Not too long ago, if you had asked Lucy where she'd thought she be in life at this time. She would have probably laughed ironically and told you she'd still be where she was when you asked. Stuck in her shitty apartment, maybe eating a meal or two and a getting a few hours of sleep in between nightmares. Waiting for a netrunning or other gig from Maine and the crew.
But now?
Now she was living in her boyfriend's luxury apartment with an assortment of food and drinks available at any time. Sleeping restfully on a bed far more comfortable than anything she had ever slept on. Sure, she still worked for the crew (sue her, netrunning could be fun at times), but no longer did she have to budget and shunt most of her eddies towards bills. Best of all, she got to do and enjoy all these things with the nicest gonk she had ever met.
This included her new favorite morning past time: Watching said gonk exercise.
Originally, David and her exercised by running around Night City. And while they still went for runs every once in awhile, most of their workouts now were done in the comfort of the apartment. They had found several old workout and exercise videos in the vast collection of media shards, and now used them most of the time. Some of them they did together so they could laugh and have fun (Sweatin' to the Oldies was a particular favorite) while some were done on their own.
David had grown particularly fond of the old Tae Bo workout videos. While it had a lot of taekwondo and boxing moves, there was also elements of dancing thrown in to make a excellent cardiovascular workout. And while the moves mimicked their respective fighting styles, they weren't actually meant for fighting or self-defense. Still, given that he had already been training with others on the crew in various hand-to-hand styles, it helped improve his range of motions with actual combat.
And best of all, Tae Bo mostly toned and defined the body's already existing muscles instead of adding onto them. Something that she was particularly grateful for. When David had expressed interest in working out, Lucy had been afraid of him bulking up and ending up looking like Maine or Jackie, Not that either of them were bad looking, but she preferred her men on the leaner side.
Lucy couldn't stop smiling as she watched David move in time to the rhythm. His normally quaffed hair was plastered to his head, sweat pouring off him and onto the workout mats they would put over the carpet to protect it. Her eyes traced one particular drop of sweat as it slow dripped down his nearly naked form. The drop following the trail her own fingers often did when she teased him: down from his neck, through his pectorals, and then down across his stomach where a six-pack of abs was starting to take shape before getting lost at the elastic of his boxers.
Idly, she followed another drop. Memories of tasting the saltiness of his sweat as she kissed and moaned into his neck playing on her mind as she licked her lips.
"Lucy? There a reason you're perving on me?" He turned away from the TV, giving her a sideways glance as he continued to listen to the instructions.
"What? Can't admire the view?" She winked, making him smile. "And don't act like you don't stare at my ass when I'm doing yoga."
"I'm studying your form." David paused the video, the color in his cheeks not just from the workout as he took a moment to towel himself off. "Making sure you're not overexerting yourself, bending and twisting like you do."
"And that's what I've been doing with you, puppy." She shot back, narrowing her eyes as she studied him. It wasn't a total lie – she really had been watching him work out these last few days. Partially because she was enjoying the show, and partially because she noticed David was working out just a bit more than normal. When they started, he normally spent anywhere between thirty minutes to an hour exercising depending on what he was doing. Over the last few days however, none of his workouts had been shorter than an hour. When she asked him about it, he had simply expressed a desire to get stronger. Given how their last gig ended, Lucy couldn't blame him but...
"Speaking of form...You might want to look into something that works your abs just a bit more."
"Huh?" David looked down at his stomach, giving Lucy just enough of a distraction to get up and move to his side.
"Your abs are lacking a little compared to other parts." She wrapped her arms around him lightly, one finger gently tracing a pattern on his stomach. "Might want to look into some abdominal exercises like crunches or planking."
"You think so?" His own hand moved to his stomach, slipping under hers to gently press the muscles. "Hmm, I am meeting up with Jackie later today for some training. Maybe I can use some of his equipment?"
"Couldn't hurt." Lucy shrugged, "will you be home for lunch or dinner?"
"Might be here for lunch, but not dinner." David pulled away from her then, making her let out just the tiniest whine. "What? I want to take a shower and change before I head out."
"Not much to change, is there?" She reached out and playfully snapped his boxers as he moved towards the bathroom, making him jump. In reply, David turned around and fixed her with a glare that she knew meant he was only partially playing mean. "Just saying, you're running around in nothing but your undies."
"You're not much better right now, miss tank top and panties." He gestured to her own choice in clothing. In recent weeks, the pair had taken to sleeping naked, but usually put on robes or undergarments when they had breakfast before actually getting dressed...If they had somewhere to be. "If you didn't have that top on, you'd be just as naked as me."
"I'll take it off if you want." Lucy gently gripped the bottom of her top and started raising it up slowly, showing off her midriff.
"Lucy..." She felt David's hands grab her own and gently pull the top down. "Not right now." He let go of her hands, and continued moving towards the bathroom. Again, Lucy let out a disappointed whine, but this one got a response from David. "Alright, fine. You can join me in the shower. But we're just showering, nothing else."
In reply, Lucy let out a pleased squeal and followed close behind. It was her hope that David might change his mind once they were settled in the shower. But as soon as the hot water started flowing, her man seemed plenty content to just let the water flow over him and relax his muscles from his work out. To her eyes, David seemed to be at peace for the moment. A tiny smile on his face as he moved from the water, grabbed a wash cloth and started scrubbing the sweat off himself.
Once more, Lucy followed his hands with her eyes, tracing the dips, curves, and the few scars that covered David's body. She knew them well by both sight and touch, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy the view.
"Lucy? You're perving again." David's voice startled her, and she would have slipped if David hadn't caught her. "Careful now. Don't think you want me explaining that I'm late because you fell in the shower."
Honest a reason as it would have been, there was no doubt in Lucy's mind that Jackie would probably draw the wrong conclusion. Her face turned bright red, and she quickly grabbed her own wash cloth, closed her eyes and started scrubbing herself, as if to wash away the imagined embarrassment. Hearing a snort come from David, Lucy cracked open one eye in time to see him standing under the water again, shaking his head in amusement at her. Her blush deepened, even as he held his washcloth out to her, asking if she could get his back.
"Sure." Lucy accepted the cloth from him, smiling as he turned around and presented his back to her. Stepping close, Lucy placed her organic hand on David's arm, and began to scrub him with her cybernetic arm. Her chest brushed against his back, and David let out a pleased sigh, muttering about how nice her cleaning of him felt. Once she was finished with him, he returned the favor and Lucy knew the wetness and heat between her legs wasn't all from the shower. "Hmm, that does feel nice, but you know what would feel even nicer?"
The white-haired girl turned around and pressed herself up against David, gently grinding on his leg. She saw his dick twitch in response to her actions, and heard him let out the tiniest groan even as he pulled her just a little bit closer. Lucy felt his chin on her shoulder, and shivered as she felt his breath on her ear.
"What did I say earlier?" David hissed, one finger tracing a path down her body. He brought it to a stop just above her waist, waiting for her answer.
"That we're just showering?"
"Exactly." His hand dove between her legs, one finger dragging over her folds briefly as David brought his hand back up and out. Lucy let out a moan that turned into a disappointed cry as David gave her ear a quick nibble before taking advantage of her distracted state to slip out of the shower. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late."
"Tease!" Lucy stuck her head out of the shower, seeing her boyfriend reach for a towel. She watched as he wrapped it around his waist, eyes drawn to the tent in the fabric. "Are you sure you want to go out like that?" Lucy dipped her head down, indicating the hard on he was currently sporting.
"It'll go away, on its own." David answered, staring at his crotch as he took another towel to his hair. "Besides. Think the blue ball rage'll help me. Not sure how it'll affect me getting my pants on however."
From her place in the shower, Lucy watched as David tossed his hair towel onto the small clothes hamper they kept in the bathroom before taking his leave. Sighing, Lucy rubbed at her arms, feeling slightly cold despite the heat of the shower. Usually, if she got all flirty like that, David wouldn't hesitate to indulge in both their pleasures. Hell, half the time he was the one who started it and she'd be going after him. Of course, she had her share of days when she just wasn't in the mood for some reason.
In her case, lack of being in the mood was either caused by. A, her period (because apparently those fucks at Arasaka were decent enough to not sterilize their deep divers for some reason or another). B, a genuine sense of fatigue (such as from their last gig). Or C, she had heard or seen something that just killed her sex drive.
As for David's dismissal, Lucy suspected his lack of interest was for similar reasons. Unlike her however, she suspected that David was either sitting in group B and just worn out from the gig, or possibly just nervous about something.
