This one shot was written as a prompt given to me by the dear nensha, prompt was "New Abilities". (make sure to check out her version too!)
Originally I had two ideas for this prompt, the second one might be a real short bonus story, we'll see.
Takes place after the end (ending: The Sun).
It's the first time in my life, I think, that I've done a prompt :D But if anyone else wants to give me some, shoot!
After the last one shot I had to write something light and fluffy so that's what we have!


"V, have you seen my shirt?", Kerry yelled through the apartment.

V was sitting at his desk in the upper part of his home, trying to sort out some leaked informations about a strange weapon deal between Militech and Maelstrom.

"Ker, your stuff is scattered all over the place all the time, how the hell should I know", he yelled back. He heard how the door to the storage room got opened and frowned. It's where he kept his weapons, his tech arsenal, did upgrades for his Cyberdeck, worked on new hacks and kept basically everything work related. Usually a place Kerry would not even bother to go into. "You're not going to find it in there!"

"Well you were wearing it last night and I can't find it elsewhere!"

V sighed. He wondered why the hell they had to communicate by yelling through the apartment."Can't you just... wear one of my shirts?"

"And look like a Corpo fascista? No thanks!"

V looked down on himself. Was there something wrong with blazers and dress shirts? "I got tank tops too, you know?", he answered.

"Yeah and they suck! Need to get you into a style check one day..."

V put his face into his hands and groaned.

"Just... why aren't you getting your ward robe to my place, it's not like you spend much time at your house any way...", V yelled down stairs, not even fully aware what he was implying there. Truth was, Kerry was basically living with him already or at least spending most of the nights at V's place. And Ker also liked to leave his stuff all over the apartment – several guitars, his underwear, booze, drugs. It felt like they already had moved in together. They just never talked about it.

"What's this", Kerry called from down stairs.

"What's what"

"This!"

V let out a whiny sigh and finally stood up from his chair. Wasn't like he would get any work done like this any way.

"Well what does it look like", he said, standing in the door to the storage room, arms crossed over his chest.

"A guitar", Kerry answered, the instrument in his hands. "But none of mine. Are you dating another Rocker that I should know about?"

A small smirk appeared on V's face. "I am in a well functioning relationship with America's God of Rock, why should I settle for less?"

"Smooth", Kerry said and raised one eyebrow, "Also: true." He took a closer look at the green guitar in his hands. "A Lyridon Chrome, nice beginner's model... not the best choice though if you wanted to make me an early birthday gift or something. So who's is it then? Something work related? Had to steal a guitar for someone?"

V felt uneasy for a moment and didn't even know why. "No it's... it's mine, actually", he finally said and earned a surprised look from Kerry. V stepped closer and took the instrument out of Ker's hands to walk over to the couch.

"Since when do you own a guitar?", Kerry asked and followed him.

V sat down, the guitar on his lap. "A month or two...?"

"Can you play it?", Kerry asked and V noticed some excitement, some light in his eyes together with a small smile.

"Well not very good, I fear...", V said, hesitating.

"Ah come on, show me. Can't be that bad", Kerry said and dropped onto the couch next to V, one arm over the rest and V's shoulders. He leaned forward to pull a cigarette out of a pack lying on the table and then leaned into the cushions again, giving V a nod.

V sighed and put his fingers on the strings but before he could hit the first chord, Kerry noticed something. "Ahh don't be shy. Afraid to annoy the neighbours?", he said and switched on the power button to bring the electric guitar to life. It connected with one of the speakers that were standing around. Kerry gave V a grin and took a drag from the cigarette.

V frowned but then focused on his fingers and where they were supposed to be and started to play some pretty basic strum pattern with some alternate bass picking. Yet it was a nice melody. He kept playing the chords for a while before he cleared his throat. "How do you shake this feeling, that you were born scene stealing, maybe you coasted far too long..."

It was Kerry's favourite time of the day, the golden hour in the evening when a setting sun filled the whole room with warm light. And while V sang and played, Kerry watched his hands, his fingers and finally V's face. The light that came through the windows gave the guitar an almost emerald shimmer but Kerry was even more drawn to that golden light reflecting in V's eyes. Like an inner flame, setting those cold, white Kiroshi implants on fire. A warmth that seemed to spread over Kerry, too. And he slowly started to hum with him, smilingly tapping his foot to the rhythm.

