disrupts | NOCTIUM IC INBOX

[ There were times that he'd wished Johnny had managed to kill him, but only when he got down by himself with a little too much to drink and he found himself spending a little too much time in the space between thoughts, the time when the silence was deafening.

As the pain blooms over V's features he felt himself sag. He could remember the relic malfunctions that caused him to stumble, the coughing fits that took the air out of his lungs. He doesn't crack a smile at the joke, but there's a concern in his eyes. The effects of the relic weren't something he'd wish on even the worst of the street crowd and seeing someone else mirroring his own experience even on some level made him uncomfortable. He'd feel awful about the memory loss too, but... That was honestly a mercy. Not losing his memories with Kerry, no, but losing Mikoshi... His stomach twisted at the though.

There's recognition as V quickly goes over what happened, a small nod. ]

Maybe missin' Mikoshi's a blessing. The after, though...

[ There's an apologetic look on his face. He has a faint idea of what V's life had been after Mikoshi and it was easy to disregard the relic to make out as heaven: how couldn't he when it was months spent with Kerry?

He was about to say something more, but the question hit him like a bullet to the chest and he immediately closed off: his body grew tense, his jaw set, his eyebrows furrowed, his hands clenched into fists. He could still hear Kerry's words in his ears about the happiest six months he'd ever lived being with the man before him; knowing what he'd passed up and remembering who he stood before hurt, and being angry was easier than being hurt. ]

No. I did not.

[ He looks back to V, a warning very clearly on his face. This was not something he wished to talk about and he likely would not entertain at this time. ]

I'm no NetWatch elite, but I can keep 'em on their toes. Pretty dangerous with code. Might be able to help with your head, pending what's wrong after bein' dumped here. Can't reverse the damage, but if software's still runnin' rampant? Might be able to stop it.

[ Curiosity's one thing, but V knows when there's a line that it'd be insensitive to cross. His lips draw down into a tighter line, and all he's got to promise he's not going to push any further is an almost imperceptible nod. He doesn't mean to cause any upset.

What V's saying about his head though? He doesn't know how to feel about that. Feels like hope's been something he's had to cling on for such a long time now that he's fatigued. Like maybe he's already far beyond the point of wanting to have to wake up every morning and being in a situation where he desperately needs it. Doesn't mean his appreciation for the offer's any less than it is, though. ]

At home I'm dyin', but the brains up in that sky station were thinkin' maybe they can look into somethin'. Said I had a... unique phenotype. Never gonna say no to help when it's offered though. So... thank you.

[ There may come a time in the future where his regret and guilt fades enough and he trusts V enough to talk about such things, but today is not that day. And tomorrow wouldn't be that day either, but maybe sometime in the future. Getting him to talk about himself could be a long road that was akin at times to pulling teeth, but V could get there.

Once it's clear V's gonna respect that line he relaxed some. Not quite back to where he was but definitely adjacent. He rolled his eyes at the mention of the researches that were in the station. He wasn't one to much trust anyone who even vaguely seemed corpo, and researchers were, well, tied to corporations. As much as he hated to admit it? He would have accepted their help if he were still in V's shoes, if he'd been dragged right before making it to Mikoshi (whether by memory only or otherwise). He lost a little bit of the attitude. ]

Eh, don't thank me 'less I do somethin' that's helpful. Be interested in knowin' what they got that could fix all that that our own didn't have. Be nice to take back home, if home's a place we ca- you can even go back to. Could help a lotta people.

[ It was mostly idle musing. He wondered if they'd be able to restore V's memory to him if they actually were able to reverse the effects of soulkiller. They were more than excited to try to dig into his own cyberware and network, which ended with the Sparkle Squad having to subdue him on more than one occasion. He wasn't sure if it was from a lack of understanding about his chrome or if it was unusual for someone like him to end up in this situation. ]

[ V almost explains that it's enough that he wants to try to help, but in the end he just listens. It's strange to think of a version of himself that wouldn't want to help others, and from what V's saying, part of him he didn't realize was on edge about it relaxes.

He nods at the postulating, arms fold across his chest as he tries to stop fidgeting like an impatient school kid. Standing still's really not his forte. ]

Part've me's thinkin' if I ever do make it home, am I gonna remember all this? Still don't know if it's me 'n my brain that's causin' all this forgetting or if it's this place. Or how we got here did somethin'...

Woke up on this plain that-- never seen anythin' like it. Got lucky 'n bumped into a guy who helped me but... if he hadn't... think'd be toast.

[ When you grow up in the streets and were an edgerunner before being a teenager you kinda learned to care for those around you, even if it was perhaps markedly different from the way the nomads may be. All of Heywood was his family, even if there was a lotta arguments. More than anything? He was fiercely protective of the working folk, and it was them he had in mind. The thought of Fingers made his blood boil even to this day.

