➽ Change of Hearts - Completed - Chishiya x Reader
❡ Part 1 :: Part 2 :: Part 3
➽ The Arena - Completed - Chishiya x Reader
❡ Part 1 :: Part 2 :: Part 3 :: Part 4 :: Part 5 :: Part 6 :: Part 7 :: Part 8 :: Part 9 :: Part 10
➽ Fluff/ SFW ABC's For Chishiya - Completed -
❡ Part 1
➽ Win-Win - Completed - Kyuma x reader
❡ Part 1
✪ Red Dead Redemption II ✪
➽ Second Chances - Hiatus - Arthur Morgan x Reader
❡ Part 1 :: Part 2 :: Part 3 :: Part 4 :: Part 5 :: Part 6
✧ Arcane ✧
➽ Asymmetrical Symphony- Ongoing - Viktor x Reader
❡ Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19 • Part 20 • Part 21 • Part 22
❣ Disclaimer ❣
I don't own any of the fandoms and characters, unless you don't know them, then they are all mine!!
I'll try and be as gender neutral as I can, unless it's stated on the text. I'm not perfect and I may slip up. Feel free to send me a note about it and I'll be happy to help.
Love me some comments and reviews. If you want to me tagged let me know.
❣ Rules ❣
Feel free to send me request and I may get to them.
I'm not very good at writing spicy stuff, but if you are a minor proceed with caution or don't interact at all.
Be nice and respectfull, I'm not here to be harmfull and if I write something that you find ofensive let me know and we can have a chat about it.
*falls to my knees and waves my arms to the heavens* Good god your Arthur series was so good it made me teary eyed. It's not often I see a fanfic that takes that direction. 🥺 I do hope it gets updated someday!
I have some more chapters that I didn't add to tumblr, but I may do it someday! I've also re-read it and I really liked my own story xD.
We'll see if I can get inspiration again! I had so many ideas for it and then I just lost momentum!
Hi! Just passing to say hello and ask how your doing. I also wanted to leave my support, you're litteraly one of my fav writers in this app and I love the way you describe magic. Hope you are doing well and take all the time you need. Lots of love 💕💕
Thank you so much! I need to get back into writting the story! I have the story all planed out and y'alls support is really driving it home that the story is loved...soI appreciate you for letting me know that 💕💕
I love the idea of us also serenading Viktor with music… and the the part of my brain thats been on the internet too long thinks, but what if the song was just the minecraft theme… Or Jayce comes in a suddenly the vine is ruined and we switch to like the wii maker theme. And im staying anonymous because both these ideas are so wack
Lmao!! Just them in a MIDI keyboard playing 8-bit.music? Love it!!! And Jayce walking in like "hell yeah my kind of music!!" 🤣🤣
I do have a question about your fic. What inspired you to make… uhhh… us a musician? Having a surplus of inserting being like lab assistants its refreshing to see one that doesnt follow that trend!
Oh! This is a great question! It's because of how I envisioned the magic in the universe. Music notes being played. You have the big runes and then you add on to them to make music/magic. It made sense that the character would understand music and how it relates to magic. :D
Running in here to give you a boost of support and praise! Im really enjoying your viktor fic! While i love me some fluff, the actual word building and story your building have me just as hooked! AND I LOVE OUR MOM!!! SHE DESERVES THE BEST!!!
Thank you I'm taking a bit of an hiatus from the fic, but definitely considering coming back to it sooner after your kind words!!
Summary: You had been on the rooftop with Jayce and the Herald and somehow you were sent to a place where things can be different with your help
Disclaimers and Warnings: If you want me to tag you on the chapters let me know! Also leave a comment with your thoughts :D Not finished, not proofread. English isn't my 1st language. All I know about LOL is from google and all I know about Arcane is taken from the show, so inacuracies will be plenty. I have a sort of idea on how to I'm gonna go with magic and runes, so bear with me. The reader will be written as GN (going by they/them) to get everyone involved, but if you see any discrepancies let me know
A.N: You're Welcome :D
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19 • Part 20 • Part 21 • Part 22 • Part 23 • Part 24 • Part 25 • Part 26
• ··········· • ············ •
You opened the cabinets and cupboards to find the plates and glasses while thinking about the sleeping arrangements.