"Wouldn't surprise me if it was a combination of both. Concern for the crew coupled with fatigue?" She shut off the water, grabbing her own towel. "Or maybe he's nervous about training with Jackie? The guy did look like he could use a live punching bag."
Picking up another towel, Lucy wrapped it around her head and stepped from their bathroom. David was already dressed, and was currently occupied with making something in the kitchen. Sensing her, he looked over his shoulder and spoke.
"Got a call from Jackie, wants to meet in an hour." David stepped to the side, showing Lucy that he was in the process of making a couple sandwiches. "Figure we could have a quick, light lunch before I head out?"
"Sure, just let me get my clothes on." Lucy hoped that he would have told her to forget the clothes, but he merely nodded before returning to his work. Suppressing a sigh, Lucy instead copied David's lead and made her way to their bedroom to get dressed and face the day ahead.
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While Lucy had been well aware that David wasn't going to be home for dinner, she thought he would have been home around their usual 'bed time'. Concern got the better of her, and she had called him on the holo. Him answering had sent a rush of relief through her, and she slept easy after he told her he was going to crash at Jackie's garage once they were done.
David still wasn't home when she woke, guessing that Mama probably dragged him to the Cojo for breakfast. Smiling at the image of the old woman fussing over him, Lucy set about making her own breakfast. She had just sat down at the counter, a plate of syn-eggs and toast and a cup of Irish coffee, when she heard the elevator opened.
"Welcome home pup-eh?" Her warm greeting fell away as David shuffled into the apartment. Knowing how he spent the day prior. Seeing him shirtless, looking tired and worn out in his rumpled jacket wasn't much of a surprise. What caught her off guard however was the number of bruises littering his face and bare chest, and the small gash on his cheek, just below his left eye.
"David! What the hell happened to you?" Lucy quit her breakfast and intercepted David, one hand moving to cup his face. He let out a hiss as she ran a thumb gently over the wound. "Shit, that looks deep. Bathroom, now."
Leaving no room for argument, she grabbed David's shoulders and maneuvered him into the bathroom. Gesturing for him to take a seat on the toilet, Lucy grabbed the first aid kit and started doctoring him.
"Shit. The fuck Jackie do to you? Sorry, this might sting..." The netrunner gently dabbed at his wound with an alcohol soaked swab, making David whine. "Seriously. Did the man go full bandito and knife you?" Lucy didn't wait for a reply as she grabbed a couple butterfly closures. "I can understand wanting to train you, but this?
"Lucy. We just-" Lucy placed a finger on his lips, silencing him.
"Shh, don't talk. Let me get these in place first..." Her hands fell away, and she started applying the closures. David grumbled under her touch, but didn't try to pull away. "There, now what were you saying?"
"It was just training." David wiggled his jaw experimentally, as if getting a feel for the closures on it.
"No, Jackie probably just called it training so he could excuse punching someone to vent his own frustrations." Lucy poked one of the bruises on his chest, pushing his jacket off with the other. "Seriously. I can tell the man's pissed at V. You saw how he was biting his tongue when Gloria mentioned him at the party." She looked through the first aid kit for the topical pain cream. "And since he can't exactly get him while he's in Trauma's care, what better option is there than beating up something that's half V?"
"Lucy, it was-Ow! Just training." He whimpered as she started applying the cream to his bruises. "His annoyance at V has nothing to do with this."
"Really? Because from my point of view..." Lucy set the tube aside, wiping her hands off on one of the already dirty towels. "These injuries are more than what you should have gotten from 'training' with him." And it was true. She had seen the aftermath of more than one of David's training sessions with the man. One or two bruises on his chest or stomach where he had failed to block were normal. But Jackie never intentionally meant to harm David while training. "Seriously, give me one good reason why I shouldn't go over to the Cojo and cripple his 'ganics for this."
Maybe she was overreacting, but after seeing the damage the rest of the crew took their last gig? Sue her for not wanting to see any of them, most of all David, beat up or worse.
"That's because I asked for it." David picked up his jacket, ignoring her gaze. "Wanted a challenge. I-I need to catch up to the others experience wise. Jackie. Maine. Dorio. Hell, even Falco are all better at hand-to-hand combat than me."
"And all of them have been doing this nearly as long as you've been alive." Lucy followed David as he hopped off the toilet and made his way up the stairs to their bedroom. "You can't expect to gain a lifetime of experience in a day...And don't even mention training shards. They give you knowledge, not wisdom."
"Think I don't know that?" He shot back, tossing his jacket on the bed as he removed his pants. "Thought you'd appreciate me training in a controlled environment rather than going out in the field for this shit."
Lucy shook her head. She didn't have a comeback for that. In the long run, it was better for him to be trained in a controlled environment. Even if that meant his trainer would only hold back enough to not accidentally end up killing him. The white-haired girl recalled her own early days with Maine's crew; how Maine and Dorio taught her basic self-defense. They had put her up against Pilar as her first 'real' opponent. And while she had held her own, the techie had easily taken her down. Fortunately, he didn't hold it over her or against her, and instead taught her a few other tricks.
"No, you're right." She sighed, watching as he put on a new set of clothes. "I, I just don't like seeing you hurt, okay?"
David had turned to face her then, his expression softening as his eyes locked onto hers. He stepped closer to her, one hand moving to gently cup the side of her face. "Lucy..."
"What?" She covered his hand with her own, holding him there. "Still can't believe someone else cares about you?"
"It's not that. Know you care about me." David's other hand slipped around her waist and pulled her close, gently kissing her forehead. After a moment, the hand on her waist moved up to hold her synthetic hand. "I don't want to see you get hurt either. When I saw you passed out at the mall that day... I... I felt my heart stop." He squeezed her hand, the sensation saying more than his words. "Want to get stronger so I can protect you. Prevent something like that from happening again."
"It's a two-way street David." She rotated the hand against her face, now holding it in a similar fashion to the other. "I just don't want you to overdo it, alright?"
"Alright." Once more, he pulled her close and gave her a light kiss on her forehead. "Would it make you feel better if I promise to visit Viktor's clinic if training gets to be too much?"
"It does." Lucy wiggled one of her hands free, poking David's forehead. His free hand came up and grabbed her finger before she could poke him again. Chuckling, she tried again with her other hand, but again David caught onto her plan. It was his turn to laugh as she once again wiggled free and tried a third time to poke him, only to meet the same result. The two quickly devolved into a giggling poking fight that ended with the two of them falling onto the bed as they called a truce.
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Over the next few days, Lucy found herself falling into a new routine surrounding David's schedule. Around noon each day, David would leave the apartment to go train, leaving her alone. Sharing a desire to better herself, Lucy started to meet up with one or more members of the crew to hone her own skills. When she met with Kiwi, the pair would go through some netrunning or quickhacking exercises. If she met with Becca, Dorio, or Falco – it meant target practice. Once, she even decided to visit Gloria to pick the ex-EMT's brain on how to better treat wounds. Most of the time, she'd get dinner with whomever she was hanging out with, before coming back to the apartment to wait for David to return.
And more often than not, she'd fall asleep on the sofa, Only to be woken up by him stumbling into the apartment in the early hours of the morning, ass beaten black and blue. Lucy would carefully lead him to the bathroom and patch him up, before cooking the two of them breakfast. David would gratefully eat whatever she prepared, and then they'd cuddle on the couch until he left again to repeat the cycle.
Lucy was content with this arrangement, until David came home with his right shoulder partially popped out of joint. Thankful as she was that Gloria had taught her how to pop it back in, she was annoyed that he had come home in such a state.
Oh, and she was absolutely livid that Jackie had let him leave in his condition.
"I just don't see how Jackie could let you leave like this." She grumbled, kneeling on the bathroom floor as she squeezed a cold pack until it activated. "Seriously, did neither of you realize your shoulder was out of joint?" Picking up a hand towel, Lucy wrapped the cold pack in it before moving to David's side.
"Just, argh...shit." David hissed, breath labored as Lucy held the pack in place, motioning for him to hold it instead. "Thought I just bruised it."
"Well, its definitely going to bruise. Hang on..." Lucy checked something in the notes she had taken from Gloria. "Keep that on there for a good fifteen minutes. It'll help the swelling."
"Thank you Nurse Kushinada." Her beat-up boyfriend drawled, making her shake her head. "And while I know you're the nurse here, could you get me a couple ibuprofen?"
