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[disrupts]

« nomad »
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V ✦ CYBERPUNK 2077

RESIDENCE ✦ Chez Eurodyne, Silverhand, Strife & V

GEMBOND ✦ Sapphire
"This is V. 'pparently 'm busy right now so leave a message."


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[disrupts]

[ Whatever his thoughts and feelings towards Johnny, the nomad's attention turns towards V's last statement. He's not naive enough to think that it's not the case; that everybody wants people around them all the time. But isn't that the fucking human condition? People are meant to be around other people, whether they recognize how those feelings surface or not. ]

Ain't sayin' ya did. From my experience, just makes ya more badass. My point is... having the option. Having people you know and trust if you need 'em. Even if ya never do.

It's powerful.

[bodyoftheseus]

[ He shook his head a little in gentle disagreement. The two of them clearly had vastly differing views on this. ]

Havin' people's a liability. It get out 'n next thing you know they're on the other end'f a gun rather'n you. What then?

[ He shook his head again. ]

It's a weakness.

[disrupts]

[ Understanding what the streetkid means as vulnerability, the nomad cants his head, lips pulling into a squiggle of uncertainty. Trying to understand that point of view isn't hard, but knowing everything that he does about family, it's like two things he understands jarring together with a jolt. ]

Don't think people can make that choice for themselves?

[ It's a genuine question, one that's delivered on the back of curiosity. Of wanting to understand this man across from him better. ]

If they know the dangers and understand 'em, they not get a vote?

[bodyoftheseus]

[ Though the streetkid isn't escalated quite yet there's a sharpness settling onto his features that act as a warning. His voice dips towards aggression. ]

Don't think people realize the extent of the danger. So no, they don't get a fuckin' vote, and I'm not gonna let them be in that kinda danger.

[ He sure had a way of twisting things so he sounded like these actions weren't selfish. ]

[disrupts]

[ Realizing the conversation is dipping into a vibe that's sharp, the nomad gives the streetkid the space to answer. And the answer's interesting. It's not that he doesn't understand the sentiment. Life before Night City was perilous, and Night City itself comes with a sharp learning curve too.

But the passion of the streetkid's feelings on it knitted in with that aggression would be hard to miss. The man's deeply protective of his people, whether he wants to call them his people or not. ]

Not sayin' there's dangers that aren't real that you know a lot more about than maybe they do. Just sayin' in that kinda sich takin' away people's agency... haven't always respected that I've done that. And that it's not somethin' I should be decidin' for other people. We know 'bout that. 'bout havin' freedom and opportunity to make our own choices bein' threatened. We know what that feels like.

Can't always decide for other people, V.

[bodyoftheseus]

[ The streetkid never saw this as something he did to protect others as much as a selfish action to protect himself. He had grown so tired of hurting that he simply opted out of it - and maybe saved a few people the mistake of picking up the bad luck charm that he was.

The sharpness doesn't abate, but the streetkid kept himself on a tight enough lead that it didn't hone further in this moment. ]

Don't gotta decide for other people, they always end up the same: leavin' or dyin'. If the ending's the same then who gives a shit how we get there?

[ He'd been fiercely alone for quite a bit of his life and it may be growing clear this was something he did to avoid being hurt. ]

[disrupts]

[ Allowing the information to settle, the nomad keeps quiet. People leaving or dying's the way life goes sometimes, that he won't deny. Losing people's never easy and what he's getting from the other man's the very clear picture that he cares so fucking much it hurts him.

This isn't his to decide one way or another, and no part of him is interested in forcing anybody's views around to align more closely with his own. So eventually he nods, backs off just enough to try not contribute to the tense lines and sharpness. ]

Hope one day the journey's different for ya. That one day somebody gets the privilege of walkin' that different path with ya. 'cause that journey... 's gonna terrifyin', but preem.

had to look when this thread started *sweats*

[bodyoftheseus]

[ Someday the streetkid might realize he can kinda be a little bit of a bully when it came to being super aggressive to force people to back off from conversations he didn't want to have but today was not this day.

When the nomad did take a half step away from the subject, however, he did relax a little, much of the edge left his voice though his gaze remained sharp. There's a quiet between them that's a little uncomfortable for the streetkid as he lets what the nomad said sink in. If it came from anyone else the words would feel empty, but he had a feeling that his counterpart meant every single word with genuineness that streetkid'd barely seen in his life.

He eventually spoke in a measured tone, a little slowly. It was a resignation and recognition that maybe the man before him may be on to something. ]

...Think things're already headed that way. [ Though a month was really too soon for him to tell definitively. ]

Doubt much'll change as far's the rest of that.

A WHILE BACK it turns out whoops - can probs wind it down to a close soon?

[disrupts]

Open mind's more powerful than a lotta things.

[ Which might sound a bit fucking mystical but all V means is that maybe with an open mind, the other man'll be surprised. Whatever the thought there, he's already assigned himself to V's family, and vice versa. Might not be appropriate in some circles, but to the nomad it makes perfect sense to go with how he feels. And what he feels is a strong belief that the two of them are meant to be chooms.

He doesn't really want to leave, doesn't want to break this meetup in two to go scout out a potential gig. But maybe there's something in that, some weight of evidence that because he's got to leave now doesn't mean he won't be back later. ]

I gotta delta. Gonna think 'bout what we talked about, though. Don't think you're gettin' rid of me.

i'm good with nomad excusing himself here to leave streetkid with his thoughts if you are

[bodyoftheseus]

[ The way V set his jaw when nomad suggested that an open mind was a powerful thing said enough about how he felt that sort of thing: not necessarily full of bullshit, but cheesy as ever living hell. His expression didn't suggest it, but this was something that would likely stick with him in the back of his mind. He doesn't comment on it.

His attention focuses back on the nomad as he explains he had to leave. He didn't really think there was too much to think about, but sure. ]

Wasn't plannin' on tryin'. [ Granted he wasn't going to try too hard to keep him around either. ] Thanks for showin' me this place. Had a good time.

[disrupts]

[ Mouth soft with a smile, V shots the rest of his coffee - can't walk and drink, too many other things to take care of - and knocks on the table with an air of departure. There's a lot of levels to this conversation he's going to think about later, but not least that he's had a good time too, and that he's already a fan of his streetkid counterpart. ​]

Yeah, 's been nova kickin' it with ya. Don't do anythin' I wouldn't do.

[ Sentence punctuated with a laugh, he pats the other man's shoulder and rises from his seat, optics fastening on the netrunner's face. ]

See ya, choom.