The couch is big enough for him to sleep in, if he sleeps all folded, which would be uncomfortable while he slept and after. You could ask him to sleep on the bed and you sleep on the couch. You’ll be cramped in the morning, but you don’t have screws on your spine.
A wild thought came into your mind when you placed the last piece of cutlery on the table and peeked inside the bedroom. If you had to guess, a queen-sized bed, enough for two people. Maybe you could share. Both of you would have a decent night's sleep. No harm in asking, right? He did invite you to come to his house...that's forward... You were both fully adults, able to share a bed… The fact that you both seemed to have a massive crush on each other and had been close to kissing twice in a day was just a small, minuscule detail.
The oven pinged, and you almost jumped out of your skin. You turned around and started to get the food out of the appliance when you heard the familiar gait of the house owner.
“It’s done.” You announced and turned, stopping midway as you watched Viktor.
He had stopped midway to the kitchen to pet Nono, who was now curled up on the sheet couch. His hair was sticking all out around him, humid and untamed; he was wearing a blue robe, open, and a gray cotton shirt with “Tallis lab” embroidered on it. He had switched from the crutch to the cane. However, what caught your attention was the bottom part of his ensemble. Cream and light blue-colored boxer shorts that stopped a few inches above his knee.
But even that, what really made the air stick in your throat was his hex leg. It looked almost the same, the muscle and skin replaced by a purplish blue sinewy material. But while the other Viktor’s leg stopped there, this one had golden accents, a blue glow shimmering from within. More herald than Viktor. But Herald Viktor was, according to him, a more stable version of the tech.
“If it bothers you, I can wear something else.” His voice broke you from your thoughts.
“It doesn’t.” You said softly and gave him a sad smile.
“I debated on whether to show it to you or not. But…I thought it would be better to get this out of the way.” He scratched the back of his neck as he limped towards you.
You realized you’d actually never seen his leg in this universe, and he could take your staring in a completely different way. In the end, this was normal to you. Him with his less fatal imperfection. So you shrugged at him.
“I guess you’re just about ready to run a marathon.” You joked while placing the containers on the table as he raised a questioning eyebrow. “New lungs, new leg...”
He sat at the table, and you noticed his shoulders relaxed as if he was expecting something else, another reaction.
“I wish. It’s heavy. Too heavy. Jayce didn’t calculate my lack of muscle structure into the hex core.”
You blinked. Jayce? Of course. Jayce was in on the hex core's ability to enhance things, and he seemed to have decided to help him.
“Jayce helped?” was the only thing you managed while trying to look shocked or surprised. The man who sat in front of you poured some water from the jug you placed on the table.
“I was going to do it. He just decided I shouldn’t do it alone.”
“What about side effects?” You tried with all your might to keep a normal intonation.
“I was in the hospital for two months, one week, and three hours.” He looked at his plate, pouring a healthy dose of whatever delicious food Ximena had put in those containers. “We don’t have to talk about it.”
“It’s alright. You did want to put it out of the way…” You mimicked his movements and added some rice to the heavenly-smelling food.
“Well…we did the experiment on plants, and those worked. And so I wanted to try it on humans…so I got the first volunteer I found.”
“You.”
“Precisely. Jayce didn’t want to, but we were getting nowhere. He was adamant even. And well…I was bored.”
“Was no one there to stop you?” You thought of Professor Heimerdinger. It was a very obvious timeline; the small genius wouldn’t have this.
“The council only knew about it when the bills to the hospital came, and even then, they thought it failed.” He chewed his food. “The only one with enough will to stop us disappeared some time ago. Which might have been a blessing or a curse.”
You felt your eyebrows twitch. The old crone was probably still hiding at the Sanctuary in Zaun, playing his little banjo and annoying Ekko.
“So you both geniuses decided to experiment on you and…?”
“I…kind of…” He made a cracking noise and made a line with his fork at his neck.
“Oh…gods…Viktor! What the actual f--”
“Oh, it was just for 2 minutes and 10 seconds. It was expected.”
“Just?!” You leaned your head into your hand and shook it, amazed at the genius stupidity.
“Yes. Jayce was ready, and it all went according to plan. Unlike the heaviness, everything was accounted for.”
“So why the hospital?” You looked up at him, your face still on your hand.