"Where's the bottle? Because there's nothing but the creams in the kit." The netrunner held up one of the tubes, even as David pointed to the medicine cabinet. "Alright, I'll take a look."
Taking a moment to stretch, Lucy moved over to check their medicine cabinet. It didn't contain much, but somehow managed to be an unorganized mess. A bottle of daily vitamins rested next to a container of make-up removal wipes. Her sleeping pills, which had been untouched for about a month now, were hiding behind a bottle of stomach medicine. A spare toothbrush, and what might have been some acne cream were hiding behind a bottle of mouthwash. The pill bottle in question was finally located, sitting beside a box of condoms.
"We really need to organize this thing." Lucy grumbled as she picked up the bottle, its contents rattling loudly. "Okay, got it. How many do you want?
"Four. Really feelin' it right now." David grunted as he got to his feet, steps heavy as he moved out of the bathroom and to the living room in favor of flopping onto their couch. Lucy followed behind, except she went to the kitchen and got a glass of water for David before popping the bottle open. Eight, maybe ten pills stared back at her from within.
"Didn't I just buy this bottle? I mean, sure its was only the forty-eight count but.." Carefully, Lucy set four of the pills aside before recapping the bottle. Leaving it on the counter, she picked up the pills and water and joined him on the sofa. "Want me to hold your ice pack so you can take them yourself or?"
"Please. My hand's getting cold even with the cloth." He waited until Lucy had her hand on the ice pack before accepting the pills. She watched as he popped them in his mouth before taking a long swallow of water to wash them down. "Thanks. And sorry about going through them so quickly."
"Not sure you should be apologizing. If anyone should apologize, it's Jackie." Lucy let out a disgruntled huff. "Seriously, think today I might tag along with you. I can get more pills, and make sure Jackie isn't just beating on you for being a brat."
"No!" David jerked in surprise. His face going from pained fatigue, to nervous shock at her request, then to immediate regret as he aggravated his injury. "I mean, not that...That wouldn't be nice, but. Don't think you want to be hangin' around a boxing ring with a bunch of stinky, sweaty guys."
"David, I've been to fighting events with you and the crew before." Carefully, Lucy leaned over and ran a finger under David's chin in a light caress. "Our first big gig together had us watching fights. Don't see why this should be any different."
"Maybe I don't want you to see me getting my ass beat by guys twice my size?"
"And maybe I want to watch to make sure you aren't beaten stupid by those same guys." David's dodging of her request, and defensive answers, were starting to get to her. "What is it? Come on, out with it."
"Luce, I don't want you to see me fight until I'm sure I can win." David's tone had gone soft, his good hand moving to rest comfortingly on her leg. "You didn't see how close I came to losing at the mall. And I don't ever want you to."
"Well, you sure as hell aren't going to win if you don't take some time to rest and recover." She set the ice pack aside, freeing up her own hands to wrap around David's waist. "Even professionals take breaks to rest and recover when training. Fuck, even beginner netrunners will take breaks to give their gray matter time to recover."
Lucy heard David's sharp inhale, and could feel him holding it as he considered what she said. She felt him roll his shoulder, and heard a faint crack as he did. Looking at his face, she could see what might have been the beginning of tears if he hadn't blinked them away.
"Okay, you have a point." David admitted, head now moving to look at her. "I'm in no condition right now to take a punch, let alone even try to throw one. And you're right, I should take a day to rest and recover. How about this? I skip training today, and we kick back on the couch and watch some movies. And to avoid additional work, we order take out so all we have to do is just throw everything away."
Given how busy the two had been the last few days, Lucy had to admit that David's idea did sound nice. Even if he was only suggesting it as a way to placate her for a time. She decided to humor him.
"Maybe, you got a place in mind you want to order from?"
"Thinkin' that Chinese place on the next block over that we both like." David used his good arm to point out the window, the shop just barely visible from their apartment. "We haven't gotten it in awhile. And not gonna lie, but some synth-beef teriyaki and lo mien noodles would really hit the spot." He scratched at his stomach, which gurgled at the mention of food. "Although, that only takes care of lunch and or dinner. We still need to figure out breakfast."
That reminder made Lucy's own stomach protest at being empty. It had been tied up in knots since David came home, but since she had started treating him, they had started to unravel. She could still feel one or two, making her want to continue to press the issue of his training. But other parts of her told them to shut up and take the pseudo-win of getting to spend the day with her puppy. Something she hadn't been able to do since the day after the gig that started David down this road. After wrestling with her own thoughts for a moment, disguising it by occasionally muttering a breakfast food, Lucy came to a decision.
"Alright, we'll take a rest day. Both of us. I'll call Dorio and cancel my plans, you call Jackie and tell him." Lucy released him, standing as he nodded. "Then, think I'll just pop in a couple toaster pastries for us. Keep it simple, as we can make up for it with lunch...And then have the leftovers for dinner. Got a flavor preference?"
"Cherry, and your plan sounds good. Really good. Gonna send Jackie a message right now." She watched his eyes light up, darkening a moment later. "And done. Think I'm going to change into something more comfortable while you toast the pastries."
Lucy nodded as she moved into the kitchen, grabbing a cherry one for David and deciding on brown sugar cinnamon for herself. She had just started the toaster oven when she heard David calling for her.
"Lucy?"
"Yes puppy?" She moved towards the stairs, eyes looking up the whole time trying to see David. "What do you need?"
"I can't get my clothes off." He frowned, standing beside their bed with his good arm out of his shirt, and his pants unbuttoned but stuck on his hips. It reminded her of the story Gloria told her about David's first attempt at dressing himself when he was a kid, and she couldn't help but smile at how adorably pathetic he looked.
"Oh my, hang on..." Trying to hold back her giggles, she knelt down and removed David's shoes before pulling down his pants, taking his boxers with them. With a content hum, David stepped out of his pants as Lucy stood and guided his shirt over his head and off of his bad arm. "Do you want a change of boxers and your robe? Your flannel pants? What?"
"Pants and robe please." He answered, one hand adjusting his junk. "Think the boys deserve a chance to breathe."
"If you say so." Lucy turned around and grabbed the requested clothes, helping David to dress as the toaster dinged to indicate their breakfast was ready. Returning back downstairs, Lucy got David situated on the couch before moving to get their breakfast. Sitting on the couch, toaster pastries in hand. Everything seemed almost normal as David flipped through the channels for something to watch. It didn't escape her notice that he stopped on one of the sports channels that was showing some fight for a little bit longer than curiosities sake, a small reminder of what brought this day on.
"No Lucy. Don't let the intrusive thoughts win." Her cautious psyche advised. "Enjoy this day with David...You can always snoop around a bit more tomorrow."
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After spending the prior day snuggling, it had been Lucy's hope that David would have wanted to continue their movie and Chinese food marathon the next day. His shoulder had turned a wonderful shade of greenish-brown rivaled only by the water in the canals. A bruise that was still causing him pain if his wincing while eating the synth-egg sandwich she prepared for him was any indication.
"Thanks Luce..." He yawned, good hand scratching at his shoulder as he stood. "Would you mind putting some of that bruise cream on me?"
"Sure." She nodded, taking care of their dirty dishes before moving to the bathroom. By the time she had returned with the cream, David had made himself a nest on the couch out of the pillows and blankets she had grabbed for them yesterday for their movie marathon. He let out a content moan as she carefully rubbed the cream onto his bruise, wiping the excess on his arm. "Better?"
"Much. Thank you." David leaned over, giving her a quick peck on her lips. "Wuv you."
"Wuv you too, puppy." Lucy returned the kiss. "So, you staying home today to rest some more or?"
"For a little while. Got a message from Jackie that I left something behind last I saw him." She saw David close his eyes, thinking. "Probably gonna meet him later at the gym to pick it up."
"David..." She shook her head, "why not continue to rest and just have him drop it off? I'm sure he'd understand."
"I can't." He answered a little too quickly in her opinion. "I mean, it's...a surprise. I-I don't want to spoil it."
Lucy sighed, mouth pressed into a flat line. "Really?"
"Really." The smile on David's face seemed in conflict with the expression in his eyes. The orbs seeming to almost be begging her to let the subject dropped. "You've done so much for me, and been through so much in the last few days. That I want to pay you back. Just, trust me okay?"
His hands came up then, gently holding her face as he pulled her in for another kiss. This one deeper and more passionate than the original peck he had given her. While they had spent the previous day cuddling and kissing, Lucy had to admit she had been feeling a little starved for his touch.
