#ch: valerie ramirez

[seraphfighter]

waiting on you, is this love made just for two

@silverv-week day one: soulmates au Everyone was born with a soulmate. At the age of sixteen, people's soul marks are revealed, showing the initials of their soulmate on their skin. V believed the entire concept was bullshit. So did Johnny. Until they ended up stuck in the same head with each other's initials on their bodies.

Preview below the cut. Read the entire work ao3.

V didn’t believe in soulmates. 

They were just another bullshit concept people made up in an attempt to make their shitty lives more bearable. Sure, another person’s initials appeared on everyone’s body when they turned sixteen. They were called soul marks. And yeah, maybe that person existed. But if people were truly soulmates, why did she hear stories about people murdering their soulmates? Someone destined to love another person wouldn’t harm that person. It wouldn’t make sense. 

The initials RJL were marked on her inner left wrist. When she was young and naive, she’d lie in bed at night and trace the initials with her finger. It was nice to imagine there was someone out there meant for her. Anything that would fill the aching hole of loneliness in her chest. She’d tried to imagine the person. Did they have dark or light hair? Maybe it was dyed. Were they short or tall? Did they like the same things she did? It didn’t matter. As long as her soulmate came and swept her off her feet and rescued her from the horrors of her life, she’d be happy. 

Most people met their soulmates by the time they turned twenty-five. V waited for that moment every day but it never came. Now, she was twenty-eight and knew better. It was all bullshit. 

Even if it wasn’t, it’s not like it mattered now. She was dying. She’d be dead before she had the chance to meet them anyway. All thanks to the Relic eating at her brain and the egotistical rockerboy stuck inside her head. 

[seraphfighter]

Golden hour

[seraphfighter]

Local merc sighted on a smoke break wearing a color that's not black; more at 10:00

[seraphfighter]

Hey! 3 for the OTP prompts! ❤️❤️❤️

3. Write about your ship holding hands in a tense moment.

Listen, I do not know how this turned into a 1.6k-word piece, but it did. For some context, this is set in my modern au, because in the canon au Val would simply not put up with this, the badass merc that she is. (and you can blame @glitchinginthegarden for the idea)

To anyone reading, be advised: This fic has references to past abuse and features a man being creepy and scummy in general.

The night air feels refreshing after being in the stuffy bar all night. 

V retreats to the entrance of the alleyway next to the bar's main doors. Leaning back against the brick wall, she pulls out her pack of cigarettes and places one between her lips to light it. She takes a deep drag and exhales, the smoke billowing out in front of her. God, she’s worn out. Nights with Judy are fun but she can only handle being crowded against a bunch of drunk people for so long. It’s not her scene. 

Checking the time, V pulls her phone out of her pocket. 10:03 PM. Johnny should be here soon. He’d agreed to pick her up coming back from a late night at the studio. Shockingly, he didn’t whine about her lack of a car this time. Probably because she’s sleeping over at his place. She’d been planning on it anyway and she wasn’t going to hop on her bike after a couple of drinks, even though she doesn’t feel the effects of the alcohol. 

She occupies her time by scrolling through her feed on her phone while she smokes. Hearing footsteps to her right, she doesn’t think anything of it until a deep voice asks, “Got a spare cig?” 

V glances up at the man coming to a stop by her side. Already, she’s annoyed. She has no interest in talking to a random stranger. Hoping he’ll take the cigarette and leave her alone, she pulls out her pack and passes him one. “Thanks,” the man says, mustering what appears to be his best attempt at a charming grin as he uses his own lighter to light it. 

She doesn’t respond and returns her attention to her phone. But as her luck has it, the man doesn’t leave and keeps speaking, “What are you doing out here all by yourself?” 

Fuck, she knows where he’s going with this. “Not interested,” she responds flatly, not bothering to look up from her phone. 

“Aw, c’mon. Don’t be like that. I’m just saying a pretty woman shouldn’t be out here by yourself like this.” Out of her peripherals, she sees him move a step closer. She moves a step back. 

Unease begins to curl in her gut. She shuts her phone’s screen off but keeps it in her hand with a tight grip as she turns her attention to the man. “I said, I’m not interested.” 

