re making this. it’s not helping that lucy isn’t even feeling you like that. the seasoned edgerunner side eyes you as you release a soft, frustrated sigh.

“ lucy. .after this gig tomorrow, i want to—no, sorry, can we talk? that’s if you’re comfortable. “

a short pause briefly sits in-between you and her.

“ . . sure. “ lucy says softly, cool air tinged with strong tobacco welcomes you and the aforementioned girl as you exited lizzie’s bar to join the others.

—

“ you’re not gonna tell me how was it? “ david spoke out, lounging on the couch shirtless. empty spray cans and paper with symbol designs are scattered about all over the coffee table. you stood by the window, gazing up at the moon solemnly. for the past hour he’s been designing a symbol to represent he’s an edgerunner on the back of his jacket. you’re not really creative like him and you rather not ruin your favorite leather jacket by some cheap spray paint. the leather jacket was gifted to you by gloria on your nineteenth birthday.

“ how was what? “

“ you and lucy. “

you just shrug, fighting the urge to not cringe at the flashbacks from earlier.

“ pretty nova. gonna get a chat in with her after tomorrow’s gig. hopefully we can comb things out. “

“ that’s preem! make sure to bring up the brain dance and how you feel about her too. “

you chuckled, “ oh i will, wingboy. “

“ fuck that, you mean wingman. “

“ okay, bird chest. “

“ fuck you! “

you rolled your eyes and waved him off, walking over to your room.

“ yeah whatever. good night, davi. make sure to clean up that mess after your done. don’t wanna ruin the new apartment we’ve just moved into after combining our hard earned eddies. “

the apartment wasn’t much different from the last. just a different mega building to avoid the shitty landlord gloria had to deal with and to have a proper two bed apartment. at least your current one was more understanding.

“ yeah, i know. g’night. “

—

the gig was short n’ sweet. the objective was to neutralize a shady business owner in 5th street, watson, kabuki who’s made under the table deals with maelstrom. although, you and david didn’t really kill anyone, you did happen to find the owner in the secret basement—who in fact was a raging, middle-aged japanese man you had to pistol whip the fuck out for trying to be bold while he was actively cornered by you and david.

david was quick to comm the location of the man to kiwi. within a minute, maine and dorio arrived, guns pointed on him. the man was flatlined before he can utter a string of curse words out.

“ geez, nothing beats going to a bar after a gig. “ you stretched your arms out in the air, dragging your feet across the asphalt, and walking side by side with your crew in northside, watson.

“ since when did you enjoy bars? yesterday night, it looked like you didn’t want to be there. “ kiwi mentions, skeptical about your sudden change of heart.

maine added in, “ kiwi’s right about that. your little ass wasn’t with us, i think i seen ya somewhere in a different booth tryna be all mysterious n’ shit. why ya flippin’ the switch now? “

you rubbed the back of your head sheepishly, “ i just want to loosen up for a change. y’know, be different?”

“ yeah, you sure was! “ pilar jibes with a mocking grin, “ i showed this gonk one of the most vanilla braindances that bar offered—two seconds in, they got all flustered and pussied out over a pair of tits! even your lil bro handled it better than you! “

your face heats up with embarrassment at the sounds of laughter from other crewmates. “ shut the hell up, cockface, it’s not like i see pairs of tits enough to get desensitized from it! “

“ i’m surprised. i thought you would be considering your looks. “ kiwi chuckles, “ maybe it’s the tantrums? “

“ i do not have tantrums! davi, back me up! “

david gives you a lop-sided grin and shrugs, enjoying the bonding time he’s having with his new family.

“ i can’t say you do, can’t say you don’t. “

“ fuckin’ bastard—“

“ hey, what’s that sound? “

everyone goes quiet. the consistent noise of liquid splashing against a metal container hits your ears and your head turns to the source of it. there’s a raggedy homeless man standing ontop of the red crate, pissing.

“ aye, quiet down! “ pilar demands, breaking the uncomfortable silence as he stomps his feet.

“ you pissin’ up there? “

“ ugh. “

“ ew, gross. “

“ but why though. . “ you mumbled in utter disgust.

pilar gets aggravated at the man for ignoring him and bangs his golden, bawled up fist against the crate.

thump! thump!