"Alright." She wrapped her hands around his midsection as she moved to straddle him. Lucy's face eased into a soft smile, and she returned the kiss with the same level of passion. "I trust you."
David's reply was a pleased hum as his hands moved from her face to her waist, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Letting out a small moan, Lucy walked her hands up his chest in favor of carding them through David's hair. In response, he shifted their position so that she was now underneath him. Her lips pulled into a smile as she felt him grind up against her, breath catching as she felt his lips beside her ear.
"Why don't we take this upstairs?"
A wanting moan was the only sound she could manage, but David understood. He carefully pulled her to her feet, leading her up the stairs before pushing her onto the bed. Maybe sex wasn't the best idea given David's condition, but Lucy wasn't about to complain or play nurse and advise against it. Instead, she just returned his kisses and caresses and enjoyed a different form of morning workout.
It wasn't until a few hours later that Lucy awoke from a sex-induced nap to find the other side of the bed empty. Along with a message on her holo from David.
["Gone to meet with Jackie. You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to disturb you. See you tonight."]
It wasn't wholly unexpected – David's recovery time was better than hers. With a whine that was half-satisfied, half-protest, Lucy pulled herself out of bed and took a quick shower before getting dressed. As she pulled her shirt on, she caught sight of the time. It was a little past one, and the realization made her stomach come to life and make its lack of food known.
"But what do I want for lunch?" She wandered into the kitchen, browsing for something to eat. Opening one of the cabinets, Lucy saw a bag of tortilla chips. Her brain, stomach, and taste buds all agreed that fully loaded nachos sounded amazing...but she didn't quite have the motivation to do the work. "Hmm, the Cojo is basically right down the road..."
That little reminder was all Lucy needed before she was pulling on her shoes. Taking a moment to fix her hair, Lucy hopped the elevator down and made the short walk to the Cojo. Despite being the middle of what most people would call lunch hour, the place wasn't all that busy. A few of the tables were occupied, while a couple of people were sitting at the bar.
"Lucy." A warm and caring voice met Lucy's ears, all the warning she got before she was pulled into a hug from Mama Welles. "So nice to see you niña."
"Nice to see you too Mama." She returned the hug, feeling the older woman smile. Lucy was thankful that, while Mama probably knew some of the details of the GIM. That the woman seemed content to leave it out of the conversation. "May I get a table for one?"
"You never need to ask for a table." Mama Welles released her in favor of setting her up at one of the high tops. "I take care of my family. Now, what would you like to eat?"
"A fully loaded plate of nachos, please?" Lucy smiled, "and maybe something creamy or cold to drink? Help balance out the spice?"
"Loaded nachos and a Banana Batido." Mama must have caught her confused expression. "Latin American milkshake. Be right back with that for you."
"Thank you." Lucy gave a nod of her head as she watched Mama take her leave, the woman exchanging a few words with Pepe at the bar before moving out back.
"Hey, thought I heard a familiar voice." The words came from behind her, and Lucy's eyes bugged out of her head as she noticed the speaker.
"Ja-Jackie!?" Given the circumstances of the last few days, the ex-Valentino looked no worse for ware. Indeed, there was a friendly smile on his face even as he adjusted the tub of dishes he was carrying. Much as she had promised herself that she'd chew him a new one for his training of David next time she saw him. Lucy found herself struggling to form any sort of coherent words.
"What? You've never seen a bus boy before?" Jackie chuckled, tipping his head at the tub he was carrying. "Wait a second, let me put these away." Lucy's eyes followed him as he moved into the backroom. A moment later and he reemerged, with a plate of nachos in one hand, and a beer and a mug filled with a pale yellow drink in his other. Setting the plate and mug before her, he kept the beer and sat opposite of her. "Okay, now what are you trying to say?"
"What are you doing here?" The netrunner scanned the bar, finding no additional people beyond those she could see without quickhacks. "Wait, is David here?"
"Well, I'm working here today. Got another Valentinos birthday party coming in tonight." He gestured to his apron. "As for your other question, he's not. Haven't seen him or heard from him since Gloria's party to be honest."
"Eh? You haven't?" The only way Lucy's jaw could have fallen further was if she had a faulty cybernetic one. She did her best to maintain her composure, but knew her heart was going a mile a minute.
"No. I've either been helping Mama or spending time with Misty. Feel like my nerves have been shot since the mall, you know?" Jackie took a sip of his beer, head tilting to the side as he picked up on her shallow breathing. "Woah, easy chica. Breathe...That's it."
One of his hands moved over the table, coming to rest comfortingly on her shoulder as he talked her through what she recognized as the start of a panic attack.
"So, you haven't been...been training David to fight?" Lucy's throat felt dry, and she reached for her drink. The smooth and sweet taste of the batido doing little to soothe her. She looked down at her food, no longer finding it appealing even for stress eating.
"Nope. Why do you ask?" The hand left her shoulder, moving to cradle the beer bottle instead.
The dam that had been holding back her stressing babble broke with the question, and Lucy told him everything that had transpired the last few days between her and David. By the time Lucy was done explaining, she couldn't hold her head up, eyes staring at the still untouched plate of nachos.
"I-I just don't know what to do." She let out a frustrated grunt, taking another sip of her drink. It had been non-alcoholic when she ordered it, but somewhere down the line Jackie had Pepe bring over a shot of rum that was knowingly stirred into it. "Why would he lie to me like this?"
"You said he's coming home beaten up, yes?" She nodded as Jackie continued. "Perhaps he's taking on gigs without your, or the crew's knowledge? Lot of the injuries you're describing are common enough for solos but..."
"But?"
"David doesn't exactly have a lot of backing. And, much as Maine was being a drama llama about fixers blacklisting us...The man's not exactly wrong." Jackie gestured back and forth between the two of them. "Right now, the crew as a whole can probably get something small, maybe mid-tier depending. But a rookie solo like him has little chance of actually getting a job beyond maybe taking a bounty for the NCPD here and there."
"Do you think that's it?"
"Es posible." The Latino man rubbed at his chin. "Otherwise, the only other answers are that he really is training – just not with me."
"Or he's found someone else, and they've got a jealous significant other." The intrusive thought refused to stay behind her lips, and Lucy felt she needed another shower after saying it.
The idea made Jackie laugh, one finger waving to playfully admonish her. "No chica. My nephew doesn't have enough game for that." Some of the fight Lucy had earlier came back, and Jackie held up his hands defensively. "I mean no disrespect, but for someone at least partially of Hispanic descent, that boy is thicker than champurrado when it comes to any aspect of love and relationships."
While Lucy had no idea what champurrado was, memories of the early days with David had her nodding in agreement.
"So, what do you propose I do?"
"Mad as I am at his father, I don't like hearing about my nephew coming home a bloody mess." He downed the rest of his drink. "So here's what I think we should do." Annoyed, and nervous as she was, hearing Jackie say 'we' was oddly reassuring. "He always leaves around the same time, yeah? Make some excuse about going to meet Kiwi or someone around the same time and leave with him. Note what direction he goes, and go the opposite way and message me. I'll borrow a car and tail him for a bit to see where he goes. Once he arrives at his destination, I'll send you a message and we can meet up and continue to follow him."
Lucy found herself nodding at the plan. She had had half a mind to follow him one day, but he always managed to leave before she could. And she could never seem to find a good enough reason for her to leave before him, or leave with him. But now, Jackie had given her an easy out.
David better have a good excuse for his bullshit, or else she'd make him wish he did.
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Following her meet-up with Jackie, Lucy had returned to the apartment feeling a bit better than she had been over the last few days. Mama was a little upset that she hadn't eaten, but after seeing something in her expression, packed it in a to-go box. The woman even threw in some extra chips and queso dip at no extra charge...Not that Mama charged her to begin with. David's "family" was just too good for a place like Night City.
She had been in the process of reheating the nachos, in the oven at Mama's insistence, for a late dinner when David came walking back into the apartment. He didn't seem as beat up as usual, but Lucy could still see a couple new bruises forming around his neck. There was also what might have been a puncture mark from a MaxDoc or similar injector just beside the bruise on his injured shoulder. Then again, it might have been a trick of the light as the limb in question was currently being held behind his back. Poorly concealing whatever he was trying to hide as he moved into the apartment.
"You're home early." Lucy greeted him, attention turned back to her dinner.
"Yeah. Had to wrap things up early." David returned her smile. "Jackie had something going on tonight."
