VALORANT: Stories

The Real Owner (Fade x Neon)

The Real Owner (Jealousy)

Life from being a calculating, wandering nomad to a rooted agent of VALORANT was quite a significant transition for Fade. She was used to always looking over her shoulder, never thinking she was safe for even a solid minute, regardless if she had an obvious state of solitude for herself. But after the misunderstanding was cleared up and she joined the ranks of the Protocol, Fade was beginning to see that she didn't need to be so guarded all the time.

The people in the mentioned organization were vastly different from one another, yet their common goal in saving their world was what brought them together. What prompted them to see that despite their differences, they could still find a ground of similarity with one another. Likes, dislikes, the basics of such and many more that pushed them closer than ever.

Fade wouldn't admit it outright, but for these past couple of months, she could actually say that she made some friends. Not just connections, but actual friends. People that she knew that had her back in and out of the field. Of course, there were other individuals that weren't eager to build anything with her past the level of either acquaintances or simply an ally in the field.

The bounty hunter paid no mind. She focused more on the upside of things and how she and Omen found common ground when it came to their connection to darkness and nightmare. About how she, Cypher and Sova bonded together over their profession when it came to gathering intel no ordinary person could get their hands on. The fact that she could call more than one agent in the Protocol as her friend was a big deal already.

What became a bit of a bigger deal for Fade was how her Turkish Angora cat would respond when it came to its new habitat. Said feline, who she named Whisper thanks to the whispers of nightmares of her radiance, was initially rescued by Fade from the streets. Ever since then, wherever she moved, her furry friend accompanied her. And fortunately, the cat's been adjusting relatively well in its new home, which was mainly Fade's personal quarters rather than the entire facility itself.

Despite the creature's name, Fade found comfort in the cat's presence and affection, especially when she slept, only to be horribly reeled out of her terror-invaded dreams. Whisper seemed to sense her panic and absolute distress whenever she woke up in that state, and it never failed to nuzzle against her and wordlessly tell her that the nightmares were gone and that she was back to reality once again.

Recently though, the cat was more persistent in getting out of her room. Sleeping mostly in front of the door rather than its pet bed and always pawing and clawing at the closed panel, sometimes adding a few meows into the mix, even. Being the nice owner she was, Fade granted its request, especially since she had a handful of missions she was being sent out to do. With the Legion seemingly getting ahead of them in more than just a step or two, Brimstone was pushing all those willing to do some overtime field work, and Fade was unsurprisingly one of them.

Since she wouldn't be at headquarters for quite possibly the entire week ahead, she figured letting Whisper roam around the vicinity would do the cat some good. But of course, she also asked Omen to look after the cat, knowing said agent also shared her affinity for felines.

Eight days later, Fade ultimately came back and stepped out of the Vulture with Sova and Skye, both of her companions' exhaustion more evident compared to hers, which was well hidden by her perfected mask of indifference. Thankfully, Brimstone spared them the chance to ask for an early retreat to their quarters, which he pretty much ordered them to do once they each gave short yet precise verbal reports of what transpired out on the field.

Once Fade parted from the others, she headed off to find Omen in hopes of bringing Whisper back with her to her quarters. When she arrived at the agents' lounge, she found Omen in the middle of knitting a scarf. Based on the owl patterns he personally made, it was probably a gift for Sova. Something to give back after the scarf the archer initially gave him when he returned from Russia.