"... Let's board up the bedroom windows, fire off Roman candles, watch all the ghosts in our clothes disappear...", V finished and grimaced when he misplayed a tone in the end, failing to grab the strings correctly. But before he could drop his hands, Kerry took his fingers and put them into a slightly different position. "Easier this way. Barring the second fret for two of the chords is pretty challenging."

V put the guitar aside. "Yeah. Didn't have that much time to practice yet."

"Well you can't sing for shit but your play is actually quite good, V", Kerry said, "But... where... when did you start to learn guitar? Who teaches you?"

V looked over to the Lyridon before he turned towards Kerry. "You wanted me to take things easier. So I did. Been outsourcing most of the Gigs these days, got people that do stuff for me now. Had no idea that being a Fixer, sitting in the Afterlife, can be so boring at days. Feels like being back at the office – just with less stress and less vomiting in the bathroom. So I got myself a guitar... some shards with 'Playing the Electric Guitar for Gonks'... and started. And when I had some time left while sitting in my room in the Afterlife, waiting for calls or just messages... I practised. I guess it became a habit?"

Kerry raised his eyebrows. "Self taught? Now you try to impress. Considering you got the fucking best teacher in the world sitting right here though, I guess I should feel a little bit offended that you never asked me to show you somethin'."

V waved aside. "You're busy enough, not gonna waste your time with something like this. Also I guess I wanted to get good enough on my own before I even tell you..." He smirked a bit. "To impress you, probably?"

Kerry gave him a flat look. "Really. You still think you need to impress me. You. Night City's Bad Boy. Top Dog of the Afterlife. Conqueror of the Crystal Palace."

V laughed a bit. "Guess learning to play the guitar is pretty lame compared to those things, right? Ahh... fuck. I don't know. Ever since you guys had your reunion concert... and Johnny playing the guitar... I guess my... body kinda remembered the feeling and I had this urge to just... do it." He took in a deep breath. "Also music is your world, Ker... suppose I want to be part of that."

Kerry just looked at him, saying nothing for a few moments. "Fuck me, you're sweet", he then stated, before he took another drag of his cigarette that he'd almost forgotten about and that was covering his pants in ash already. There was something incredible sexy about V's statement. The man who'd made Night City his personal bitch sat on the couch, playing the electric guitar like a rookie for the sole purpose of being part of Kerry's life – like he wasn't already the most important thing. Well. Besides Kerry himself and the City. Of course.

"So It Goes wasn't so bad but also isn't so hard to play. Good choice to start learning, though. Got any other songs?", he asked.

"Well I tried my hands on Black Dog... you know from what's-their-name? This long-forgotten underground band, Samurai or something...?", V said with a crooked smirk.

"Let me hear it", Kerry said and flicked the cigarette butt into the ashtray on the table. "But ya know what's really intense?"

V shook his head and raised an eyebrow on Kerry's wicked smile.

"Getting a blow job while playing guitar. Believe me. It's great."

V bit his lip. "That's probably going to mutilate the song but... who am I to disagree with you?", he hummed and watched how Kerry already fumbled on his belt.

The song wouldn't be played well.

V would hit a lot of wrong chords.

He wasn't very concentrated.

But none of them cared.

How do you shake this feeling
That you were born scene stealing
Maybe you coasted far too long

Baby you seem so tired
Of drawing phantom power
From all of the fires in your life

As a house
All that you wanted
Was to feel less haunted
By the desires
Desires that drive you into the arms of another lover's dreams

Is this all that there is even after
Years of trial and error
Learning how to love, be loved and destroyed

Let's board up the bedroom windows
Fire off Roman candles
Watch all the ghosts in our clothes
Disappear

Fingers and the Outlaws - So it Goes


"Fingers and the Outlaws - So it Goes" is a fictional band existing in the Cyberpunk universe, you can hear their song on Morro Rock Radio Station. Unfortunately I don't know the real band behind it, otherwise I would credit them, of course.
Also, did you know? The guitar, Lyridon Chrome, can actually be bought in the game (along with several other guitars and some records of Samurai, Kerry and other bands). But you can't actually play it - it's "just" a junk item. Still funny!