"A birthday party, right?" She turned around as she spoke, seeing the briefest hint of shock on David's face. A small seed of doubt of Jackie's story of not having heard from David sprouted. But it was quickly plucked and discarded as her man's face eased into a more relaxed expression.
"Uh yeah. H-How'd did you know?"
"Stopped by the Cojo to get something to eat." She tapped the oven, before pointing to the box in the trash. "Pepe told me about it while I waited for my food."
"Was wondering what smelled so good when I walked in, so sure." He slid up to her then, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before revealing the item behind his back. "By the way, this is for you."
A small black gift bag was placed in her hands, and Lucy felt genuinely happy that David really did get her something. That happiness dimmed just slightly as she noticed the bill of sale in the bag was dated for that day; adding to her knowledge that he was lying about where he was going. But it didn't stop her from smiling as she removed the item within. It was an Agent – a near-antique piece of tech that was basically a mobile computer and phone rolled into one. Sure, the cell phones of the early two-thousands could do a lot of things, but they lacked the self-adaptive AI that set the Agent apart. She turned the device over, studying it carefully from all angles. It was slightly larger than her hand, and about three times as thick – making it look like a brick with a fold out screen.
"Tag said its an old external cyberdeck." David answered as she continued to look it over. "Figured since you got me an antique piece of technology, I should do the same."
"David. This, isn't a cyberdeck." Lucy kept her voice level, mentally searching for more information about the technology she was holding.
"Shit. Ah sorry Luce...It was a pawn shop. It caught my eye, and I, I thought it was something nice for you." His head fell, one hand rubbing at the back of his neck. "Should have looked closer or asked the sales guy more about it."
"Don't worry about it, puppy. This is a nice gift..." It was then her eyes caught the markings on the 'case' that identified it as the 'Luxury' model. "A very nice gift. Which, now I hate to ask...But how much did this cost?"
"Hundred eddies." Lucy coughed at his answer, eyes popping open in surprise. It was that moment that David chose to look at her, self-depreciating expression only growing as he noted her reaction. "Fuck. Don't tell me I got fleeced."
"David, do you know what this actually is?" Lucy powered on the Agent, and while it came to life slowly, it seemed to still be in working order. David shook his head as she started showing him aspects of the device. "This is an Agent. What people used to carry around to do all the things we now can do with data pads and internal cyberdecks." She couldn't help but smile as David poked the screen, intrigued. "Technological advancement has made these things borderline redundant in a lot places...But they are still a valuable piece of tech if you're lucky enough to have one. Problem is, a lot of them were destroyed or rendered obsolete following the Time of the Red."
David nodded, but Lucy could tell he was still a little confused at her explanation.
"Your basic model of Agent, at the time of release, probably cost a couple thousand eddies. A top-tier model, like the one you found me? Would have been sold for tens of thousand eddies." She showed him the identifying marks, giggling as his mouth dropped open. "Nowadays, working basic models sell for the original price of the Luxury models."
That made David cough. "And that one?"
"A bidding war could get past a million eddies, and that's for one with a broken screen. Depending on what could be on it of course." She smiled, trying not to laugh as David's eyes followed his mouth in opening wide. "Take pride in this find puppy. You got a million eddy piece of tech for not even a percent of a percent of the actual cost." Still holding the Agent, she pulled David into a hug and gave him a kiss.
"So...I did good?" He recovered enough to speak as the oven dinged and Lucy released him.
"You did very good. So, thank you." She traded the Agent for an oven mitt, pulling a tray loaded with nachos from within. "Now, why don't we celebrate your bullshit fiscal luck with some nachos. Forgot that Mama loves feeding us whenever we go there."
"Lucy, you know I can't say no to anything Abuela makes." David eyed the tray hungrily. "That, and I wasn't able to get dinner like I usually do. Jackie promised to make up for the early night tomorrow though."
While Lucy stayed calm on the outside, she had punched the air in joy on the inside. "That's nice. What time do you think you'll be heading out?"
"Around noon. Want to try and keep to the same schedule, you know?" He replied, taking a seat at the table as she brought over the tray.
"Good idea. I'm gonna be heading out to meet with Kiwi around the same time." She brought the tray over to the table and set it down between them as she took her own seat. "Gonna hop the NCART to meet her in Japantown. Depending on where you're meeting Jackie, maybe we can ride together."
She expected David to flinch at the suggestion, but instead he smiled and shook his head. "I'm stopping by the Cojo first to meet with Jackie, then he was gonna give me a ride to the gym."
Lucy hummed her agreement, filing that piece of information away as she started to eat. The pair spent the rest of the night enjoying their nachos, while Lucy set up and showed David what the Agent could do. In the morning, they had eaten a hearty breakfast and shared the shower before getting ready for the day. True to his word last night, when noon rolled around, David's steps took him walking towards the Cojo while Lucy went the opposite way towards the NCART station. Pinging a nearby electronic sign, she noted that David was still on course and sent a message to Jackie.
["Jackie? We just left the apartment. David's heading towards the Cojo. I'm heading towards the station, but was gonna turn back after a block or two."]
["Stay your course chica. I'm not too far from your building right now, heading back towards the Cojo myself. I'll pick you up and we'll follow him together."]
["Nova, thanks Jackie."] Lucy smiled, even though he couldn't see it and kept walking. She had just reached the end of the block next to her apartment when she got another message.
["I see you. I'm parked across the street, the brown van."] Lucy turned her head, seeing the vehicle in question flash its lights at her. Triple checking that there were no cars coming, Lucy ran across the road and over to the van. The driver's side window rolling down as she got close. "Hop in chica. Oh, you might have to jiggle the handle a little. Pepe says it likes to stick occasionally."
"Thanks for this Jackie. Really appreciate it." Lucy nodded and complied, the door opening after a few seconds of her playing with it. "You said this is Pepe's van? Won't David recognize it?"
"Kind of, and I doubt it." Jackie started to drive, heading towards the Cojo. "Pepe keeps this thing out back and uses it more as a work vehicle to pick up stuff for the Cojo. Not too many people know it actually belongs to him."
"Not a bad idea." Lucy admitted, eyes drawn to the road as she looked for David. It didn't take long for the pair to spot him, or rather, spot his car. The orange and white Caliburn that V had gifted him for landing at the top of his class with the midterm stuck out like a 'ganic among borgs. "He's taking his car?"
"He's either going somewhere too far to reasonably walk to. Or feels the need to impress somebody." Jackie gestured to the car as they followed a few lengths behind. "Don't look so troubled chica. For all we know, he's meeting some high-rollin' suit for V. And on the bright side, we can follow him much easier than if he was on foot or taking the NCART."
"I guess." She smiled weakly, impressed that Jackie had guessed her thoughts. Conversation from then on was kept to a minimum, both sets of eyes more focused on following David's car and making note of where they were going. Lucy heard Jackie let out an intrigued grunt as they followed David off the main highway and into Santo Domingo. "Wait, didn't David say he used to live here in Santo?"
"He did, but his place was in Arroyo...and he's heading towards Rancho Coronado." The driver pointed to one of the street signs, all the while maintaining his course behind David. "He ever tell you about anything there?"
"Not really. I mean, he did mention that the, and I use this term loosely, hospital he took his mom to originally is here." Coincidentally, the pair drove past the building in question right as Lucy mentioned it. The pair followed David a little longer, the buildings and area surrounding them seemed familiar, something that Lucy mentioned to Jackie.
"You're right, this does seem familiar. Tall building there...Parking lot, that David just turned into." Jackie drove past the lot, giving Lucy a clear view of the building it was adjacent to.
"Wait, this is where we had our first gig together." She turned her head, pinging the building as Jackie turned up the nearest street to loop around. "And David just went inside."
"You're right, this is the Animals den." Jackie confirmed as they once again passed by the building. Taking the car up another block, Jackie parked it on a side street. Lucy made to hop out, but Jackie held her back. "Hold a moment. If this really is our boy's destination, lets give him a few minutes to settle in."
Reluctantly, Lucy agreed that Jackie had a point. It wouldn't do them much good if they hopped out and went inside only to find that David had simply stopped off to use the bathroom or something. Needing something to occupy her time while they waited, Lucy once again pinged the arena and started poking around their systems again. Like last time, their security was laughable and Lucy was able to get quite a bit of information while she waited.
"Huh, seems they've got a 'king of the hill' type tournament coming up. Winner takes home twenty-five thousand eddies – open entry. Not to mention all the smaller payouts for the winners of tonight's fights." She announced, eyes closing as she recalled David's injuries. Was he coming here to train in the hopes of entering and winning the tournament? Or making some extra scratch while they licked their wounds and waited for work?
