KyokaSuigetsu
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Chapter 33: Four Hours of Acquaintance, Immediate Cohabitation!
🕑 Added 2025-04-01 03:19:20 +0000 UTCBack at the apartment.
Leo practically sprinted to the couch, collapsing onto it. Only then did he notice the dampness on his back. He reached behind and felt the cold sweat soaking through his shirt.
"Damn..."
Life in Night City was a little too intense. A simple outing had almost ended in him getting kidnapped by scavengers. It was hard to imagine how ordinary people managed to survive in this near-lawless chaos.
The ringing echoes of gunfire and the metallic thuds of bullets hitting the car were still fresh in his mind, leaving him restless.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of anxious footsteps paced unevenly through the room.
Leo turned his head and saw V, equally restless.
"V, come sit down. It's over now."
V's steps faltered, her crimson hair swaying slightly. "You don't get it. It's not over yet."
"They're still coming after us?!"
"No. Those bastards broke the rules. And by tradition, I have to set things straight. You should stay in today. I'll head back to the Hive and settle this."
Leo was stunned. Was V really that vengeful?
An eye for an eye without delay?
V noticed his shocked expression and quickly explained.
"It's not just personal. It's about tradition."
She went on, breaking it down for the rich, clueless young man.
"Watson is one of the poorest and most chaotic districts in Night City. Because of that, the people here have an unspoken rule — no harming your own neighbors.
In simple terms, you don't prey on your own turf. Otherwise, fear would spread, and the already fragile order would crumble entirely."
"But those scavengers... they live in the Hive and still dared to target someone there. They broke the rules. And since I'm a local, it's on me to respond."
She might be right, but Leo wasn't comfortable with it. As she walked past, he instinctively reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"You— uh, what?"
V flinched, instinctively glaring. But when she saw the concern in Leo's eyes, her expression softened.
"Going alone is too dangerous. Besides, you don't even have intel."
"I have contacts. You spent money at both Wilson's gun shop and Fred's boxing ring today — you're technically their customer. I'll ask them. If they know anything, they'll tell me."
"Okay, but that doesn't solve the part where you're going alone."
"I'm a lone wolf. Dealing with scavengers is nothing new for me." V patted her holstered gun. "And now I've got a tech weapon that shoots through walls. Easy."
"Still no. You're my bodyguard. Your job is to protect me. Think about your paycheck!"
That last line hit like a sledgehammer.
The thought of all those sweet, filthy Eurodollars drained V's determination.
Leo seized the moment. "Remember, you're part of a team now. Once Jackie recovers and I hire a reliable netrunner, the four of us will hunt those bastards down."
"Makes sense… Wait, four of us? You're just a fixer. You better not try to join the fight. Stay in the backline and don't screw it up."
"Uh, we'll see."
Leo did want to join a few low-risk missions. It'd be good practice. But that could wait. For now, he had to at least be useful.
For the time being, he successfully convinced V to stay put.
The two of them bought some drinks from the vending machine and relaxed on the couch.
The adrenaline faded, leaving behind an unpleasant stickiness from all the sweat.
"I'm gonna take a shower."
Leo stood up and headed toward the second-floor bathroom.
V sat absentmindedly for a while before flipping on the TV. She tuned in to her favorite show, "Guns & Grit."
She got lucky — today's episode was about firearms.
Sure, it was basically a glorified ad, but learning about new guns wasn't half bad.
"Welcome to the show! Today, I've got something for all of you tired of traditional gunpowder weapons. I mean, who likes loud, smoky, wrist-snapping firearms anyway?"
"If you're fed up with that, maybe it's time to try something new. Let me introduce the flagship product from Dala Tech — the DR-12 Quasar."
"An electromagnetic handgun... Not bad."
V sipped her drink, barely paying attention. Something else gnawed at her.
She kept sneaking glances at the second floor.
The unfamiliarity of this place, the sudden change from her usual solitary life to having someone else around — especially a guy — unsettled her.
She sighed, the sound of running water only making her thoughts spiral further.
Then, Leo returned, casually dressed in comfortable loungewear.
That did it.
"Seriously... Can't you dress a little more properly indoors?"
"You should record yourself and listen back. You want me to wear a suit and outdoor shoes at home, just so I can track mud all over the place?"
V's eyes lowered to his slippers.
"I mean, uh, maybe I should head back. Even as a bodyguard, I'm not supposed to guard you 24/7. You're safe enough here."
Leo hesitated for a moment before sitting a meter away from her. "You shouldn't go back. If those scavengers hold a grudge, heading back to the Hive alone would be dangerous."
And there it was.
V's worst fear.
A dozen excuses flashed through her mind, ready to refuse. But Leo cut her off.
"This apartment's huge. Plenty of space for one more person."
"But—"
"No buts. Bodyguards follow their employer's orders."
"It's inconvenient, though," V stammered, her gaze darting. "There's only one bed, one bathroom. I can sleep on the couch, sure, but constantly walking past your room to get to the bathroom? That's not ideal."
She made a solid argument.
Unfortunately, Leo was already prepared.
"Wrong. There's more than one bed and one bathroom. Come on, I'll show you."
He stood, motioning for her to follow.
After some hesitation, V obeyed.
Leo led her to the weapon storage room.
"The passcode is six zeros. I haven't set a proper one since I just moved in."
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.
Ding!
The door slid open, revealing a surprisingly spacious room.
Roughly 20 square meters in size, it had a bed, a desk with a matching computer, and at the back, a small but functional bathroom with a glass door.
V stared in disbelief. It was practically a second bedroom.
Leo smirked. "Still worried about space?"