“ i’m talkin’ to you! why you pissin’ up there like that?!”

thump!

“ that’s enough pilar, leave him alone. “

“ buh bye, bro. “

everyone but david walks forward, leaving pilar to confront the man while the young edgerunner watches in a mix of interest and shock. you don’t realize david stopped walking until moments later, a loud bang pierces through the atmosphere.

pilar’s nagging abruptly stopped and splatters of blood lands on your jacket.

everything happened so quick, you yelling at your brother to move while sprinting for some cover with the others, maine screaming in david’s face to move while he’s frozen in one place.

“ it’s a cyberpsycho! “

the announced cyberpsycho readies his projectile launcher system at the two who’s still out in the open and fires. maine roughly kicks the stunned david out of the way just in time for the explosive to narrowly miss them.

“ that crazed bum flatline’d pilar! “ you yelled, pulling out your iron from your jacket pocket.

“ yeah, he capped him! “ dorio adds, pulling out her own weapon from behind some cover next to you.

“ i think i have some pilar on me. “ kiwi mumbles with disgust, laying low next to dorio. why did she say it so casually? wasn’t that her crew mate?

“ gimme that! “ enraged by her brother’s death, rebecca snatches dorio’s gun and wildly rushes out of safety and towards the man, and starts spraying at his direction with dual pistols.

“ cocksucker! you had no fuckin’ right! “ she screams on the top of lungs, not even aiming correctly due to her seething anger. once her pistol was out of bullets, she angrily tosses it aside, and sprints towards her brother’s killer with dorio’s.

“ fuckin’ cyberpyscho trash! “ none of her bullets was hitting during her frenzied shooting. maine snatches her petite form with him behind cover as a another projectile hurdles several inches away her previous spot. not even a moment in his grasp and she thrashes out of it and snags maine’s ak.

in another failed attempt to shoot him, she hazardously mishandles the weapon and judder backwards due the powerful recoil and her small body. the bullets only dented the metal of the crate. the cyberpyscho readies his arm again to shoot another explosive and kiwi swiftly resets rebecca’s system by maine’s command, her body drops to the floor.

another explosive goes off and you frantically peek behind cover, looking for your brother who’s nearby, hiding behind a crator. “ david! you okay?! “

“ yeah! “ he yells back, “ where’s lucy?! “

fuck, lucy! your eyes search through the temporary smoke and scattered debris ahead and you spot her hidden behind the exact barrel where the man is standing on top of. your heart stops at the discovery, the grip on your iron’s handle grows tight. why the hell did she decide that spot was okay? what did it for you was lucy attempting to fry and neutralize the cyberpsycho which failed terribly. the man burst into flames but doesn’t even react to it and instead, blindly shoots a projectile near where’s she hidden. unspeakable anger instantly running through your veins, you compromise yourself by sprinting out of cover and towards the fucker.

“ that’s enough, you mindless cockhead! “ you barked, ignoring the man getting ready again to use another projectile.

“ (name), no! stop! “ lucy pleads, helplessly watching you risk your life just to see her.

all of his shots so far were erratic which means his aim is too. it’s a gamble but you’re willing to bet your life on it. your heart is beating out of your rib cage, rushing blood into your veins, beads of sweat rolls down your brow as you push your organic legs to the best of your human ability.

the projectile goes off, flying straight towards you but you keep running, not caring about the shouting around you, telling you to move out the way from getting flatlined.

“ you little shit! move— “

like what you predicted, the projectile narrowly misses your head by an inch and you quickly close the distance between you and your target.

bursting with adrenaline, you use the momentum to kick up the barrel and fling your body onto the platform. within a single breath, you pistol whipped the man and aimed the barrel of your gun right between his eyes.

“ the more you let shit get to you while walkin’ on the edge, the quicker and harder you fall. “ falco’s word rings through your head as you pull the trigger. a single shot pierces through the chaotic atmosphere, seemingly putting the bizarre situation to an end.

the man’s blood splatters all over your face.

after watching his body fall, you rush over to the edge to check on lucy.

“ lucy—please tell me you’re alright! “

she briefly eyes the worried look on your bloodied face and give you a small, assuring smile.