“Pain. Lots of pain. My muscle and skin had been enhanced to some magical material that came out of a very sketchy piece of tech.” The way he nonchalantly talked about it made your mouth hang open. “My body had to get used to the thing. I needed to die so that all of my systems were rebooted, and when they did, my nervous system decided it should warn me that my leg was missing. I was in a coma for most of that time because I couldn’t handle the pain. And then it started to get better.”
“And now?”
“Now I have a lumpy piece of metal as a leg that would be great and most useful if my back wasn’t wrecked and my partner had accounted for me being…well…a stickbug.”
“What about the pain?”
“Still there.” He shrugged and made a face. “Sometimes better, sometimes worse but never gone.”
“Does the brace help with the weight?”
“Yes, and mobility as well. It’s still a sort of metal alloy, so it gets a little stiff sometimes.”
A cartoon image of Viktor dropping oil with a small old can into the hinges of his leg, and you snorted and choked.
Viktor got up from his seat and bent over to gently pat your back. When you calmed down, the scientist sat down, looking at you funny.
“I thought about you oiling your leg like you'd a machine…with a little can.”
He gave you a humorous smile and a mocking look at the ceiling, fingers tapping his chin.
“I might need to try that next time. A drop here and there, and maybe I can do the marathon. Do you think the hospital would let me borrow one IV pole?”
“For the oil?” You almost snorted your food out.
“No…for the pain medication that I would need…” He was joking, but it made you sober up.
“Sorry.”
“No. Don’t be.” He leaned into the table and placed his hand next to yours, his pinky stroking yours. “This went better than expected.”
“And what did you expect?” You leaned forward as well.
“Most people I bring over find it strange or…are too into it.”
Most people he brings over?!? You unconsciously raised an eyebrow and then remembered the guy didn’t make a vow of celibacy until you got here.
“It’s part of you, so…” You shrugged and leaned back.
“So?” He mimicked you, stretching his legs under the table.
You felt his legs go around your own under the table, and you nudged the metal one with your foot.
“So…It’s a leg… What do you want me to say? I have two of those too.”
“I’ve noticed…” he interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
“Difference is…” you continued rolling your eyes. “I can go by a mechanic’s store without attracting any magnets.”
His face contorted, and he wheezed, bursting into laughter. You followed suit.
“It’s funny because it’s true!!!” He said mid-laugh.
“What?!”
Viktor held on to the table for balance as he tried to speak through the laughter.
“Oh…wait…oh…” he took a couple of deep breaths. “The machines in the hospital stopped working when I got there, and nobody knew why… Why was this expensive material malfunctioning? Turns out…my leg…was magnetized! Jayce found out because he had a gear in his pocket that just…” He clinked a fork on the golden part of his knee and went back to laughing.
“So…one could say…you truly have a magnetic aura…”
You both looked at each other, snorted, tried not to laugh, and failed miserably.
After you calmed your chuckles, Viktor cleaned the dishes while you grabbed the notebooks from your packs.
Viktor rummaged through an old trunk he had in his bedroom and gave you a Piltover map that you spread on the table. For a couple of minutes, you both mapped out your plan for the next day. Going from the people who were furthest away to the ones nearest to the apothecary.
Halfway through your plan, a couple of piano notes come through the open veranda door.
“Oh!” Viktor straightened up and smiled. “Come, I think you will like this.”
You furrowed your brows, curious about what ‘this’ was, although as soon as you stepped into the small balcony, the enigma was revealed. Two young men were setting up a small piano on wheels near the corner cafe. From the balcony, you had the perfect view of it.
“The cafe owner lets them play for a bit at the beginning of the night to attract customers,” Viktor explained, leaning his shoulder into one of the balcony’s iron posts.
“Smart owner.” You leaned your elbows into the rail and looked at the two musicians preparing. “You don’t mind it?”
“No. It keeps me entertained. They are very good. Do you know them?”
“Do you know all the scientists in Piltover?”
“Actually ...yes…” He smiled, and you snorted.
The young man seated at the piano started to play a sorrowful waltz with a repetitive lilt. It was a simple melody, but when the other man started to sing, it became a beautiful harmony.
“Do you know what they are saying?” Viktor asked softly.
The song was in another language that you had studied in one of your many classes at a private school. By some miracle, you remembered what the words meant.
“The poet meets a…mmmm…poor stranger…lover under the moonlight. He’s writing the song in hopes their stranger hears it.” You softly translated the chorus to the scientist. “The stairways up to la butte can make the wretched sigh, while the windmill wings of the moulin shelter you and me.”