"Interesting. David still in there?" Jackie rubbed his chin, and Lucy nodded as she pinged the building. "Alright, think enough time has passed, let's go."
Lucy gave a final nod, following Jackie out of the van and over to the arena. As gung ho as she had been originally, Lucy hesitated as they neared the entrance. Big as the crowds that gathered to watch the fights were, Lucy had a small attack of nerves that David might recognize her. Compared to the garishly bright dye jobs of the punks and gangoons. And the natural hair tones of the suits and general populace, her pastel hair did stand out a bit more than others. Idly, she pawed at her jacket, thankful that she had grabbed the one with a hood. Pulling it up, she followed Jackie into the stands, the two taking up a spot near the back, but still with a good view of the ring and the surrounding area.
Two fighters were currently in the ring, both having the build and markings of being members of the Animals. She kept an eye on the fight, but also scanned the crowd periodically for David. According to the last time she pinged him, he was in the locker room, waiting by the door that lead out and into the arena. A bell brought her out of her scan, and she watched as the two Animals took their leave, now replaced with David and another fighter with light brown hair that bordered on orange. While his opponent was only slightly taller than David, the amount of muscle he was sporting showed that he wasn't a stranger to bare knuckle brawls.
"Jackie..." Lucy hissed, tugging on his arm and pointing at the ring.
"I see him." Jackie leaned forward as a bell sounded, signaling the start of the fight. David surged forward as his opponent took a defensive stance, deciding to tank David's hits as he got a feel for his opponent's style. As the fight went on, it took everything Lucy had to bite her tongue against cheering for him, or jeering at his opponent. And more than once Jackie had to poke her to distract her from the idea of using her quickhacks to 'help David out'. The two traded blows, with David being oddly aggressive in his strikes. Eventually, David took out his opponent with a perfect jab to the throat. The brown-haired gonk going down with a frog-like croak, wheezing as David was declared the winner.
"Always a nice guy, isn't he?" Jackie shook his head, smiling as he watched David hold the door to the arena open as two other guys carried his opponent out before going to the locker room.
"Think we should go after him?" Lucy took a moment to stretch, eyes focused on the door David had gone through.
"No. Give him time to recover and decompress from the fight. Just keep him on your radar as I've a feeling he's not done here yet."
Once more, Lucy was thankful she wasn't going at this alone and had Jackie to help keep her a bit more level-headed than she might have otherwise been. She did as requested, holding back as David came out and won the sixth fight. And the eighth, which he lost. He gained another win in the eleventh. And also in the fourteenth match – an odd tag-team battle that had him paired up with his first opponent against the Animals from the first round.
"Shit, David's really been giving his all in these fights." She commented, watching as her man fought in what the bookies had listed as his final match of the day. This time going against Cesar Diego Ruiz, a supposed champion from the Glen. Jackie recognized the man as a member of the Valentinos, and informed Lucy that the man's champion title did hold water...At least at the local boxing club. The only advantage David had was the beatings Cesar had already taken wearing the man down. Currently, Lucy's attention was split between the match, and checking some of the numbers on the poorly secured network the bookies were operating on. "He must really be wanting the eddies from these fights. Already has racked up a good two thousand, and this one will put him to just under three if he wins. Not that we have to worry about rent and utilities but-"
"He's not doing this for the money." Jackie cut her off. "You're not as familiar with fights as I am, but you can tell the ones who are in it for the money. They're the ones who will have a certain level of finesse to their idea of fighting to ensure that they win. That Malestrom who David lost to was in for the money, and so was that red-headed chick with the puncture fist." He gestured back towards the arena, Cesar and David currently locked in a grapple with neither one seeming able to gain the upper hand. "Cesar, he might be in it for the money. Saw him use his signature blur earlier against David, something that usually knocks out guys in one or two hits if they're not ready for it. But David? His, I suppose reckless style might be the best word for it, isn't one you use when you're after eddies."
"Okay, then maybe he's using it for training. Trying to improve his 'reckless style'?" That had been his reasoning for going out after all. And while it might have been a lie that he was training with Jackie-
"You don't use fight clubs like this for training. That would be like someone making their first mixed drink and thinking that make 'em be a bartender."
"Let me guess, the Cojo?" She sassed back, and Jackie tapped his nose in confirmation. "Well if that's the case, then why?"
"Stress relief." The ex-Valentino looked at her with an almost sad smile. "Everything you've told me over the last few days, and seeing it now, confirms it. The boy is stressed out, and is using these fights to try and overcome it."
Lucy inhaled sharply, all of the pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicking into place. David had been a little more snippy, a little more intense with his actions than usual. Something that she had only seen in the early days of meeting him (when he was still in danger of losing everything). And then again in a lighter form in the days before the midterm. The first time he had calmed down once the crew (and mostly V) started helping him – taking away most the burden on his shoulders. And the second time once testing was over (taking the Caliburn for a celebratory spin around The Glen was probably just a bonus).
This time seemed to be different however, as David didn't seem to be getting any better. Lucy knew he was shaken by what happened at the mall, but he hadn't really talked about it beyond admitting he fucked up. Idly, she wondered if he was using these fights as a coping mechanism. Maybe in his eyes, he was reliving whatever fights he got into that day, and using these fights to change the outcome. Or maybe he was just so stressed that he was feeling violent, and it made more sense for him to put those urges to use against real opponents than take it out on others.
No matter his reasons, Lucy let out a sigh, realizing she didn't know where to go with this newfound knowledge and admitted that to Jackie.
"I want to help him, you know. But I honestly don't know how." She looked back at the arena in time to see David catch Cesar in the side of the head with what a patron near her identified as a body shot. With a grunt, the Valentino went down and David was announced as the winner. Lucy studied his face then, seeing something behind the forced smile he was giving to the crowd as he once again took his leave.
"I'm not a hundred percent sure on that front either, but I think I know someone who can help." Jackie gestured towards the exit, one hand gently holding her sleeve as he lead her down and through the throng of people who were already jockeying for positions for the remaining fights. Much as the gesture was probably for her safety, she also suspected he did it so that she wouldn't go after David just yet.
"Who?"
"Gonna go pay Misty a visit." He answered as they reached the door, holding it open for her to go out first before he followed. "Stuff like this is her area of expertise."
Lucy offered no protest as she followed him back to the van. After seeing, and partially understanding where David was coming from, Lucy was willing to try anything to help her man out.
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While minimum conversation had been shared between the netrunner and the solo driving to Rancho Coronado, the drive out and over to Watson was silent. The only sounds that of their breathing, the hum of the engine, and whatever song was currently playing on the radio that neither one was actually listening to. Lucy didn't know what Jackie's thoughts might have been, but hers were racing as she tried to think of how to explain everything to Misty. And hopefully get some advice in return.
"Alright, we're here. Already talked with her on the holo back in Santo, so she's expecting you."
"Good, that's good." Lucy replied like a parrot, various emotions running through her as she got out of the van and followed Jackie into Misty's Esoterica. The woman greeted them with a gentle smile. The smell of sandalwood permeated the room, and Lucy found herself feeling a bit more relaxed as she took a deep breath and moved over to the counter Misty was leaning against.
"That's right, let yourself relax." Misty coached as Lucy looked around for the source of the smell, finding it after a moment. On the counter near the mystic was a circular ceramic incense holder. A single stick sending straight up in the small conical mound in the center was sending up lazy tendrils of smoke as it slowly burned away. "Do you like it? It's a simple circular holder, representative of the eternal cycle that all creatures of this planet experience."
"Very, minimalistic."She answered after a moment. Sure, the ceramic had been painted with a design that she vaguely recognized as the Celtic tree of life but other than that? The object served little purpose and didn't hold her interest.
"You can be honest with me and tell me your real feelings about it." The blond laughed lightly, gesturing to her shop. "I understand that a lot of this stuff isn't most peoples cup of tea. Statues like Ganesha or Baphomet over there are more novelties to become talking pieces for those who don't lean into the esoteric beliefs. And baoding balls make for a useful but gag gift at the same time." Misty picked up a set of the balls in question, and started rotating them in her hand. A gentle chiming sound coming from them as they rotated around each other. "Whether you believe it or not, all of these items do serve a purpose."
"I don't suppose one of these things can help me with my problem then?" Lucy asked, watching as Misty returned the balls to their display case. The shopkeeper's green eyes meeting her own, seeming almost ethereal in the low lighting of the shop.
