Revenants (Cyberpunk X Male Reader)

016

This is my first time witnessing a Netrunner doing their thing in a tub full of ice. Back at Lazarus, they had rooms dedicated just for this... but there are just as many cables lying around that it looks like a hazard.

Plugging in all the cables she sinks into the tub. Her eyes light up with a bright orange as I assume she's starting her dive. I am standing next to Falco monitoring the vital signs on the computer we brought along.

"And pulling her out?"

"Safer for her to leave the space herself. However, if it comes down to it we have to terminate the connection and pull the plug remotely at virtually the same time. We run the risk of scrambling her brain if we don't."

I glance at her lying between the ice, naked. "That's comfortable?"

"Bodies heat up quickly," he states.

I leave him to monitor the vital signs as I walk past the window to see that time has passed rather quickly with us setting up everything. Quin is lying on the floor with her legs on top of a crate and using her arms behind her head.

V and Jackie are just outside of the apartment. Lucy on the other hand is in our living area sitting on the window sill staring out at the city. T-Bug is near the console next to Falco and Kiwi doing her own thing until it is her turn to climb in the tub.

I head towards the back to spot her stare locked onto the starry skies.

I breathe out, "Some nights you can't even see the stars with all the holograms," I kick over one of the bags and with a huff crash on the floor till someone calls me for my shift.

She laughs. "Like looking at stars?"

"Only when I can see them."

"One of the few recreational activities you were allowed?" I glance at her to see a slight smile on her face.

I puff my cheeks before exhaling slowly. "When they said Corpo hound that means there wasn't just a leash. I was kept in containment till they needed me, some times the most I had going for me was staring at the ceiling waiting for the week to pass."

"You start to enjoy things people find silly," I shut my eyes.

"Like looking at stars?" she repeats herself, this time her tone feels more concerned.

"Like looking at stars," I confirm with a chuckle. "Even the food is a nice change of pace over nutrient paste. Night City feels differently when you are looking at it from a new perspective."

She scoffs, "From one prison to another."

"If that's the case, was I ever free?" I counter. "Who knows? I'd be stupid to prefer that over this. Though I am not naive if you think I am, I know that the so-called City of Dreams has filled more graves than I would ever be able to."

"You just learned," I open my eyes slowly to see her watching me, "you know? To just take it as it is."

"What more can I do?" I ask her.

"I think you are doing more than if not all that you can really do."

I chuckle, "At least someone is around to tell me that. Where do I go from what I was? I know what the Corps does to people, I know what Lazarus did to me... what's to stop someone like you from shooting me on sight?"

She doesn't answer.

"What's a Ghost to the living? What's a dog to a human?" I return my gaze to the ceiling as I mutter to myself. "Spent all of my life being a pawn, turned me into their killer because I was good at it, and I am nothing more than what they made. That's my progression."

The silence ensues.

I don't think she could hear me but that was a silent revelation. Realization comes first, right? What's next? Grief? All the bullshit and memories, a name that is nothing but a sick reminder, killing me.

I chuckle to myself. 

Nah, not dead yet.

I can't grieve over something that was never lost.

***  Lucy POV   ***

The reflection of my face is flickering as the end of the cigarette brightens with each pull. I can't pretend that I don't understand how jarring it must feel for him... or at least how he must be feeling because of it all.

Born and made for something.

Everything you do is because of them and they made you good at it, that isn't any different from what I went through. A brutal reminder of why you are and what you can do and here we are doing it to fuck with the people that put us through this.

Why do I feel strangely nostalgic? A brutal and cold reminder that I lost more than I was ever willing to lose. That I am alone, that where I want to go is far away from reach. Is it any different for him? Alone, with probably even less direction.

Just doing what he knows how to do. Just like the rest of us.

But what'd you say Kiwi? Don't trust anyone in Night City.

How lonely.

***   Normal POV   ***

Before I could properly get comfortable someone stepped into the room. "We've got a job to do choombas. Just preliminary scans of the area around us, Bug needs a plan going forward."

I open my eye to see Jackie gesturing for us to haul ass. "Yeah yeah," I mutter to myself.

Cracking all of my limbs I lift myself only for Lucy to offer me a hand. Lifting me to my feet she states, "Get to stretch our legs at least."

The two of us follow after him to see Quin and V stood at the door. "Glad to see you two are still alive," Quin quips as if she wasn't fast asleep already.

V looks at Jackie. "You keep them safe here Jack. While we go map out the area around us for Bug."

He rests his arms on his hips. "Try not to start a fight out there without me, chicas."

"I am sure Quin will behave," V steps out of the door.

"Speak for yourself," she grumbles.