Neo crouched beside Jackie Welles, his hand stretching slowly toward the orange tabby.
Jackie shot him a look, the kind you give a friend about to do something hopeless. "Save your strength, choom. That little bastard never lets anyone touch him. Doesn't matter who—"
He froze.
"Holy shit."
"Are you kidding me?"
Jackie's voice cracked as he watched the impossible unfold right in front of him.
The notoriously aloof orange cat—the one every Valentino in Heywood knew, the one who'd clawed or bitten anyone dumb enough to try petting it—was now pressing its head affectionately against Neo's palm.
Neo rubbed the cat's head, scratching gently beneath its chin. The feline tilted its head upward, eyes half-closed, a deep purring hum rolling from its throat.
Neo smiled. "See that, Jackie? Guess he likes me."
Jackie blinked in disbelief. "No way. No fragging way. That's impossible! What—did I pet him wrong or something?"
He leaned forward, changing his technique, trying again.
Chomp.
The cat sank its teeth into Jackie's finger with surgical precision. Not deep—but clear enough.
Jackie froze mid-motion. Neo couldn't help but laugh, trying and failing to hold it in. "Maybe," he said between chuckles, "it's just… not meant to be."
Jackie groaned, rubbing his hand. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's get to Wild Wolf Bar. We've got business."
"Alright."
Neo patted the cat one last time and rose to his feet. "Little guy, I've got to go now. Next time I come to Heywood, I'll bring you some fish snacks, alright?"
"Meow~"
Jackie nearly jumped out of his boots. "What the… did you hear that?! It meowed!"
His voice cracked again. "It's never meowed! Not once! C'mon, buddy, gimme a little meow too!"
The cat turned its head away.
Jackie: "..."
Neo: "Meow?"
The cat lit up instantly—"Meow! Meow meow! Meeeeow~"—its tail flicking wildly as it rubbed itself against Neo's leg in a frenzy of affection.
Neo stared, stunned for a moment. Then he laughed softly. The cat's warmth against his leg felt… real. Gentle. Human, even.
He let out a slow breath and focused. His senses sharpened as Observation Haki flowed through him.
The world around him grew sharper—the hum of nearby engines, the faint murmur of passing minds, the pulse of emotion radiating from the small creature at his feet.
From what his Haki could sense, the little cat's emotions were clear as day: joy, trust, and an overwhelming affection directed straight at him.
He couldn't hear its thoughts—not yet. His mastery wasn't complete enough to hear the true "voice of all things." But the feeling was unmistakable.
Neo took two steps back. The cat immediately followed, rubbing against his boots again.
Jackie sighed, throwing up his hands. "Choom, I've seen some weird drek in my life, but this… this takes the cake. You sure it's not trying to make you its owner? Looks like it wants to go with you."
"Meow! Meow meow! Meowww~"
Jackie stared. "...Okay, that confirms it."
Neo looked down at the cat, which was practically dancing around his feet now, brushing its head against his pants like a fluffy little engine of need. His heart melted a little.
In this cold, metallic world—where people sold their souls for chrome and eddies, where Night City devoured the weak whole—this tiny creature was like a flicker of warmth.
Sometimes, in the chaos, only a cat could remind you what peace felt like.
Neo crouched again and lifted the cat into his arms. "Jackie, I'm taking him. You mind?"
Jackie smirked. "If it was just you, choom, the Valentinos would've swarmed you already. But since I'm here, and the cat itself seems fine with it—guess we're all good."
"Meow~"
...
Wild Wolf Bar.
Heywood's pride, as Jackie liked to call it. The best bar in the district—though that was mostly because Jackie said so.
On the way there, Jackie couldn't stop talking. His words spilled out in rhythm with the city's pulse—stories of his youth in Heywood, his days running with the Valentinos.
"Man, back then, we were wild," Jackie said, his voice heavy with nostalgia. "Hot-blooded, stupid, angry as hell. We'd hit the streets for our brothers, smash anyone who tried to mess with Heywood. We thought we were invincible."
He laughed, though there was sadness behind it. "Got in fights, dodged bullets, made my mom cry more times than I can count. But we lived, you know? Every damn second, we lived."
Neo listened quietly. Sometimes, being a listener was better than saying anything. Jackie's stories carried something raw—like the soul of the city itself.
...
They reached Wild Wolf Bar.
Jackie pushed the door open like it was his second home, Neo cradling the purring orange cat in his arms.
"Hey, Pepe! How's life treating you?"
Behind the counter, the bartender—Pepe—was polishing a glass with a white cloth. He looked up, his weathered face breaking into a smile.
"Jackie! Been a while, my friend." His gaze shifted—then froze. "And this… whoa. No fraggin' way."
He leaned forward, eyes wide. "That's the orange cat. The one nobody can touch. And it's just… sitting there in your friend's arms?"
Jackie sighed dramatically. "Yeah, don't remind me. It's been a humbling day."
"Come on, sit down," Pepe said, stepping out from behind the counter with a grin. "I know why you're here. You're picking up the stuff you left with me last night, right? But first—take a seat. You've been gone too long, Jackie."
He clapped a hand on Jackie's shoulder. "And now you bring a new friend—and a cat, no less! That calls for a drink."
Pepe returned to the counter, grabbed a case of beer, and poured three full glasses. The cold foam rose to the rim.
Sometimes, words weren't needed between men. You started with a drink. Everything else followed.
"You know," Pepe said with a grin, "you've been all over the news these past few days."
Jackie chuckled. "Yeah? That so?"
Pepe laughed. "Are you kidding? You trashed the Azure Hotel! The whole city's been buzzing. Everyone hates Arasaka, and watching them get their asses kicked on live TV—best thing that's happened all year. The bar was packed last night. Everyone cheering your names."
He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "By the way… you're Neo, right? The leader of the Edgerunner crew?"
Neo nodded.
"Thought so." Pepe grinned wider. "Gotta ask, man… rumor is, it was you who took down Arasaka Saburo himself. That true?"
The bar went silent, the hum of neon and the purr of the orange cat the only sounds left in the air.
Neo lifted his glass slowly, meeting Pepe's gaze.
And smiled.