Viktor smiled at you and straightened up, giving you his hand, his eyes mischievous and bright.
“Would you…” He cleared his throat, a nervous chuckle coming in. “Would you like to dance?”
“Dance?” You straightened up as well, blinking at him; your eyebrows twitched.
“Well, it would be more of a swaying in place, but the sentiment is the same.” He gave you a bright smile, his hand still extended.
You looked at his hand and made to grab it but stopped shortly before you grasped it. This could either go really well or really badly and end with you having a panic attack on his balcony. You felt your breathing pick up, and after a few seconds, his hand was gone, and you shifted his gaze towards him. Sad, apologetic, but instead of a disappointed look, he had a soft smile.
“I apologize…I forgot…” He blinked, looked away, and when he blinked back, his smile got wider and his eyes shone brighter. “Do you trust me?”
“Nothing good comes from asking that.” You said that even though you nodded.
Viktor took a small step towards you, leaning his weight so his hand grabbed the railing behind you, and then slowly shuffled his feet closer to where you tensely stood, waiting to see what he was doing. He moved carefully, making sure your eyes followed his movements, and when he was standing in front of you, his other hand gripped the rail behind you, effectively keeping you in his arms without his hands touching you.
You leaned away from him slightly, only so he could move to stand comfortably. Your back hit the decorated metal fence when he got even closer.
“If it gets to be too much...please say so.” He whispered, and you nodded, afraid of what sound would come out of your throat. “You can breathe; I won’t move any further.”
Somewhere in the depths of your brain, you were disappointed at that. Until you realized that you were also a fully conscious adult who could, in fact, do something other than stand there awkwardly. Especially after he made his intentions very clear. So…you did.
Your hands came up slowly to his arms before pausing and looking up to him sheepishly.
“It hardly seems fair I get to touch you and you don’t.”
“I’m not complaining.” His voice was soft and smug, and you rolled your eyes, and instead of moving your hands to his arm, you placed them on his chest and pulled him softly towards you. You felt his hands slide closer together, and he took another step, and you were very much trapped between him and the rail.
You looked up at him, and he was smiling down at you. A quiet joy behind it, as if this was going beyond his expectations. You slightly nudged him sideways, and he made an ‘oh’ with his lips and then snorted when he understood you were trying to sway him from side to side.
“Alright, alright…I did ask for a dance.” He mumbled, following your movements as the two men sang on the street.
“More of a swaying in place.” You joked and saw him move his neck to look down at you with an eyebrow raised.
Without thinking much about it, you leaned your head on his shoulder, still swaying. You felt his chest heave with a sigh before he leaned his own head into your own. You stayed like that for what seemed to be hours, but only a few songs went by.
“I’m glad that whatever happened brought you to me.” Viktor mumbled softly after the end; you moved away from his neck to look up at him.
At some point, your hand had drifted towards his neck, and now you pushed it upwards towards his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into your hand.
Oh…fuck it…
You got close to his face, bumped your nose with his, and waited for him to open his eyes. The flicker of golden and brown mixed in his glowing orbs. You looked between them and at his lips, curved upwards into a smile.
With a deep breath, you pulled him towards you. Lips crashing and nose bumping. You felt his smile disappear and reappear as he pushed you further into the fence, his hands still gripping the rail.
It surprised you, the feeling behind it. It shouldn’t have, but it did. Soft but needy. You had kissed Viktor a hundred times, but this. This was different. Something in your soul knew this wasn’t the Viktor you knew.
This was someone else. Someone new. Someone you cared for independently if he looked like your former lover. Someone who looked so familiar but yet was still his own person.
The coffee was now mint and cinnamon. The dry and chapped lips were now wet and soft. It was tender and slow, not rushed or desperate. It was a long kiss and a dozen slow, gingerly kisses that gave you butterflies in your stomach.
The hand that wasn’t latched to his neck found his own on the railing, and you felt the tight grip he had on it. You slowly pried the hand away from the railing and intertwined your fingers. Awkwardly you shifted your arm so that your hand rested on your lower back, with his inside it.
When you pulled your lips away, the need to breathe became a priority. Viktor chased them, trying to recapture them, his nose brushing yours, and you moved away again.