The man blatantly drags his eyes over her body and she fights back a shudder. A picture of false innocence, he tilts his head. “I’m just trying to be friendly here. Night City’s dangerous you know, it’s not safe for a woman as beautiful as you to be here alone. Something bad could happen.” 

God, you can’t be a woman and go anywhere without being harassed anymore. V throws her cigarette down on the ground and uses her boot to smother it with more force than necessary. “I can handle myself, thanks.” She’ll just wait inside the bar for Johnny. Hoping that this will be the end of the conversation, V moves to step past him, but the man is faster, blocking her path. He approaches her and it’s not until she backs up that realizes he’s got her cornered against the wall. 

Her heart leaps into her throat. Fuck, fuck. She glances to the side to see if there’s anyone within sight, but they’re alone. 

“Let me at least walk you inside, then. I’ll buy you a drink.” When he speaks, she can smell the bourbon on his breath. Markus. Backed into the corner of their room. Her palms are clammy.

She feels like she’s going to be sick. 

“What? So you can spike it? Fuck off.” She tries to move past him but again, he blocks her. 

The man’s not that much taller than her but she feels small beneath his stare. “Where are you going? We’re just having a friendly conversation.” He flicks the last of his cigarette to the side and braces his hand against the wall above her. 

She could knee him in the balls and make a run for it. V’s fast and the man is clearly drunk. It’d be easy to outrun him, right? Why doesn’t she have her pocket knife on her? She should know better than to not carry it. 

“Choom, back the fuck off right now.” She’s proud of how steady her voice sounds. 

“Or what?” 

The screech of tires against the asphalt of the parking lot echoes down the alleyway. Before she can process it, the man is being hauled back and away from her. The man stumbles away and then Johnny’s in front of her, his back to her. With a hard shove, he has the offending man crashing into the opposite wall. Johnny spares a glance at her, his face contorted in an anger she’s not used to seeing on him, before he advances on the man. 

“The fuck did you think you were doin’, huh? She told you to back the fuck off!” His voice is a loud angry growl, akin to some of his vocals in his songs. 

The man holds his hands up. He looks terrified, the confidence he was exuding with her long gone. “I-I didn’t mean anything by it man!”

“Cut the bullshit!” Johnny barks. “Didn’t mean anythin’ by it? So you think it’s okay to harass my girl when she tells you to back the fuck off?!” 

V hates how hearing Johnny refer to her as his girl makes her feel all fuzzy inside, even in this situation. 

“I didn’t know! She didn’t say she had a boyfriend!” 

Pathetic. This man is pathetic. V steps forward but still keeps herself behind Johnny. “ It doesn’t matter, I told you I wasn’t interested. It’s the same fucking principal,” she snaps. 

Johnny’s fists clench down at his sides. “Well? You aren’t fuckin’ deaf! You still think it’s okay?  I should teach you a lesson right now, you piece of shit. Maybe then you’ll get it through your thick skull to leave women alone.” 

“I’m sorry!” The man almost looks close to tears. 

In the parking lot and near the entrance to the alleyway, people are starting to gather. Their yelling is drawing a crowd. V sees more than a few phones with the cameras facing them. They need to get out of her before Johnny’s recognized. 

V grasps his hand, forcing his fist to unclench so she can weave her fingers through his. She doesn’t know if it’s his hand trembling or hers. Johnny looks over at her and beneath the anger, she can see concern for her. 

“Johnny, he’s not worth it.” Subtly, she flicks her eyes over to the crowd gathering and he turns his head to glance. She keeps her voice pitched low, “We need to get out of here.” 

Oblivious, the man keeps babbling. “I won’t do it again, I promise!” 

“Shut the fuck up!” Johnny snarls at him. 

“Johnny.” She tugs on his hand, more insistent this time. “Let’s go.” 

He wants to fight her on it, she can tell, but ultimately he steps back. He turns to leave but not before growling to the man, “Get out of here. I better not see your fuckin’ face again or I’ll bash your skull in.” 

Hearing a few murmurs of Johnny’s name, V keeps her head low and turned away as they retreat from the alley, still not used to the public attention. Johnny, as usual, is unbothered. He keeps his head held straight and high as they make the short walk to the Porsche. As soon as they're sat inside, he peels out of the parking lot, gripping her hand tightly where it rests on the center console. 

