#its kinda an abridged version bc i have many thoughts n details in mind but this is already sooo much to me

[a-gay-little-cat]

"Dredging up distant memories"

Getting his truck back wasn't the happy reunion Tiger would have hoped it to be.

Tiger was forced to abandon his truck not too long after leaving his old campsite for good. Parking it as out off the way that he could, he hoped to return and fix it up with the right tools.

Sadly that wouldn't be the case, the truck gone, likely hauled off by people looking to strip it for parts.

Try as he might, he wasn't able to find it anywhere, eventually writing it off as just another thing lost in this nightmare.

And he wasn't wrong, people took the parts they could, leaving the chassis to rot out in some scrap pile.

Though little did he know someone eventually happened to stumble upon it, the truck making the perfect vehicle to get far, far away from Night City. A stranger spending a lot of time fixing up this quite tacky vehicle.

And once it was up and running again? Tiger received a ping. A geolocation telling where exactly his truck was at. He dropped everything in an instance, rushing off without explaining anything, much to V's (belonging to @gr-74 ) dismay.

He didn't expect Tiger to lead them out into the desert, out to the huge trash piles just outside NC. Even less so to see... that truck. It had Tiger written all over it.

Nor could anything prepare him for the scene he was about to witness. A stranger simply trying to get out of the city (who could blame them really by using this truck they fixed up. A truck that very much so belonged to the other mercenary.

V expected Tiger to let it go, let the person leave. He's always been nice, charitable.

But not this time.

He's never seen him this... angry, tense. Not budging in the slightest and telling the stranger to take a hike. Doesn't want to hear it, just get lost. And get lost they did, yelling at Tiger for his cruelty.

Cruelty V had to agree with. Because what the fuck was that.

The answer he gets?

"Ya wouldn't fucking get it.", followed by him getting into the vehicle.

When asked where he thinks he's going it gets deflected with a "None of your business."

Uncharacteristically cold for a man like Tiger.

After a bit of a drive he arrived at an empty spot in the desert, nothing of interest to see here, just sand and rock as far as the eye can see.

At least, that is what its now. Years ago? It was the last spot his clan camped at before it all burned down.

A loss he never processed, simply buried deep deep down where it was left to fester, never daring to uncover it.

Until the truck appeared and it all got dragged to the surface to show its ugly face.

Tiger spends the next days drinking, sober being far from a state he wants to be in right now.

No one has heard from him in this time, simply wanting to be on his own. Much to the concern of his family and Vincent who figured Tiger was staying with the other party.

Once telling Tiger's sister what has happened, she might know where he is, sending V on a wild goose hunt out in the desert.

Luckily it's not hard to miss that bright blue truck out in the brown and dry landscape.

Stepping closer, the image that unfolds in front of him is not a pretty one. Several bottles and cans of beer scattered about and Tiger staring off into the distance.

Walking up, V asks if he can sit with him, if he wants to talk about it but all he gets in response is a grunt.

What does he care? What's there to talk about?

Vincent has been keeping him at arms length, so why does he want to get involved in his life now?

An exasperated snort leaves the smaller merc. Fine, be that way.

Despite that, he doesn't want to leave, doesn't feel right to leave Tiger on his lonesome like this.

Instead he chooses to look around, see if there's anything here, must be a reason as to why the guy drove to this spot.

After a while of finding nothing but sand, a gruff "Nothin' here anymore." is mumbled from behind him.

Using this as an opportunity to get a better picture of all of this, Vincent asks "Oh yeah? How d'you figure?"

There's a long pause. Tiger staring off into nothing until finally a quiet "Watched it all burn."

The nomad never told him much about what happened, why he isn't running with a clan anymore. It was only ever vague answers, nor did V ever push the topic much.

So when Tiger tells him, tells him about how the camp got caught in a crossfire between corporations in the middle of the night, V stands and listens, asking the occasional question to keep him talking, eventually sitting down next to him.

After a while he trails off into stories of the past, what it was like.

And then it's quiet again for a bit.

Until V offers to get them something proper to eat, Tiger not wanting to leave his truck out here.

It is strange, sitting here, eating in silence, no city noises anywhere, the stars visible above them.

Between bites Tiger thanks him for listening, apologizing for being an asshole back there.

It's not long before V is getting tired, looking forward to his bed.

Offering Tiger to come with, crash at his place.

But Tiger wants to stay, just one more night. He's been out here sleeping in his truck, one more time won't hurt. He'll be fine, playfully nudging the other as a reassurance.

"Well.... I guess I'll see you when I see you."

"Not getting rid of me that easy, promise."