“Don’t sleep on the sofa tonight.” You asked, not looking at his face.
The fingers intertwined behind your back squeezed your hand, and you looked up to see him give you a tired smile.
“Was this a plot to get me into bed with you?” He raised an eyebrow, and you snorted, rolling your eyes dramatically.
“No…just a consequence of it.” You lowered your hand to his chest, your thumb gently stroking.
“I shall keep it respectful.”
You raised an eyebrow, and before you could answer, you felt a yawn appearing, and Viktor chuckled.
“I think neither of us has the energy to do anything but…” you replied, and he smiled, taking a step back, his hand leaving yours as he opened the balcony door for you.
“Come then. Let’s rest respectfully.”
You shook your head and padded inside, making your way to his bedroom, petting Nono on the way, while grabbing the pillow and blanket from the couch.
“I, once again, feel like this was all premeditated.” You heard his familiar gait behind you.
“Well, yes.” You walked backward into the room. “I have been meaning to kiss you for a while now…”
WOOF i am LOVING asymetrical symphony so far. the difference between this new viktor and one the reader used to know makes me so sad, everything goes wrong for him in the canon universe and it HURTS. I love the reader's mix of joy at seeing a world where Viktor is healthier and happier and their bitterness at knowing that THEIR viktor could have had this if things were different UGH so sad.
im really interested to see where it goes! your magic system is really cool and fun to hear about, i too would make viktor a little galaxy at every opportunity if i had the ability. I hope they kiss soon..............i want to read about kissing............
i was also wondering if you were intending to cross-post to ao3? i do most of my reading over there and even though i loved every word of the fic, i did have a much harder time reading it on tumblr aha. im sure you would find a whole new audience over there! the fic is awesome, it deserves more readers!
anyway, thanks so much for writing!!!
Thank you so much for the kind words!! Yes. I am thinking about cross posting it in AO3. I haven't done it yet cause I'm a airhead!!
Summary: You had been on the rooftop with Jayce and the Herald and somehow you were sent to a place where things can be different with your help
Disclaimers and Warnings: If you want me to tag you on the chapters let me know! Also leave a comment with your thoughts :D Not finished, not proofread. English isn't my 1st language. All I know about LOL is from google and all I know about Arcane is taken from the show, so inacuracies will be plenty. I have a sort of idea on how to I'm gonna go with magic and runes, so bear with me. The reader will be written as GN (going by they/them) to get everyone involved, but if you see any discrepancies let me know
A.N: I'm sorry for the delay. Unfortunately life gets in the way of these things!
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19 • Part 20 • Part 21 • Part 22 • Part 23 • Part 24 • Part 25
• ··········· • ············ •
Thanks to whatever gods were now in charge of watching your endeavors, you made your way quickly and easily through the aqueduct. A mix of Viktor’s knowledge of the place and your ability to unlock doors and create distractions meant you didn’t need to go through the rocky riverbed.
Once on the other side of the river, you both made your way silently toward the main city, and when you arrived back at the park, the sun was already low on the horizon.
Viktor paused next to the small bench you had met by that morning, scratching the back of his neck and biting on his cheek, and you frowned.
“Spit it.” You crossed your arms and raised an eyebrow when he looked up at you, but then his gaze drifted away.
“I have a…suggestion to give you, but I’m afraid of what you might think of me after.”
Your frown got deeper as his cheeks got redder.
“Go on.”
“My apartment is closer to the aqueduct than the penthouse, so…” He cleared his throat. “I think it would be beneficial…and far less exhausting… if…youspendthenightatmyhouse.”
The last part of the sentence came out as fast as the hex claw laser. You got 'spend' and 'house'…ah…
…
“You don’t have to; it is completely up to you, and even if you say yes and then change your mind, you can go! And the walls are really paper-thin, so if you are worried that I do anything to you… I mean you do have magic and I'm not exactly the strongest man in Piltover…once…Jayce gently pushed me away from an experiment, and I toppled over… Embarrassing, really… Why am I telling you this?”
You blinked a couple of times. At first I'm shocked that he had actually asked you to spend time at his place, especially after the day you both had. And then at his comically dramatic rant, a smile appeared on your face as he kept going.
“Alright, sounds like a good plan.”
“Besides, your mother isn’t here yet, and you’d be alone and…wait, what?” He finally stopped to look at you.