If V asked to move he'd be more than happy to go wherever he had in mind, but otherwise he was content to just stay where they were now. He was used to being made to wait.

He made a sound of agreement. ]

Yeah, gettin' here was rough. Felt like m'body and circuits were fryin'. [ Even if he'd put up a fight in being rescued he was lucky to have been found. He would have died without their help, and that would have been a real death. That put a rock in his gut to think about.

He hadn't considered the entry as part of the reason his memories were fried: he'd assumed it was for other reasons, but considering he felt like he was being burned alive by the time the guard arrived and took him to the researchers... Maybe he did get a little fried. ]

All we can do is try'n figure out what's goin' on up there. Fix what I can, pass what I find off t'the researchers, if that's what ya want. I'd like for ya to remember all this'n everythin' before it. [ He assumed that's what V'd want, at least. He knew he'd want to know it all if their positions were reversed. ]

[ First time they've ever met - first time V's been faced with the reality of a different version of himself existing - and already he feels a lot like they've known each other longer. Not that he minds; kinda likes it when that happens, actually.

So he nods, slow at first and then more sure. He'll take all the help he can get, and part of him hopes that V knows same goes in return. Whatever he can do to help. He doesn't whine or complain about what happened to him, but it's been rough. It'd be rough for anybody, and even with the guarded impression he's gotten from this other version of himself, he can't help but think that maybe it's similar for him. ]

Sounds nova. 'n if there's anythin' I can do for ya, gonna let me know?

[ There certainly is a level of familiarity even if the man before him was a nomad; guy's got his heart in the right place, it seems, like he generally tried to do. It made him a little uncomfortable. He'd never met such a kindred spirit and he didn't like how hard he had to work to keep his guard up.

The thought occurred to him, of course, that maybe he didn't have to have his guard up, but he'd been burned by that before. More times than he'd like to admit over his life. It's a lesson he finally learned in Atlanta, but he likely should have learned long before. There's a hesitation to V at the offer, a silence that answers for him: it doesn't matter how familiar they may already be, the trust just isn't there. ]

We all got a lot on our shoulders; wouldn't want'a weight ya down with my own bullshit, 'specially not with what all you got goin' on.

[ Not so much surprised as understanding, V nods but not because he agrees with that line of thinking. He's just not green enough to think that one conversation is enough to convince the other man he's good for the offer. Empty platitudes really aren't his style, but he can respect that not everybody wants to unload and they got reasons for it.

He digs into his pocket for his phone, swipes a few times and when he can't find what he's looking for, turns the screen around to show the other man. If V's got a phone on him, it's impossible to find him on the network right now, and V'll just default to doing things the real old-fashioned way. For a second he makes a mental note he hopes he remembers later to ask Kerry if that's what it was like in his day. It draws out an unrelatedly cheeky smile. ]

This is my uh... ID. Or somethin'. For the network. So - you change your mind? Know where to find me.

[ He watches as V digs in his pocket for his phone. There's enough trust to be confident he isn't going for a weapon, at least. Admittedly he trusted V because he was him rather than trust built on the fact they were in a sea of people. V got it and fiddled for a second, which stretched into two, and then three. Yeah, the system was incredibly clunky. He pulled his own phone out and, with V's ID, started the same tedious search, eventually finding it. ]

There... Got it. 'N here's mine. You know, just in case.

[ He offered over his phone so that V could get him added. ]

I'll-uh-keep that in mind. [ There's an awkwardness underlying it. It's clear he's a man that doesn't know how to ask for help and is unaccustomed to the idea that he can. ] Line's open if you need anythin', anytime.

[ He's not really sure what else to say. ]

[ The awkwardness isn't so much glossed over as made a note of. Something else to put into a memory bank on the fritz. It takes longer than he wants it to, but eventually he find's V to save into his contacts. ]

Not a netrunner, huh?

[ The lopsided smile that replaces the cheeky grin is no less bright at the choice of network ID. Makes him think he should probably change his; with two V's in the city he's not claiming sole ownership of that letter of the alphabet. ]

'ppreciate that. This place... don't seem like Night City 'n maybe that's a good thing. Or maybe it's worse, just don't know it yet. But uh... stay safe. And I'll be seein' ya.

[ Anything more he might want to say is bitten back for the other man's benefit. Seems cagey and that's okay; V's patient and doesn't go back on his word. ]

[ The comment on his choice of username draws a cheeky smirk out of him. It was something that he'd picked up in Night City after being in Atlanta and learning to code and hack as much as he had. ]

Uh, yeah. Bit've a joke.

[ See? Even the streetkid had a sense of humor hiding down there somewhere. It was the kind of joke he could explain at some other time, but he wasn't sure how funny it'd be without having been there. ]

If it's anythin' like Atlanta won't be better or worse, just different. Won't be Night City, though. [ He gives a small shrug. ]

Keep yer nose clean, V. I'll see ya 'round.

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