“ i’m alright. “

“ preem. i’m so relieved. “ you grinned toothily, not before it falters from the sight of blood running down the side of lucy’s face as she pensively gazes at you.

you gasp, “ you’re bleedin’! “

unbeknownst to you and to lucy’s horror, the cyberpsycho’s projectile launcher is aimed straight at your head. not even a half a second later, another shot rings out. this time, by david being the one to confirm the kill through his own panic and anger. flashbacks of you and his mother flows through his head while his finger was pressed on the trigger.

that was the first time he killed someone.

“ move, kid! “

maine quickly shoves david aside and punches the cyberpsycho’s head clean off before his decapitated body falls.

“ fuck! “ rebecca blows his severed head off with her shotgun as it lands at her feet. “ he was mine to kill and you took that from me! “

she blows off the remainder of pilar’s head and spits her gum out on her brother’s killer splattered head too. the guy was a dickhead but you give him your respects because he’s rebecca’s brother. you don’t know if you should try to comfort rebecca while she’s in a furious state like that.

“ don’t touch me. .! “ lucy brushes off dorio’s hand, denying her aid after her senior verbally points out the bleeding wound.

“ you’re hurt, need a booster? “

“ dorio, take the girl to go see a ripperdoc. “ maine turns to you and david, “ you two go with them. me and kiwi gotta stay behind and explain this cluster fuck of a mess. someone’s gotta do it. we’ll just tell them what that pig did to pilar and they’ll write this off as a cyberpsycho incident. “

“ nova. . “ you mumble, tapping your foot impatiently, and crossing your arms over your chest. all you want right now is to wash your face and take a nice shower to wipe the grime off your skin.

“ both of you, ‘saw what you did back there. the freezing’ up and almost gettin’ flatlined by that dirtbag cus’ of leapin’ straight to danger like a dumbass willin’ to risk it all was a rookie mistake. high-time you kids learn to stop thinking like a rookie. “

irritated, you roll your eyes, turning your head away and david says nothing, dropping his gaze to his feet in shame.

what you did wasn’t a rookie mistake.

“ huh, who’s there? “ the doc peeks through arrays of cybernetic arms and grunts with annoyance, “ you again? y’all know i’m not a licensed physician, right?” he reminded in a grumble, frowning at the three unwanted guests standing by the doorway of his illegal clinic.

“ doesn’t matter. i didn’t come here by choice anyways. “ lucy replies dryly, stepping inside, “ i’m going in alone. “ she throws you a seemingly cold glance and the door shuts behind her.

that girl sure can act nonchalant when she wants to be. you sighed, shifting your weight onto the other foot.

“ (name). make sure you get lucy home and cleaned up. david, come with me. i’ll ride you back. “ dorio offers, gesturing for your brother to follow along with her to his car.

“ o-oh, sure. “

“ w-wait, what? sure, but what about me and lucy’s ride back? “ you asked nervously with furrowed brows. you gotta talk to her anyways but setting you up like this is criminal—especially when your face is covered with subhuman blood.

“ maine said you can take his wheels. c’mon david. “

he’s apart of this too?

“ fine, b-but gimme a towel! and you make sure to get davi home and cleaned up too! “ you asserted, watching them walk away to dorio’s car.

“ that’s fine, i’ll come back to hand a towel to you from my ride. “

“ see ya at the crib, g’luck! “ david waves at you sheepishly. you just wave back, sneaking him a help me look. he gives you a cheeky thumbs up and turns his back on you.

that boy.

—

it’s been at least fifteen minutes since she’s been in and you’ve been idle near by, wiping the blood from your face. you really need to properly wash your face. you cringe at the disgusting feeling of the blood clogging up your pores.

“ fuck, this shit sucks. “ you murmur angrily.

the ripperdoc’s entrance door unexpectedly slides open and lucy casually walks out with a cigarette between her rosy lips. her gaze immediately falls onto you who’s crouched on the side. you lift your head up and grinned happily at the sight of her.

