"Lucy, you and Peter seem pretty close. When did that happen? And why am I just finding out about it now?"
V's voice was slow and deliberate, her expression unreadable.
To be honest, Peter would rather face a hundred Adam Heavy Hammers than deal with V's mood right now.
"V, I don't think Peter needs to explain anything to you."
Lucy met V's gaze head-on, showing no hesitation. Even though they usually got along well, when it came to Peter, Lucy had no intention of backing down.
"Uh… V…" Peter tried to ease the tension.
"Shut up! I still need to settle accounts with you!"
The moment Peter called her name, V shot him a deadly glare.
"Lucy, I…"
Peter turned to her, hoping she could smooth things over.
Lucy let out a small sigh, though Peter noticed her fists clenching even as she smiled.
"Peter, let me handle this. Why don't you go grab a drink with Jack and the others? Give us a moment, okay?"
Peter hesitated but eventually nodded.
"Alright… Just don't burn the place down while I'm gone."
With that, he slowly walked to the clinic's door and stepped outside.
Eavesdroppers at the Door
Just as Peter stepped out, he was greeted by an unexpected sight.
Jack and David were squatting near the door, both squeezed into a cramped space.
Victor was standing beside them, trying to look casual—but failing miserably.
Jack nudged David.
"Oh! Don't push me, man!" David grumbled.
"Where the hell am I supposed to go?! This place is tiny!"
Victor hushed them both.
"Shhh! I can't hear what they're saying anymore!"
Peter's face darkened.
Opening the door with an amused yet exasperated smile, he glared at the three eavesdroppers.
"You guys… Didn't you say you were going to buy drinks?"
Jack coughed awkwardly, scratching his head.
"Ahem, yeah… We, uh, just finished drinking and figured we'd check in on you!"
He nudged David with his elbow.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, yeah, we just got here. We just arrived."
David nodded frantically, trying to back up Jack's story.
Peter raised an eyebrow.
"Really? You've only been out here for two minutes. And you already finished your drinks?"
He crossed his arms, looking unimpressed.
Honestly, he wasn't surprised that Jack and David were being nosy. But Victor?
"You too, Victor? I thought you were a decent guy!" Peter smirked.
Before Victor could respond, Peter's phone rang.
Rebecca's Call
"Rebecca?" Peter answered, slightly surprised. "Why are you calling this late?"
A familiar, energetic voice burst through the speaker.
"Yo, Peter! That was you at the Cyan Bi Mansion and against Dexter tonight, right? The one who trashed the whole place and beat the hell outta Adam Heavy Hammer?"
Peter blinked.
He had been careful to mask his identity during the raid. How did she recognize him?
Rebecca's confident voice continued.
"Come on, it was obvious! I touched your muscles the other day, remember? I could recognize them anywhere!"
Peter nearly choked on air.
Rebecca, as always, was unapologetically bold.
It wasn't surprising—most people in Night City lived by the carpe diem mentality. They did what they wanted, took what they liked, and never hesitated.
Unlike Peter's complicated situation with Lucy and V, Rebecca was the type to just go for it without a second thought.
"Ahem… Girls should be a little more reserved, you know?" Peter muttered.
Rebecca scoffed.
"Pfft, reserved? That's boring! Anyway, meet me at Lizzie's Bar tomorrow. I wanna hear all the details about how you wrecked that building!"
Before Peter could reply, she hung up.
Peter sighed.
One problem at a time, please.
Not only did he still need to deal with V and Lucy inside the clinic, but now Rebecca wanted a meeting too?
"Man, being too popular is a curse," Peter muttered.
Still, he had planned to go to Lizzie's Bar tomorrow anyway to return Judy's pistol. Might as well make a night of it.
Jack grinned.
"Hey, Peter, you lucky bastard! First Lucy and V, and now Rebecca? Damn, man, you got a real harem going!"
Peter shot him a glare.
"Oh? Should I tell Misty about that night out we had? Y'know, when you got drunk and ended up with two girls on your lap?"
Jack's grin vanished.
"Hey! No, no, no—don't bring that up!" He threw a panicked glance toward Misty, who was tending to her shop across the street.
Seeing she hadn't overheard, he sighed in relief.
"Besides, I was tricked that night! I wouldn't have let those girls cling to me if I wasn't wasted!"
Peter rolled his eyes.
Mercenaries in Night City mostly lived for the moment, never thinking too far ahead. Few ever considered settling down.
Jack, by comparison, was actually pretty clean.
Meanwhile, Peter was the rare exception.
Not once had he hired a joytoy or entertained a one-night fling.
Maybe that was why his situation with Lucy and V had become so complicated.
---
Inside the Clinic
While Peter and the guys were joking outside, the atmosphere inside the clinic was far from lighthearted.
Lucy and V, usually close friends, were locked in tense silence.
V spoke first, her voice firm.
"Lucy, I know Peter came to Night City with me, but…"
Lucy cut her off.
"V, Peter gave you part of his earnings, right? You should have enough to buy your own apartment now. So, maybe it's time you moved out."
V's expression darkened.
She hadn't realized her own feelings until earlier today—when she kissed Peter at the Cyan Bi Building.
Until now, she had assumed they would just continue living together.
But now, with Lucy in the picture, things weren't so simple anymore.
A sharp sense of jealousy and urgency filled V's chest.
"Move out?" V scoffed. "What, are we dividing Peter fifty-fifty now?"
Lucy stayed calm.
"Actually, I liked the way things were before."
"Are you serious?" V snapped. "What kind of situation was that? Just roommates? I think we need to stop pretending."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Remember what we talked about before? 'Each according to their own abilities'? Well, guess what? We're living by that rule right now."
Lucy frowned.
"That's exactly my point, V. You barely spend any money, and Peter is the one holding everything together. He's the one always worrying about rent, supplies, and security."
The two stared at each other, tension thick in the air.
For the first time, neither was willing to back down.
Finally, Lucy took a deep breath.
"Look, marriage isn't really a thing anymore in this city. And the way things are going… neither of us is willing to let Peter go."
V crossed her arms.
"Yeah? So what are you suggesting?"
A brief silence followed.
Then, Lucy leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.
"Then maybe we don't have to."
---
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