concerned sentence starters: “I can’t leave you alone or even a second, can I?”
Cyberpunk 2077; Jackie/V; PG-13
One minute he's reminiscing with an old friend, the next he notices that V isn't next to him, and the third he's across the bar like a shot to pull her out of a fight before it can start.
Thankfully he remembers the knife, before she can jab him a good one without realizing he's the guy that's grabbing her, and Yesenia steps in to grab the other guy, and nobody's got any sensitive implants gouged out yet, but Jackie has to admit that the night is still very young.
"You wanna tell me what this is all about?" he asks, casually as he can through his teeth.
V doesn't answer, but the guy - a Valentino hotshot with something to prove - jumps on the opportunity.
"She's trying to steal my girl."
"Ah," Jackie remarks. "So... what? You wanna make her walk the line for something every one of us has done?"
"I did say you were welcome to come along and watch," V spits back, coldly.
To that, Jackie makes a raspy little sound in his throat, and pats the shoulder that's under his hand.
"Not everyone's into that kinda thing, chica."
"Chill," Yesenia says calmly, for all the good it does. It's blindingly obvious that Hotshot would spring at them if he wasn't being held back.
He's glaring at Jackie now, but the gears are turning in his head, and when he speaks, it's to V. "You know he's only hanging with you because no one in Heywood is enough of a gonk to fuck him since he left the Valentinos. Everyone here knows he ain't good enough for that."
Jackie chuckles darkly. V shifts in his grip, and he knows she's looking up at him, but Jackie keeps his eyes on Hotshot. "Eso es lo que tu mamá les dice a todos porque estoy demasiado atareado para volver sus llamadas holográficas. But no hard feelings, eh?"
"Two hundred eddies on the girl!"
Jackie blinks and glances that way, and finds a pair of nomads sitting at the bar. One of them - presumably the one who spoke, but like he could be sure - holds up two fingers, confirming it with a decisive nod. He glances at Yesenia, who merely shrugs.
"Yeah," Jackie agrees out loud, "two hundred sounds about right."
It kicks off a flurry of betting around the bar. Glancing down at V, Jackie loosens his grip a touch and sighs.
"Kick his ass, V."
The moment Jackie lets go, she's gone and in the guy's face, so fast he falls over backwards, to the jeers and cheers of the crowd. That probably would have ended it before it began, but with a flourish, V brings her knife down between the guy's leg's. There's the sound of fabric and but from where Jackie can see, there's no gush of blood at least...
Even so, Jackie presses his knuckles to his mouth, and clears his throat. All around them, money's changing hands. The guy's fainted. His girlfriend is glaring at V, on her knees at his side. And V looks...
...yeah.
She turns and stalks for the exit. With a curt nod to Yesenia, who waves after them, Jackie follows her out. Before they reach the door, a hand grabs his and he glances over sharply to find one of the nomads pushing a roll of eddies into his palm.
"Ah... thanks," he remarks, to a polite nod.
V doesn't even look back, and he catches up with her on the sidewalk.
It's some distance still before he realizes she's yet to stop scowling, prompting him to reach for her shoulder.
"You alright?"
"Guess so." V shrugs, not nearly hard enough to throw him off. "Is what he said true? About you hanging out with me?"
Jackie scoffs. His hand slides down her arm.
"C'mon, V, you gonna believe a guy who was trying to rile you up against me to get back at you for making a pass at his output?"
"I don't want to believe him," V stated. "But I want to hear it from you." She swallows, then adds, "And you dodged the question."
"He pulled it out of his ass. You want me to prove it to you? We can always hit up another bar. And heck, I can sleep downstairs on the couch from now on if it's bothering you."
"No," she mumbles, "I'm enjoying that part. I... still don't understand the rest, is all. I guess."
"What's not to understand? Enlighten me."
"Helping me. Spending time with me. Letting me take a swing at that guy..."
Jackie sighs. The guy had it coming, and would probably walk facefirst into a fist sooner or later no matter what they did. The rest...?
"We're friends, chica."
V scuffs to a stop. "Oh."