"Oh Lucy, these things have already been helping." Misty's eyes closed a moment, and she took a deep breath. "You feel, a bit more grounded now than when you first arrived, yes?"
"She's acting like one of those 'psychics' you see at street fairs." Lucy could have sworn she kept the thought to herself, but the smile on Misty's face had her doubting it.
"No need to answer, I can see it in your posture, and can hear it in your breathing." Her eyes reopened, once again meeting Lucy's. "May I see your hands a moment?"
"Uh sure, but why?" Lucy raised her hands up, holding them out before her slightly curled and with the palms down.
"I'm going to read you." The blond's hands wrapped around Lucy's wrists, and she could feel the calloused softness of them as they moved. With a practiced ease, she turned Lucy's hands over so her palms were face up. Misty's own hands rested atop them a moment, before she switched to cradling them. Thumbs gently tracing the creases and folds in both her natural and synthetic skin.
"You've been through a in such a short amount of time. An emotional roller coaster of ups and downs, with the lows out numbering the highs." Lucy followed Misty's lead of looking down at their entwined hands, a skeptical intrigue on her face as Misty continued. "Lost friends, with nothing left of them but memories. Forced to flee from places that once offered safe harbor as you mourned their loss." She gently circled a point on Lucy's right hand, where the lines of her palm merged from two into one. "Finding those who became your family."
"You...Can see all that?" Lucy tried to pull away, but Misty's hands kept her held securely.
"I can see it, and feel it. Your hands relax at the mention of the crew, but if I mention the fear you felt seeing them in that firefight recently? They start to tense." Lucy's eyes went wide. She knew Misty knew their last gig went straight to hell, but neither she, Kiwi or Falco had said much about the events that ended with them at Viktor's place. Seeming to be in tune with her, Misty's tracing now turned into a more massage-like motion. And Lucy found herself taking more comfort in the gesture than she cared to admit.
"Even now, your mind plagues you with thoughts of guilt – that you weren't able to do much to help them at the mall. But in truth, you did more to help them than you know." Misty released her grip on her 'ganic hand, both now cradling her synthetic one as she massaged it. "You see this as a sign of your failure, but its actually a mark of success. If you hadn't taken some of the impact, Pilar would just be part of a statistic instead of resting in Vik's clinic. Nearly bleeding out yourself, you helped Pilar drag himself over to a barrier to help shield him before getting to the rest of the crew to relay what happened in the hopes of saving him."
A wave of pure surprise washed over her. Misty wasn't wrong...but it had only been Kiwi, Dorio, and Falco who might have seen her do that. But here was Misty, recounting events she had no way of truly knowing.
"You overcame your own pain and fear to help a loved one in need. And you are still doing so now." Misty now took to holding her organic hand, giving it the same treatment. "That's why you're willing to come here. To deal with soft science of esoterica in favor of finding a way to help David as he works through his own issues."
Again, Misty hit the nail on the head. Lucy would freely admit she thought a lot of mysticism was bunk, after all, Jackie had called her about this. But intrigue at how much the blond mystic actually knew compelled her to want to continue.
"He's been through just as much as me. If not more in less time..." By her own estimates, a good ten years had passed between the nightmare that was working under Arasaka to the waking horror that was the GIM incident. And yeah, she had more than a few bad experiences between those two...But did that really compare to David's experiences in the span of the last couple months?
"He has. Fighting with bullies. Costing his mother more than they could ever hope to pay. Nearly loses her to senseless gang violence. Meeting his father. Taking his first life. Seeing his father go cyberpsycho at the mal-"
"V went cyberpsycho!?" Lucy jerked back, and this time Misty let her hands go, heart hammering in her chest. She hadn't seen V in the last few days, and none of the crew had mentioned the guy. Did they have to-
"Unfortunately, but he was able to come back from the edge." She nodded almost sagely, as if thanking some higher power for that fact. Lucy shook her head as the latest revelation sunk in. She hadn't been inside the mall, and all Becca had offered up the one time she asked was that it 'wasn't pretty' and refused to elaborate. "Even so, everyone feels lost or confused on what do to and where to go now. Especially David."
This time, it was Lucy's turn to nod. They had all put on a front at Gloria's party, but Lucy knew everyone was fighting their own battle – with Dorio even admitting it while talking with Gloria. That being said.
"How do you know all this?" The pastel-haired girl was almost ready to believe in mysticism and similar ideas but.
"Eh, that's on me. I tell Misty everything. " Jackie bowed his head, looking sheepish even as Lucy couldn't stop her mouth from falling open again. "And if she doesn't know something? It's because she respects the boundaries we have...Or never bothered to ask. Not a hundred percent sure on that."
"And there in lies the solution to your problem." Misty blew Jackie a kiss, before looking back at Lucy. "Unlike Jackie, David is still too used to keeping everything to himself. An unfortunate habit from the days when it was just him and his mother. He wouldn't open up to her, because he didn't want to stress her out. Not realizing that in doing so, his actions still caused the undesired effect."
An understanding slowly worked its way onto Lucy's face. "So the best way to help David out would be to, talk to him?"
"Not talk per say, but give him someone to vent to. Let him know that he can talk to you about anything, but that you're not going to pry into anything he doesn't want to talk about." Misty's eyes had gone to Jackie at that, and the man nodded in agreement. "At the same time, don't force him to talk to you once you tell him you're willing to listen. I guarantee if you do this, David will open up to you."
It was such a simple answer, and Lucy wanted to kick herself for not realizing it herself. She and David did talk about a lot of things, but Lucy would freely admit that they were both a bit stunted in how best to talk about their emotions. Idly, Lucy also realized that this could work both ways, and that she might be able to open up to David about her own past and emotional hang ups.
"You're right." Lucy said with a tiny hum, "I haven't tried talking to him about this. We all kind of agreed that we didn't want to talk about it but... We probably should..."
"Bottling up your feelings only tends to make thing worse." Jackie tapped at his heart, before moving his fingers as if trying to untangle a ball of string. "Makes you all jumbled up inside and results in bad decisions."
"Hey, that's my line Jackie." Misty sounded more proud than angry at her boyfriend's copied wisdom. "But he's right. Might be cliche, but getting your feelings out in the open is the first step towards healing and understanding them."
"Tell me about it." Lucy scratched at her own chest, recalling that she felt just a bit lighter after sharing what she went through with Kiwi. "Thanks Jackie, for bringing me here. And thank you Misty, really appreciate the advice." She noticed the small board behind the counter, seeing prices listed next to the various spiritual services Misty offered. "Do...Do I owe you anything for this?"
After their session, it seemed almost dirty to drag capitalism into the mix, but Lucy knew Misty had a business to run.
"You don't owe me anything." Misty came out from behind the counter in favor of hugging Lucy, dropping her voice so only she could hear. "You helping David is payment enough. And I'm willing to bet that, in helping him, you'll be helping the others again." The blond released her hold, a cryptic smile on her face as she stepped backwards before moving to hug Jackie as well. "And you. Make sure she gets home safe, yeah?"
"I was planning on it." Jackie returned the hug, opting to give Misty a kiss as well. "Got to give Pepe back his van anyhow." Letting Misty go, he turned and looked over at Lucy. "Speaking of, you ready to go? Or do you want to hang out here a little longer?"
"Like to head home if that's alright. I've...got a lot to think about." She saw Jackie's head bob in agreement with her statement. And after saying goodbye and thank you again to Misty, followed Jackie outside as she took the first steps to helping David.
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With Misty's advice in the back of her mind, Lucy had arrived back home to the apartment before David. Having seen him at the fights and knowing the damage he had taken, Lucy guessed he'd take the rest of the night to recover somewhere, hopefully at Viktor's or another reputable place. Then again, she had it on good authority that David's old ripper had met an untimely but not quite undeserved end. So that was one less thing to worry about. Keeping that in mind, Lucy had herself some Soop and spent the rest of the night watching movies on the couch until she had fallen asleep.
It was the sound of the alarm she had rigged to the elevator that alerted her to arriving guests that woke her the next day. Sitting up, she peered over the back of the couch, watching as David moved into the apartment. Lucy could clearly see all his new bruises, but his even walk and the signs of having been patched up confirmed her suspicions that had gotten some assistance after the fights.
"Oh, sorry Luce. Did I wake you?" David's voice was full of concern as he came even with the couch.
"No. I-I was already up." Lucy said through a yawn, eyes still on him as he joined her on the couch. "Just being lazy, you know?"