“ you’re back, lucy! let’s delta, m’gonna take you back to your place. “

she doesn’t object and quietly nods her head.

you can call yourself a decent driver. unlike david, gloria taught you how to drive. you honed your skills by driving around to do errands for her whenever she was tired from work. she’d always insist on going on her own but eight times out of ten; you’d convince her to not push herself than she already has. hell, you even helped david hustle his xbds gigs by driving him around to clients in santo domingo. there was a few predicaments where things got a little thin thanks to david’s recklessness but you being his getaway driver made his lifespan longer. now, you and david look back at those situations and laugh.

“ so, how was the visit. did the doc treat you good? a shady lookin’ guy but he cares a bit. ” you say softly, eyes straight on the highway to westbrook.

“ mhm. he did. “

“ that’s nova. i got scared back there, you know. “

“ mm. . . “ lucy doesn’t say anything for a few moments which undoubtedly made you nervous. she just quietly looks out of the passenger’s window, either at the scenery or her reflection. you continue to drive for several minutes, patiently waiting for her response. though, each minute that passed started to get you more and more anxious.

“ . .you should really worry more about yourself. .” she speaks up, repeating similar words she said days back. you hum thoughtfully, adjusting the wheel slightly to make a turn off the highway and into japantown.

“ th-that’s fair. you told me this already. i know, but, ”you thought about the people who came into your life recently, the ones you disliked but grew fond of, the brother who you love to death, the deceased mother who’s dream you hold dear to you, and the girl next to you who you wish to get closer to. you have too many ties—you don’t have time to worry about yourself.

“ i can’t. “ you laughed bitterly, particularly at yourself, “ not when there’s those who i want to protect. “

lucy stays quiet, most likely soaking in your words without intentions of a response—a response that might expose how she really feels. she pushes back the urge of wanting to talk further and doesn’t say anything.

you don’t say anything at first either and silently turned on the radio to your favorite channel.

“ . . .this channel is my fav. i always listen to this when my mind’s clogged up. well—that or lookin’ at the moon.” you admitted, making another right to a narrow street.

heartache, she only doin' what she know

weekends, get it poppin' on the low

better days comin' for sure

“ ‘eyy. i love vibin’ to this song. it’s a classic. “ you laughed softly, nodding your head to the beat. lucy throws you a side glance, the corners of her gaze softens. she’s not used to seeing you so relaxed like this. she won’t lie and say that you your best like this—smiling prettily and into your own element. her heart feels soft embers in her chest.

“ it goes in, out, do it real slow. . — “

“ right here. “

you quickly stopped in front of her apartment, mostly out of surprise because you almost missed her street.

“ a-ah, sorry. “

“ you’re good. nice voice by the way. “ she compliments, getting out of the vehicle and you follow suit.

“ yeah, right. ‘m no singer. “ you deny, trailing behind her into mega building h8. she begins to walk up the stairs to her floor.

“ can be if you tried. “

“ whatev. “ you’d mutter, tucking your hands into your leather jacket. fuck, you still not done talking to her and she already reached her unit, stepping towards the door of her apartment. you bite into the inner flesh of your cheek.

“ g’night. “ she says, putting in the code and entered inside of her apartment.

“ h-hey, lucy, wait! we st-still gotta talk s’more! “ you stammered, feeling embarrassed about waiting until the last second to stop her.

a moment later, she steps right back out, looking over at you blankly. you swallow thickly.

“ this way. “

she leads you to the roof, on a small platform where you and her have the perfect view of the large moon above. you sat down with her, crossing your legs.

“ this spot. .you come here often? “

“ yeah, to clear my mind. “

“ i see. “ you look up at the moon, a sense of longing washes over you.

“ that bd of the moon we did. .it was like a breath of fresh air. i liked it. “ you smiled awkwardly.

“ actually, i have something i want to talk about too. remember that night we met? what i said back then? i know how it must look but i wasn’t lying. it was true. that was the first time i’ve ever told and shared anybody that. “

“ yeah, i should of figured from the way you looked so happy then. there’s no way you can act out such a killer smile. “

“ what if i’m acting now? “ even though you can’t exactly see her pretty face, you can hear the smile in her smooth voice.

