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Judy pulled off her BD wreath wreath and set it to the side. She sighed with relief as she stretched out her stiff muscles.
The techie had been working since 5:03 A.M. this morning, and according to the time displayed on her monitor, it was now 7:19 P.M.
She grimaced slightly as she stood and slipped off her editing glove. Suzie had given her a giant project to be completed, whenever she had the time.
That, Judy had learned, was Suze's nice way of telling her to throw everything else to the garbage and work solely on this 'til it was done.
So, she had. And she had been so in the zone, she hadn't eaten anything all day. Her stomach growled loudly at her in anger as she packed up her things and headed upstairs.
A bowl of ramen from a place near her pad sounded so good right now.
What sounded even better was eating said ramen with her output.
Her output.
Judy's stomach did flips everytime she thought about V.
Just a few weeks prior, Judy had finally grown a pair and asked V to meet at Laguna Bend for a date. And, of course, help with Judy's dual scrolling project (which she was still tuning.)
The night had gone incredibly well. Sorta.
Somehow, a single fish had survived in the water and decided that the tipped over barrel where Jennie Chapman's doll had sat for years was its perfect home.
Unfortunately for poor curious V, the fish was "aggressive."
Meanin', it swam towards her and V got so scared she launched herself backwards directly into the CHOOH2 station's right pillar. Her air tank ended up needing a repair, which V had insisted on paying (and pouted about when Judy told V no, she would absolutely not. It was the least Judy could do after everything V had done for her.)
After they got back to the surface it was late at night. Judy checked over the mercenary head to toe, only stopping and letting her move once she had been certain V was physically okay. Thankfully, the only damage was the busted air tank and the merc's ego. After, she had helped V up and led the woman inside the little bungalow.
The two had talked for hours over a bowl of cheap packaged ramen she had brought earlier that day, and then a cup of coffee.
Judy refused to admit it allowed, but she adored the similarities her and V shared. Which, right now, according to her knowledge, was limited to how the women took their coffee and a couple food choices.
Who really cares about the specifics?
After both cups were empty, the girls had made their way to bed. The night had ended so perfectly, the techie was certain it had to be a dream. She only believed it wasn’t the next morning, when she had woken up with V's body pressed tight against hers, and Judy's head tucked beneath the merc's chin.
Judy flushed at the thought and ducked her head, grateful that Rita wasn't at her usual post outside the door.
Since that night, the girls had texted each other every single day. Whenever V had a moment during the day, she'd bounce into Judy's den with food, a Spunky Monkey, or an extra motorcycle helmet and a giant grin on her face.
Their last date had been a week ago, however. V had gotten called by her nomad choom, Panam, who desperately needed the merc's help.
V had rushed out the door, leaving Judy with a kiss on her forehead and a shouted promise of calling her later that night.
She did, of course. V always kept her promises, but it still bugged Judy. What kinda gig had V taken that led to her staying in the outskirts of the city for a whole week?
Unless, she hadn't taken a gig. She always could've been…
Judy shook her head firmly, hopping in the drivers seat of her van. V wasn't like that.
Sometimes her intuition was dead wrong, but she had literally been inside V's head. Felt everything she felt. Judy was certain she was right about V.
Finally remembering her earlier desire, she grabbed her holo and pulled up her girlfriend's contact.
The call had barely rung twice before V picked up, a soft smile on her face.
"Hey Judes, miss you. What's up?"
Judy bit her lip to keep from smiling too hard, blushing at V's words.
"Miss you too, V. Was hoping to remedy that, actually. I just got off work, was thinkin' maybe I grab some ramen and head your way?"
V frowned slightly, and Judy's mood fell quickly.
"I'd love that but, uhm. Well…" V stammered, waving her hands in front of her as she searched for the right words.
Judy titled her head, "Well?"
V sighed and dragged a hand down her face. "Swear you won't laugh at me."
"Depends. Did you see a fish and hurt yourself again?"
"Hey!" V shouted indignantly. Judy laughed as the merc rushed to defend herself. "That fucker had razor sharp teeth Judy! It could've ate me!"
"V, it was a little goldfish. Dude couldn't hurt a roach." She paused, "Can scare the shit out of a gonk, though."
V glared at her, but her smile betrayed her emotions. "Right. Anyway, no. No fish." She looked down at something in front of her. "Okay, theres one fish, but its a snack so it doesn't count."