The farther they get from the bar, the more adrenaline V feels fade out of her body. The glass of the window is cool against her forehead as she rests against it. She closes her eyes and focuses on her breathing until her heart rate slows and there’s no longer bile climbing up her throat. 

She doesn’t notice Johnny pulling over until they're stopped along the side of an unbusy street. Lifting her head from the window, she turns to ask Johnny what he’s doing, but he doesn’t give her a chance before his free hand cradles the side of her face and his lips are on hers. V exhales through her nose and melts into it, languidly kissing him until he pulls away. His eyes dart over her face. 

“You alright, sweetheart?” He asks quietly and tucks her hair behind her ear. 

“Yeah.” When her voice comes out shaky, she clears her throat and tries again, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up is all.” She tightens her grip on his hand as she pauses for a moment, gnawing on the inside of her lip. She debates on continuing. “Memories and all that, y’know.” 

Understanding fills Johnny’s features. “Shoulda let me beat the fucker up,” he mutters darkly. “Teach him a lesson.” 

“The last thing we need right now is you getting a criminal offense. You know that.” She smiles wryly. “The media would have a hay day with it, though.” 

He scoffs, “The media’s published worst things about me. Still doesn’t make it right, what he did. What either of them did.” 

She blinks past the threat of tears. Dropping her head to his shoulder, she breathes in the familiar smell of tobacco and cyprus. “I know.” Johnny pets the back of her head, toying with her hair and if he notices a few tears soak into the fabric of his jacket, he doesn’t say anything. “Can we just go home, get some greasy takeout, drink too much, and watch a shitty movie?” 

Home. She doesn’t even care she called his place that. In her heart, it is home. 

He presses a kiss to her temple. “Course we can, Val.”

[seraphfighter]

15 Lines Game

Tagged by @totentnz and @glitchinginthegarden <3 This was surprisingly harder than I thought it would be lol

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture their character/personality/vibe. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you’re free to include those as well. I'm hijacking this addition because it's really fun -> if you wanna you can send me one of these and i will give you context/ a snipped of what it is from! (you could also guess the context if you like!)

Of course, all of these lines are from Val.

"And how many times do I have to say we need to have this conversation? I’m being realistic. We don’t know if I’m going to survive this.”

“What? Are we resorting to fuckin’ like joytoys in a rented room now?”

“I still feel like this is all just a fever dream and I’m going to wake up and be shoved back into the nightmare.”

“I’d rather die than crawl back to you.”

“And I’m going to puke if I have to look at your face for another second. You’re free to go.” 

“Nice one, smartass. Do you want a gold star for that? I meant where did you get these? Half of them are barely holding together.”

“Be like what, Johnny? How the fuck do you expect me to act? Ain’t exactly like we parted on good terms.”

“Don’t you ever fucking speak his name again. I’ll rip this goddamn chip out and kill us both. Do you understand?”

“Listen, you’re welcome to stock the bar with all the alcohol you want. Otherwise, stop bitching.”

“Nobody even uses pennies anymore."

“I fled my own party all because of some words a merc said. Seems pretty fuckin’ stupid to me.”

"Absolutely not, that's hideous."

“If I'm staying then we gotta do something about this because I am not drinking black coffee every day.”

“I grew up on the streets. Looking pretty wasn’t exactly high on my list of priorities.”

“I ain't exactly a saint myself. Fuck, I kill and steal for a living."

No pressure tagging: @tarmac-rat, @streetkid-named-desire, @merge-conflict, @bloodydragam and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it!

[seraphfighter]

POV: They're judging your club's shitty music taste

[seraphfighter]

Ok I have to know more context for this one: “Don’t you ever fucking speak his name again. I’ll rip this goddamn chip out and kill us both. Do you understand?”

Ahh yes, one of the few moments I have written from when Johnny was still on the Relic and in Val's head and they hate each other

8. "Don't you ever fucking speak his name again. I'll rip this goddamn chip out and kill us both. Do you understand?"