"Can't say I blame you." His hand reached over and gently scratched at her scalp as she straightened up fully beside him. "Had a busy night myself."
"I can see that." Lucy's eyes narrowed, studying the newest bruises and marks on his body. Somehow, the sight made her decide to stop dancing around and confront him. "And we need to talk about that."
David looked down, trying to figure out what she was looking at. "What do you mean? I've just been out training with Jackie."
"Really? Then why did I see Jackie cleaning tables at the Cojo on one of the days you said you were going to train with him?"
"Because that was the day we called it early, so he could help with the party." He scooted away from her just slightly. "You must have gone to get those nachos after we quit training."
"David. While I don't know what time exactly you left that morning. I went to the Cojo around two-ish, and Jackie was there." Lucy fixed him with a challenging stare. "So what? You spent maybe two hours training with the guy? What did you do after that but before coming home?"
She heard David suck air between his teeth, and saw him twitch. One leg starting to nervously tap against the floor as he replied.
"Did some training on my own, then stopped by the Cojo to pick up your gift before coming back home."
"You mean the one you bought roughly a hour before coming home that night? Fulfilling your lie that you had a surprise for me." By the way his face fell, Lucy could tell David was starting to get uncomfortable with the situation. "And don't try to argue otherwise, the sales slip in the bag had the date on it."
"Shit, so that's where I put it." The words were mumbled, meant more for him than her. "You're right, I did buy it that same day – but I had been eyeing it for you for awhile." David's eyes met her, and Lucy could tell he wasn't lying about that. "Figured it would be safer if I bought it when I knew I'd be on the way home instead of carrying it around all day."
"Uh huh, and why wouldn't it have been safe?" She pressed. "Surely if you were just training with Jackie, you could have stored it at his place...or rented a locker at the gym and it would have been fine."
"It's-"
"No, don't you dare argue 'it's Night City'." Lucy crossed her arms, shaking her head before once again narrowing her eyes at him. "Just tell me what you were really doing. Why you felt compelled to buy me something that, as a netrunner, I might find intriguing and get distracted by."
David's mouth opened and closed, leg still tapping away as he crossed his own arms. By the occasional grunt or shake of his head, Lucy could tell David was trying to figure something out. After a moment, she saw his eyebrows raise as if something had clicked into place for him. "I'm not cheating on you if that's what this is about."
"I know you're not." Lucy might have been impressed with how wrong an idea he had if she wasn't so angry with him. "And that's not what this is about."
"And how would you know?" A moment too late, David seemed to realize the error of what he said. Checkmate.
"Because I saw you at the fights last night." Lucy admitted, keeping it simple. "I know you haven't been training with Jackie. He told me that himself, and I should have realized that. Even if you did ask the man for a challenge, he'd never cause injuries like this on purpose."
She proved her point by yanking his shirt to the side, exposing the bruise from a few days ago...Along with the cut he had received during one of his fights last night.
"Fuck, let go!" David pulled away from her, standing as he did. "So what does that matter? Training with Jackie or training with seasoned fighters. Either way, it's training and allows me to get stronger."
"Yeah? And why do you need to get stronger, huh?" Lucy made to stand, but stopped herself as she noticed David's heavy breathing and the slight sheen to his eyes. Taking a breath to calm herself, she lowered her voice and worked at letting a sympathetic expression take over the anger on her face. "Talk to me David."
"Told you before, want to be able to protect you." It was a defensive answer at best. "Want to be able to help the crew."
"And you weren't helping the crew before?" The netrunner let out another sigh, further calming herself. "Please, talk to me."
"Hardly call being an errand boy helping." He grunted, starting to pace back and forth. "I want to be something more than just the reason the crew is so well supplied."
"Then why the fights?" Lucy asked, hands folded across her lap. "You could have asked Maine to teach you. The man's a veteran solo, probably got more gigs under his belt than any of us. I'm sure if you asked, he would have taken you under his wing in a heartbeat." David looked away from her then, but turned back as she continued. "It's alright if you don't want to say why but-"
"I did, and his first move was to send me to pick up a package for Pilar." David rolled his eyes, but Lucy didn't react to his answer. "Again, making me a glorified errand boy. I mean, sure the man's given me some good advice here and there but...But how is that any different than what Jackie or V have done?"
Her man stopped his pacing, but was still breathing heavily. David's eyes then fell on her, seeming to be awaiting a reply. When she didn't respond, he let out a groan and held his head in his hands.
"And even then, those two have kept me on simpler gigs that couldn't fail. Our first 'heist'?" He made air quotes around the word. "Might as well have been a training simulation with how clean it was. And the other gigs I've been on with you guys? Same thing." David scratched at his head, shaking it as he did. "The fucking mall was the first time I got a real taste of what its like being an edgerunner."
"David..." She patted the spot next to her, trying to get him to sit with her again.
"Oh, and then there's everything with my family." David looked back up, hands moving to his side as seemed to start rambling. "My mom was plunged into crippling debt by me. She nearly got killed...Twice. Was only thanks to V that we are where we are now. And now he's trying to get back with mom...And mom seems to want to be back with him." He sat back down, leg starting its thumping again. "Did...Did you know V went cyberpsycho at the mall?"
Lucy gave a small nod of her head, "I've heard."
"I know we all kept quiet about it, but mom heard about the attack on the news. She called the cyberpsycho a monster. I know she didn't know it was V...But I know. I know the man's past, and if she knew...She'd realize she's right." David turned his head, meeting her eyes as she dared to place a hand on his back. "Mom's been so happy having my dad back in her life. I've seen her smile before, but the ones she's had whenever V's been with us have been something else. I don't want to see that get ruined by her finding that out. Or by something happening to me."
"So why the fights then? Why go off and do something reckless like that when you don't have the proper training and skills?" Lucy felt him tense under her touch, but didn't stop her movement.
"Hey, I've won a fair share of my fights." David went back on the defensive, and Lucy mentally cursed while staying calm on the outside.
"I know." Lucy stopped rubbing his back, instead looping her arm around his chest to hold him. "But again...why?"
"Because old habits die hard." He finally snapped. "I used to use XBDs to escape my troubles, but was able to kick the habit once I started running with you guys. But now, with everything going on in my life? I...I needed a release." He groaned, posture slumping. "Found myself thinking of how it felt that day I fought Katsuo's goons. And realized I felt a similar rush at the mall when I was fighting for our lives. When I started doing Tae Bo, I felt something throwing those kicks and punches...and wanted to see if actually having an opponent would bring the same feeling."
"Lucy, I feel...I don't know, alive when I'm fighting. I can use the thrill of the fight to block out all the shittyness I've been forced to face over the last few weeks." David once again looked up at her, and she responded with a watery smile that communicated everything she wanted to say, but couldn't. David understood clearly, and raised his arms as if asking for a hug. Lucy was all too happy to oblige and cuddled into him as the dam broke and David once again started talking about everything that was bothering him.
Following Misty and Jackie's advice, she occasionally asked a question when she didn't quite understand something he said. But never actually tried to pry or coax an answer out of him if he didn't respond. And while David didn't openly acknowledge her actions, she could see a gratefulness in his eyes as he continued to talk. The only thing interrupting his venting being a clock chime going off in the apartment, one that was indicating that it was noon.
"It's that late already?" Lucy checked the time, seeing David nod. "If...If you were planning on fighting today, you should probably get going." It wasn't that she wanted him to leave, but now that she knew the truth. Lucy didn't want to interrupt him if fighting was genuinely helping him.
"Actually..." David hunched into his shoulders, head turned away as a sudden bout of shyness took over him. "I was wondering if, if we could just keep talking, like this?" He moved his hand over them, indicating their current cuddling position.
"Of course we can." Lucy kissed his temple, the only spot on his face that she could currently access with how much he had tucked in on himself. "If this means no more of you showing up with bruises. We can do this any time you want. Just cuddle and talk."
"Thanks Lucy." David brought his head back up, capturing Lucy's lips with his own as he did. Smiling into the kiss, Lucy muttered a you're welcome as their lips parted. She noticed a similar smile on David's face, but after a moment saw it look a little confused. "Uh...wait, if we're just cuddling...What about sex?"
"Oh my god..." Lucy cringed internally, but stayed collected externally."We were having a moment, puppy...And you ruined it."
"I'm sorry?"
"Look, it's alright." She kissed him again, pulling away. "I'll get up and make some snacks. We'll turn off the comms, and spend the rest of the day cuddling and watching TV. You can make it up to me later."