Judy quirked an eyebrow at her output. "One…fish shaped snack?"
"Its Nibbles' birthday today." V mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Got him some stuff to celebrate."
Oh. Oh my god.
V was so damn adorable.
Night City's legendary mercenary, the feared legend of the Afterlife…was throwing her cat a birthday party.
Judy snorted, then broke out into laughter she couldn't contain.
"Sorry! I'm sorry, that's not-" She gasped for air, clearing her throat as she calmed and grinned at her pouting output. "That's not funny." She said as seriously as possible.
"You promised." V narrowed her eyes at her, and Judy had to hold back another laugh.
"Sorry, V. That's really cute. How old is he now?" Judy asked, running a hand through her fringe.
She didn't miss the way V's eyes tracked the movement through her camera before finally speaking.
"Two years old now. Still feels like he was a kitten yesterday." V smiled and Judy matched the expression.
V had adopted Nibbles after finding the cat alone in a dumpster when she was on a gig with her partner and, basically, brother, Jackie Welles. The big man had hid the poor thing in his coat until they got home.
Together, the two had built a small cat tower that had obtained within the same hour, setup a litterbox, and stocked up on cat food which now all sat in a cupboard in V's apartment.
She couldn't help but wonder how the two had turned out to be such good people, growing up in Night City and all.
She had decided to simply accept it though. She was content with the fact that V was absolutely amazing, in every way. And, all hers.
"Well, I'd still be happy to come over and celebrate with ya. If you want me, of course."
V looked back up at Judy, her eyes full of so much clear adoration that Judy's breath hitched.
"Course I want you. Always do." V replied, voice low and husky. She grinned, "Gotta keep your hands to yourself though. I've got company, very special guest." She winked as she stepped away from what was probably her kitchen counter.
A moment later, the camera stabilized again and V had Nibbles cradled to her chest, pressing doting kisses against the cat's forehead.
"Fine, fine. I'll behave if you can." Judy smirked, pulling up her HUD to find the little restaurant's number so she could order. "Be there soon."
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Half an hour later, Judy was outside V's apartment in Japantown.
She beamed as V opened the door and pulled inside, pressing against her for a kiss.
Judy just barely caught the bag with their food in it as it slipped from her grasp. Her mind went totally blank at the feel of her output's body flush against hers.
V pulled back and rested her forehead against Judy's.
"Hey you."
"Hey yourself, mi calabcita." Judy smiled, leaning in to steal another peck from V before turning to move towards the small kitchen island.
Nibbles had already hopped up there and was meowing for attention. Judy happily delivered, picking up the hairless Sphynx and scratching underneath his chin.
V jogged over to the stove, where a small plate covered in tin foil had been sitting.
Judy glanced between it and her girlfriend, eventually huffing out a laugh as V grabbed a candle and a lighter from one of the drawers behind her.
"Shut up." V grinned as she peeled back the foil and setup the small cake.
Per V's earlier statement, the confection was no bigger than Judy's hand and shaped like a fish, the name Nibbles written across the top in what she recognized as a liquid cat treat.
Nibbles was placed on the counter. He meowed inquisitively at her owner as the dish was carefully moved infront of her.
And then, to Judy's absolute disbelief, V started singing hapoy birthday to the small cat.
Well, at least now the techie knew she was dating a total dork.
Judy joined in, eventually finishing the song and holding back a laugh as V held a hand over Nibbles' eyes and blew the candle out for him.
The merc celebrated with a loud cheer as she removed the candle, encouraging Nibbles to dig in.
Judy dug out their own food and prepared it, smiling as V proudly stood and watched her cat eat the birthday cake she had made.
"I hope you know," Judy said, pressing a kiss to V's cheek as she passed, "you are never living this down, mi amor."
"I know. I think I can live with that. Already have been, actually."
At Judy's look, she continued.
"I threw Nibbles a one month birthday when I was rooming with Jackie and Mama Welles." She grimaced slightly, moving to sit beside her output. "I was even worse then."
Judy's smile turned mischievous, and she hid it with a sip of her drink she had grabbed from the fridge.
She made a mental note to text Jackie later and ask about the event.
For now though, she ate her ramen, stealing a coue pieces of synth-meat from V's bowl as they ate, Nibbles purring loudly in the background all the while.