“ oh, c’mon. “ you chuckled, leaning forward with a confident smile, “ i doubt it now. “

“ why not? “

“ you didn’t even look at me as you asked that. “

“ crazy. “

you prop an elbow on your knee and placed your chin on your palm. “ still wish you could of told me sooner though. “

“ couldn’t. “

“ why? “

there’s a melancholic tone to her voice as she replies, “ you were so mad at me then. “

“ yes, miss m’am. i was. “

“ see what i mean? “

“ but rightfully so. the pretty girl that revealed her biggest wish and treasure to me the first night i met her ends up fuckin’ me over—yeah i’d be all pissy for a while. though, i don’t hate you for that, just couldn’t. but, if i was hot hot about it, well, i wouldn’t have risked my life for you back there with that mad man.” you half-lied. even if you were that upset, you’d never let lucy get flatline’d like that.

the rainbow-haired girl scoffs, seeing right through your whimsy lie. “ liar. “

“ am not. “

“ is too. “

“ how? “

“ because you’re the type to jump into the fire to save someone, even if you know you’re going to get burned. that’s just who you are. “

your brows raise, “ and? would that make me a bad merc? “

“ didn’t say that. you’d make a good edgerunner, actually. you already are i think. “

you frown, “ so what’s the issue—“

“ you don’t make your name for yourself as a cyberpunk by how you live; but by how you die. “ lucy stands up abruptly as she continues, “ that’s not the life or end that you deserve, (name). “

you sprung up, shaking your head at her words, “ what do i deserve then? how am i different from you? “

“ a good life. me? i got nowhere else to go. this it it.”bullshit.

“ i don’t either—we all don’t! do you know what city we’re livin’ in right now? we’re more similar than you think, lucy! “ you argued back. she’s not even facing towards your direction, almost like she’s avoiding seeing your face. violet highlights compliments her form, produced by the city glows.

“ no, you and i are worlds apart—“

“ what? then tell me—in what way? lucy, please look at me! “

the netrunner bites her bottom lip in distress, gripping the back of her hair; right where she keeps a certain area hidden.

“ fuck, let’s go to the moon together, lucy! “ you declared, “ gonna make our wish–no your dream come true. m’gonna you there, that i promise! “

lucy paces over to you, cradles your cheeks with her palms, and brings you into a hasty kiss. she stuns you in pace. your eyes widen like saucers, body weightless, almost as if you were floating in space. in the distance, a rocket launches off into the air, racing into the sky just as fast as your heart racing onto your sleeve.

“ i don’t want you to die on me. . “ she whispers gently, retracting away to peer deeply into your widened eyes. there’s a passionate glint in her pastel hues in contrast to the still expression on her highlighted countenance. there has to be something more behind those blends of colors; a woeful past that has her expressing her fear like this. she adds pressure to her tender palms, pulling you back into reality from the weight of her touch.

without saying a word, you clumsily slot your lips between lucy’s, briefly and experimentally running your tongue through the parting opening of her mouth, and pulled away. previously surprised by your kiss, the older girl recovers and kisses you again with tongue. tobacco and a sweet twinge of carbonated soda explodes on your tastebuds. albeit clumsy, the strings kisses you shared between her were ardent and solidified a resolve within the pit of your heart.

“ i won’t die. “ you promised breathlessly against her soft lips, holding lucy close by the hips. “ now, i need something from you. two things i been wantin’ for the longest. “

“ say it then. . “ she whispers, traveling her hand down the lower half of your face. her thumb runs along the fleshy surface of your slightly swollen lips.

“ wanna apology for back then. haven’t heard you say sorry yet. “

“ you serious? “ she half chuckles, you rest your forehead against hers. you’re lucky to be the same height as lucy and not as david in this moment.

“ dead, prettiness. “ you tuck strands of hair behind her ear.

“ prettiness? you’re the one to talk. “

“ can it and gimme my apology. “

“ hmm. m’sorry. “ she drawls, returning to slide her hand down to the side of your neck sensually, pale knuckles brushing against your collar. even though you want more than a one word apology, you let it go, bewitched by her charms.

“ i’ll take it. next thing, be my girl. “

she breaks into a pretty smile, a small flush spread on her milky cheeks.

