#dorio

Night city. Colorful. Neon lights everywhere you looked. But that's not what makes Night City. Not by a long shot. What makes it, are the people. 

Everyone around knows the hardships and the importance of a group. Be it a gang or friends. Doesn't matter. Find your found family and your set. 

Another thing that Night City is known for is its chromed out citizens. It's not for everyone, but those that can handle the consequences get all kinds of body mods. From new eyes to even iron lungs. This isn't for the faint-hearted. 

Especially the cyber psychos that show the dangers of what it does to your body. No one wants to die like that, but they do. Either from police, trauma team, or themselves. 

Night City also houses many legends amongst its streets. Legends that give hope for a better life. One without the slums and the corpo assholes that control everything. Everyone wants a taste of that high life.

But that high life doesn’t sit well once you have it. Legends have to die at some point. That’s how they become legends. Remembered forever amongst the next generation until another rises up and makes a bigger name. 

Among those very streets was a boy. He wasn't new to the troubles in the city. They were very clear to him. Didn't help with his background.

Corpo kid, Arasaka Academy Prodigy now drop out. There was a story. A story lost to the guns and crimes. Crimes he needed to commit to live. To survive.

No one could pry out his past from his lips. It was one of those open secrets. Details, not something anyone cared about. As long as you showed and completed your share of work, no one asked. 

He didn't mind. Made it easier to hide. Easier to run. Especially made it easier to work.

Being a merc was freeing. You were respected, feared even but there was power in it. Power that everyone craved. And he ran with the best. 

Edgerunners. Maine, Dorio, Sasha, Pilar, Rebecca, and Falco. The origins of them anyway. 

After a mission gone wrong, or rather a change of targets, Sasha died. Was it a noble death? Well the news she leaked was everywhere the next day, so maybe. 

Didn't make the hurt go away. Not for Y/n.

That's right. The aforementioned boy. His name was Y/n. But names don't matter. Most called him N/n anyway. Better handle. Didn't have the weight of the memories. 

Back to the edgerunners. Kiwi replaced Sasha. She was a good net runner, nothing compared to Y/n though. Rarely did he ever do runs but when he did, flawless didn't begin to cut it. 

Never does net running much. Reminds him too much of a past that he wanted to escape. That’s why he chose to be with Maine. Was like a father to him. Better than his actual dad. The edgerunners were a better family to him overall. 

His past is blurry to most, likes to keep it that way. No one in night city needs to know about it. Needs to know of his corpo connections and give him shit for it. That was. Until Kiwi brought Lucy

Lucy was Y/n’s saving grace. For some reason and miraculous luck, Y/n became Lucy’s best friend. Much like a lapdog to Lucy. It was an even more shock that she didn’t push him away. 

She knew Y/n way before. His records were in the Arasaka archives. Part of their big experiment to make the perfect weapon of net runner and muscle. Who else could take on the old net? Project was a bust though when Y/n ran away. Away from the pain and abuse that the person who was supposed to love him the most inflicted. 

Y/n decided to live with Lucy. Maine thought it was a good way to keep an eye on the newbie and gave Y/n a friend around his age. Thinking like a father. A father who cared. 

Over time Y/n and Lucy became like siblings. Opening up to each other was a huge feat in itself. In a place like Night City, that kind of trust is rare. Not like the other would spill it. Similar situations. Similar Traumas. Similar people being after them.  

That’s when the two started going on missions together. Y/n being the stubborn ass he is refused to ever go on missions alone. Not unless Lucy was there with him. The codependency. 

“God damn it Y/n! Why do you need Lucy for everything? Before she came you were independent. What changed?”

Maine only ever asked once. He regretted it. Never once did he see Y/n break down like he did after Maine yelled at him. He didn’t apologize though. It needed to be said. 

“I… I need her okay? Things are different now. She’s like me…”

Maine only sighed. Desperation. Rare, especially in a boy like Y/n. He understood though. Nothing more was said. Only a pat on a head and silence. 

Y/n never stopped being clingy with Lucy, but it got better. Just a tad. Y/n was able to go on his own missions. Though it was out of fear of disappointing everyone else. He couldn’t handle that. He couldn’t handle their rejection. 

A year was all it took for Y/n and Lucy to become inseparable. It was concerning how connected the two became. You don’t get that kind of connection here. Not without tragedy. 

“I want to go to the moon.”

Lucy shared one night. The two were on a roof together. Artificial pizza was placed between them. 

“The moon? Why? There’s not much up there.” 

Lucy didn’t respond. She couldn’t explain it to him. She couldn’t tell Y/n how she wanted to leave. It would break his heart. But what are broken hearts if your dreams get shattered? Emotions were useless in this world. Being soft gets you nowhere. 

“Come with me.”

A compromise. If she couldn’t tell him why then at least she can show him. She can take him with her. Protecting him from Night City and everyone else around them. Only a pipe dream.

“Huh?”

Y/n was more than caught off guard by the sudden invitation. Was it even one? By the sounds of it, it sounded more like desperation. Lucy never showed desperation 

“When we get enough, come to the moon with me.”

The thought further intrigued Y/n. He didn't understand this need. Was Lucy telling him she wanted him? She willingly wanted him around?

“Okay. I make it my promise! We’ll go to the moon together! You can show me what’s so great about it!”

Lucy could only let out a light hearted scoff at Y/n's softness. This boy. He didn't know much about the world. How could he when he was so sheltered?

“I could show you now.”

“Really!?”