This is from my soulmates au I wrote for silverv weekend over on ao3. Here's a snippet:

She scoffed, “Don't pretend you give a shit about me, Silverhand. I'm just a means to an end to you.” Again she wouldn't look at him. It pissed him off.  “You’re right, I don’t. I give a shit because you’re goin’ to get yourself killed before we fix either of our problems!” He gestured angrily between them. “All for the fuckin’ ‘big leagues!’ How did that turn out for your friend Jack–” In an instant, V turned on him and had him shoved against the wall, arm against his neck. He could easily glitch out of the way, but something about the fire in her eyes had him pinned. “Don’t you ever fucking speak his name again,” V hissed. When he didn’t respond, she leaned more of her weight against his throat. If he was real, it would’ve been harder to breathe. “I’ll rip this goddamn chip out and kill us both. Do you understand?”  Johnny didn’t think he’d ever seen the merc that angry. It was a refreshing change from her constant moping around. It was too easy for him to lean into the pressure of her arm against her neck so that there was little space between their faces and sneer, “Harder.” 

15 Lines Game

[seraphfighter]

Changed Val's look for the 2000s au I'm slowly brainstorming and to say I'm obsessed is an understatement

[seraphfighter]

I've been playing with some new hairstyles on the girl to figure out her post-canon look and I'm feeling this one--she's got to change things up somehow after all she's been through.

[seraphfighter]

"Gaze into the abyss, you'll find the abyss staring right back atcha."

[seraphfighter]

Hey! 19 for that soft otp prompts :3

Hey look, I actually got to this (1 month later 😅).

From this: 19. Write your ship going on a casual date.

This hadn’t gone to plan. 

V and Johnny had driven up to their favorite lookout spot in the Badlands. Perched at the top of a rock face, it provides the perfect view of Night City’s skyline. They’d discovered it one day after returning to the city from their time with the Aldecaldos, and in the months following her treatments, it’s become sort of a tradition for them to spend an evening there. 

Tonight was no different. V hasn’t been able to spend much time with Johnny lately. Between a migraine that knocked her down for a few days and their work at the Afterlife, it had started to feel like they hadn’t had a moment to simply enjoy each other’s company. So, when Johnny arrived at the Afterlife to drag her out of there, she hadn’t protested. 

They stopped and got some greasy burgers and fries, picked up a bottle of Centzon to share, and took the Thorton out to the Badlands. They made the small trek up the hill to their spot and that’s where they’ve spent the last few hours. Johnny’d been playing his guitar and she’d had her head on his thigh, eyes closed and listening to the sound of his playing and low humming. 

That’s when the rain started. 

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Johnny, did you not check the weather?!” V snaps, her foot almost slipping on the slick rocks as they scramble to make it back to the truck. It’s a downpour–she’s already soaked to the bone. 

“Why would I have checked the weather? The fuckin’ sky was clear!” Despite the irritation in his voice, Johnny catches her bicep in his chrome hand to steady her. 

“Maybe because it can change?” Usually, the walk down to the car was easy but with the rain and the slick rocks and dirt, it was taking twice as long. And as annoyed as she is by the rain soaking through her clothes, she’s not looking to twist her ankle. 

“Maybe you should check the weather next time,” he retorts. Behind her, he slips and she barely throws her arm out in time to catch him before he sends them both tumbling down the slope. “Goddamn it!” 

“Now you sound like a child.” V grasps his hand tight in hers, hoping their grip on each other will help them avoid any unwanted accidents. They didn’t need this date to end in a trip to Vik’s. “You trying to send us both flying down?” 

“Not on fuckin’ purpose,” he grumbles. “Ground’s slicker than shit.” 

“Tell me about it.” 

Finally, they make it to even ground and sprint the short distance to the Thorton. They throw themselves into the backseat, the force of the doors shutting shaking the truck.

“Fuck.” V pushes her wet hair out of her eyes, tensing her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering as Johnny leans forward to deposit his guitar in the front seat and turn on the vehicle’s heater. She goes to wipe her face on the sleeve of Johnny’s jacket that she’s wearing, but the sleeve is soaked through. Huffing, she crosses her arms over her chest and slumps against the seat. 

Johnny pushes his rain-slicked hair back from his face. “At least it ain’t acid rain.” He digs in his pocket for his pack of cigarettes, only to find the carton soaked. He scowls and tosses it away with a curse. 