“ you’re really going all out, huh? “

“ you kissed me first. “

“ touché. ‘kay, sure. “

it’s your turn to grin happily, squeezing at her hips. “ now i feel fuckin’ preem. let’s get you inside now. “

you followed lucy off the roof and back to her door side by side. the warmth in your chest dampens once you fully realized that you won’t see her until tomorrow.

“ what’s with the puppy eyes? “ lucy queries, casting you a quick side glance before she punches the entrance code to her apartment. your heart gets caught in your throat and you stammer, “ n-nothing! m-my mind was elsewhere, lu’. “

she doesn’t react to her new nickname and positions her body towards you. despite the neutral expression she’s wearing, you can recognize the fondness in her eyes.

“ i’ll see you tomorrow, ‘kay? “ lucy lean forward and plants a short kiss on your lips. you bob your head, waving your hand meekly as she enters inside of her apartment. the netrunner spares you one last look over her shoulder before shutting the door behind her.

you let out the biggest sigh of relief in your life.

—

“ took you long enough. “ david greets you, sitting down on the couch, free of his jacket. it appears like he got rid of the bum’s blood stains from his face. walking inside, you kick off your shoes, and ambulating your way over to the living room with him.

“ my fault, probably should of taken the highway back. “ you sat down on the cushion beside him and leaned against his frame in a relaxed manner. david lets you without a protest.

“ not what i meant. looks like you n’ lucy made up. “

“ fuck off, what gave it away? “

“ you seriously askin’ me that? it’s all over your face, asshole. you were smilin’ like a loser when you came through the door. “

“ whatev. “

you rub the back of your neck and craned it side to side, attempting to ease the stiffness.

“ did you tell her what i suggested? “ he asked hopefully, fiddling around with his fingers. you hum back with confirmation, dropping your hand down on your lap to observe the small bruises from the stand off a few hours ago on your palm. they don’t really hurt and it’s already fading.

“ mhm, wingboy. i was going to do that anyways. “

david simply grunted, averting his gaze somewhere off into the room.

“ what she say? “

“ that everything she said back then was true and genuine. then something about me and her being different—that we’re worlds apart. “

“ huh? how so? “

“ dunno, looked like she didn’t wanna tell me. “

“ you think she’s hidin’ something? “

“ most likely. i promised lucy that i’ll take her to the moon, to make a dream come true though. “ you don’t tell him about the kiss(es).

david’s face crunch up with confusion as he recalls, “ didn’t you call that a wish and how it’s wishy washy? “

“ didn’t you call that poster she had on her wall a joke? “ you remarked, ruffling up his puffy mohawk. you always thought the mohawk looked goofy when he started rocking it years ago. david thought he looked so cool with a mohawk. he showed it to you one day after gloria took him to the barber with his chest all puffed out, looking ‘tough’. you never laughed so hard that day. now? the style definitely grew on you. the younger teen swats your hand away, huffing, “ you know i ain’t mean it like that. don’t spin this on me, asshole. answer the question! “

“ i did call it wishy washy. i guess it’s different with her. ‘spewed it at the heat of the moment but it came from my heart. i still intent to make her dream come true. i. .also got her to apologize too and we’re a thing. “

“ oh, that’s. . preem! totally didn’t expect that one comin’. i guess i should be promoted to wingman now, huh? “ he laughs and you laugh with him.

“ i guess i should for you helping out these past days, davi. “

silence momentarily fills the relaxed ambience of your shared apartment, you thought about the bd experience with her, the kiss, the way she looked in the eyes on that roof. your gaze softens and so did your tone as you asked your brother,

“ if you were in my shoes, would you have promised her that too? would you have done the same? “

david stays quiet for a moment before he replies meekly,

“ yeah. .i think i would have done the same for her too. “

you don’t miss the longing in his voice. guilt immediately washes over you.

david, you really are my wingman, aren’t you?

“ (name)? “

“ yea, davi? “ you respond, removing your iron from your belt and stood upright to take off your bloodstained jacket that you desperately need to clean.

“ . .didn’t you say dreams can’t come true without a sacrifice. .right? “

#cyberpunk edgerunners x reader #cyberpunk 2077 x reader #lucy kushinada x reader #lucy x reader #cyberpunk edgerunners #cyberpunk 2077

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