That excitement. Something that Lucy never could get used to. Y/n was a rare individual. Someone who showed his rare and raw emotions. 

“Yeah you gonk. BDs remember?” 

That night, the moment the two of them got home, they spent hours on the special moon BD Lucy had. It was amazing. Seeing something different, a place where corpos didn’t rule yet was refreshing. Going around the craters and the moon buggy, all of it was hope inducing. A world where no one can control you. 

As the year went on, Lucy and Y/n only ever became closer. The sibling duo among the group, apart from Pilar and Rebecca. Nothing could bring Y/n away from Lucy. Maine joked about him being Lucy’s guard dog. Whenever Pilar was weird with Lucy, Y/n was right behind, biting and clawing at the guy. 

Had to have the others break up the fight before Y/n actually killed Pilar. Rebecca couldn’t help laughing at her older brother’s demise. Deserved it anyway. Not shortly after did the group go to Afterlife for some drinks.  Lucy took this chance of inebriation to speak with Y/n privately.

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?” Lucy’s threshold for annoyances was being pushed. Either Y/n was playing dumb or drank too much to even think properly. Either way she needed a clear answer. 

“Attack Pilar.”

“He was making you uncomfortable.”

“I could have taken care of it myself.”

Lucy huffed out a breath. She didn’t like being treated like she was helpless. Whether Y/n meant it or not, it was really troublesome and irritating. He hovered over her. She didn’t quite understand why. 

“I know…”

“Then why?”

The pause. It was deafening despite the music playing around them. 

“I… You’re so amazing and you gave me so much even with knowing me for a short time. You’re like my family Lucy. More so than Maine and Dorio and everyone else. You’re my sister. Someone who knows my struggles on a personal level. I owe you so much. I want to protect you.”

Eyes widened at the admission. God Y/n really was an idiot. 

“You don’t have to repay me for anything.”

“I do though.”

“You don’t!”

It was a cycle of ‘I dos’ and ‘don’ts’ until Y/n started to tear up. God did Lucy make him feel so vulnerable. ‘

“I do! Because if I don’t I’ll turn around and you won't be there anymore. One day I’ll wake up and you won’t be there. You don’t realize how much I need you in my life! I have no one else!”

Guilt. The god damn guilt. Y/n’s tears fought hard not to be released but it was a war lost. Gleaming droplets cascaded down Y/n’s cheeks, making the boy look like a child. No one could ever stay mad at him.

In this moment of vulnerability, Lucy wrapped her arms around Y/n. She decided against speaking. No more words needed to be shared. Y/n didn’t need to be upset further. Only Lucy saw these tears. Weakness didn’t need to be shared with peering eyes. 

A few more instances happen where Y/n went feral when something happened to Lucy. No one could ever stop him and neither did they really care. As long as the job got done then why did it matter?

It did help with disputes and fights. Y/n being the main muscle with Maine. Taking care of all the fist related business together. Now, no one was lacking in muscle within the crew but Y/n almost had Maine beat with the power of his punch. 

A few more months passed. Time never mastered though. Both Lucy and Y/n were out and about. They ended up in Corpo Plaza. A place Y/n never liked, not just because of the name but because of the people around and the worst building that stood tall. Arasaka Tower. If capitalism could be personified, it would be Arasaka Tower. 

The two had planned to do some odd jobs around the area, maybe pick some sockets or something. Anything to keep them busy and make money. Y/n stood with Lucy while she smoked. He never participated in it himself. The habit reminded him too much of someone. But when Lucy did it, he couldn’t help but want to be around. 

While Y/n’s eyes watched the smoke plume around the already suffocating atmosphere, he couldn’t help but see how much Lucy stood out. Compared to everyone else around them, Lucy could be seen from everywhere. It was the hair. 

Y/n blinked a few times. He thought he was tripping but he didn’t remember taking anything before. Lucy's hair sparkled. What was this?

He wasn’t the only one who noticed. 

Y/n’s eyes trailed over and noticed a boy looking at the back of Y/n’s head. He looked familiar. Y/n was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the voice that soothed him over and over. 

“What are you staring at?”

Y/n froze. Lips nursing as if he was caught doing something wrong. What made it more anxiety inducing was Lucy didn’t even look at Y/n. 

“Nothing. Thought I saw something.”

“You're a bad liar, Y/n.”

Y/n didn’t respond. He just glanced over to see the boy that had been staring was gone. 

“What are we doing here anyway?”

“We have a job to do. Maine wanted us to keep busy.”

Y/n the ever obedient personification of a puppy nodded along and followed Lucy. Doing everything he was told. An old habit. A habit hated himself for. He hated him for. 

The day was spent with the two of them working to bring in eddies. That night had a full moon, which led to Y/n dragging Lucy to the badlands to watch the moon. It was calm and quiet. Something that could be seen as off putting, but it wasn’t.

It was… nice.

“Why’d you bring me here?” “Wanted to look at the moon with you. It’s clearer out here. I found this spot when I was driving around with Maine.”

Lucy felt so happy that Y/n took her fascination with the moon seriously. Many would think it was stupid to want to go somewhere that failed. But it wasn’t that to Lcuy, and it certainly wasn’t to Y/n. 

Y/n would defend Lucy’s dreams till the day he died. And even then he would keep defending her. 

No more words were exchanged. Only silence and the distant sounds of cars every now and then on the dirt road.  Moments like these under the moonlight were never taken for granted. 

Here was where Y/n belonged. His purpose. His family.