“Thank god for that.” V digs her own cigarettes out of her pocket, protected from the rain by Evelyn’s case, and scoots across the seat to press against Johnny’s side. She pulls a smoke out and lights it, taking a drag for herself before passing it to Johnny. 

“Thanks,” he grunts. 

Passing the cigarette between them in silence and listen to the rain hitting the truck. Johnny throws his arm around V’s shoulders and she curls up against him, some of the chill finally being chased out of her bones between the heater blasting and Johnny’s own body heat. 

“Y’know what this reminds me of?” Johnny asks after a few moments, giving V the cigarette for the final drag. 

She accepts it and drops it on the floor of the truck and smothers it with her boot. She’ll worry about the cleanup later. “Is it going to be some old reference I don’t understand again?” Smoke blows out from her parted lips as she asks the question. 

“Funny,” he says drily. “But no, I was just thinkin’ of the first time we kissed.” 

“Shit.” That feels like a lifetime ago. Technically for her, it was. “We got caught in the rain coming back from that shitty little taco cart. I think we were as soaked then as we are now.” Seeing the glint in his eye, she interjects before he can say anything, “Don’t.” 

“Don’t what?” He smirks. “Say you were soaked for more than one reason that night?” 

V’s cheeks heat and she tilts her head back against the seat and covers her face with her hands. “God, I fuckin’ hate you,” she groans. 

“No, you don’t.” Tugging on her wrists, V drops her hands to find Johnny staring at her, his eyes fond in a way he reserves for her. His ‘ganic thumb brushes against the back of her hand. 

She wrinkles her nose at him. “You’re right. Unfortunately, I love you.”

“Because that’s such a fuckin’ burden.” 

“It is, you’re a pain in my ass.” 

He snorts, a smile tugging at his lips, one she can’t help but mirror. V cards her fingers through his beard along his jaw. It scratches against her hand when he turns his hand to press a kiss to her palm. She recognizes it for what it is–one of his many silent ways of saying he loves her in return. Even though he doesn’t say it as often as she does, V knows he loves her. 

“We’ve come a long way since then, haven’t we?” Johnny says quietly. 

“We have,” she agrees. “And I wouldn’t change a damn thing.” Even all the hardships and pain. As difficult as some moments were, they’re the reason they’re at where they are right now.

“Fuckin’ sap.” He pushes her shoulder and she follows the gentle pressure to lie down on the seat, Johnny climbing over her. 

“Says you.” She wraps her arms around his neck and threads her fingers at the back of his head. A shaky sigh leaves her lips as Johnny leans down and presses his lips to her neck. 

“I’ll show you a sap,” he murmurs against her skin, voice full of promise. “Why don’t we repeat the events of that night?” 

V tugs on his hair so she can lean up and kiss him. “Show me what you got, Rockerboy.”

[seraphfighter]

It took me way too long to do this thanks to my nonexistent graphic design skills, but I finally filled out the romance chart by the lovely @togepies for Val 🫶 (And realized how incompatible she and Johnny seem while doing so lol).

[seraphfighter]

Just a girl with her smokes, city views, and her input's ugly-ass jacket and new car.

[seraphfighter]

Sunrise smoke break

[seraphfighter]

Just a city girl and her truck.

[seraphfighter]

10 and 15 for the oc ask game!

From this

10. Does your OC have a family tree? Who are their immediate and extended family if you created ones?

I haven't created a family tree for Val, mainly because her parents died when she was young so she doesn't know about them or the rest of her family. Her only immediate family member, Irene, is her older sister who raised her after their parents passed. Irene went missing when Val was 14 and never had the chance to marry or have kids. Hence me not creating a family tree because all her immediate family is gone

15.  Has your OC ever fallen in love before who their intended love interest is, or is the intended love interest their first love?

Val thought she fell in love before Johnny. She only had one other serious relationship before him--Markus, her ex in Atlanta. They were together for almost three years, and during that time he abused her. (She gets her revenge and kills him before fleeing back to Night City). She had no concept of a true, loving relationship until Johnny. And they definitely aren't a shining example of a relationship (they're codependent af and still have their own trauma to work through) but at the end of the day they truly love each other and try to be the best they can be for the other person.