“It’s a good idea. We’ll be able to squeeze a few more hours of sleep in and do some planning.”
Viktor started to nod slowly at first and then enthusiastically. His face opened up with a nervous but bright smile.
“You want to go get takeout at Voltaire’s? I’m sure I can convince him to get you some tart…” He announced as he passed you by, waiting for you to follow him.
“No need.” He adjusted his cane, and you could have sworn he had a little more pep in his step. “Jayce came over the other day; his mother usually makes him bring me food. I fear she thinks I can’t feed myself.”
“Eh…pastries and dessert don’t count as a balanced meal plan, Vik.” You joked, and he gave an ‘I don’t care’ type shrug. “I’m just happy you're eating.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” You shifted your backpack’s straps, realizing what you had blurted out.
“Well, work…”
“I can eat and work! That is why I have two hands…” He made a gesture of screwing a bolt and grabbing something to eat.
“Wow…efficient.” He made an agreeing sound with his throat, and you laughed.
“Keep doing it! As much as people would kill for those cheekbones, gaunt wouldn’t look good on you.” You winked at him and laughed when he touched the reddening apple of his cheeks.
Viktor joined your amusement as you both walked towards the Artist Quarters on your way to Engineering Street.
The small apartment Viktor had inhabited was, in fact, closer to the aqueduct, between the riverbed and the Academy. Most of the people working in the Academy had housing there. Mostly because the rents were low for them and proximity. It was a step up from dorms, but not really an upgrade in luxury.
And while Engineering Street was quiet throughout the day and night, you’d even say a bit boring, the Artist Quarters were a lively and colorful place, becoming more energetic at night.
The buildings were smaller, with a maximum of 3 floors, but bright with small shops on the floor levels. Bakeries, art shops, music stores. The cobblestone streets were filled with chalk drawings on the ground, and the streetlights had string lights hanging in between them.
The colors seemed to become brighter in these streets with the number of flowers and small trees and the strewn artists painting on the streets or people drinking and eating on the restaurant’s patio.
You passed by an art supply shop, and someone inside shouted Viktor’s name and waved at him. Viktor did the same, warmly greeting the elderly man storing a display of watercolors on a shelf, and you became curious.
“Mr. Felton sells me the pencils and chalks the council hates so much.” Viktor explained when he saw your expression.
“Have you ever tried drawing?”
“Oh no! Jayce is the artist of the two of us. He’s in charge of doing the initial designs and sketches…I’m good with a ruler, though!”
You were chuckling at his pride and confidence when he suddenly veered right and started to fish something out of his satchel. He took out a key and shoved it into the intricate front door to a beautiful blue-tiled building.
When he noticed you weren’t following him, he turned back and mentioned for you to come.
Viktor, head scientist and co-creator of Hextech, did not live on Engineering Street… Viktor, the color-coding aficionado, lived in the Artists Quarters. And you knew, in your heart of hearts…in the depths of your soul…there was nothing that made more sense than this.
His never-stopping mind didn’t need the monotony of the academy-assigned living quarters. It needs the bustle and the bustle and the colors of this place. You wondered if anything would have been different if the other Viktor had had this thought.
…
The building was beautiful outside and in.
On the outside, the light blue tiled walls were decorated with white columns and stone windows. There were three floors, with the two higher ones having a small veranda on them, just big enough to have two chairs on them. The ivy that crept up on the walls broke the symmetric façade of the building, clinging to the columns and tiles like veiny tendrils of bright green. What really got your attention at first was the front door, a white wood double door with intricate carvings and colorful glass panes, finished with a beautifully curved glass canopy.
The inside of the building was just as wonderful, with pastel brown painted walls and various little plants scattered on corners; the well-used wooden floors gave the inside a cozy feeling. In the middle back of the foyer was an old, small elevator that Viktor quickly made his way to, only stopping at the metal mailboxes to see if anything had been left to him. Nothing.
When you got to the elevator, you noticed Viktor’s hand tapping on the handle of his crutch. He was biting his cheek and slightly frowning, breathing in and out deeply at points.
“Are you alright?” You asked, leaning against the cage of the elevator.
“Mmm?” You nodded to his fingers on the handle, and he stopped, clutching the handle tighter. “Sorry…I--”
“Remember when you said I could change my mind and go? The same applies to you. I can just go.” You made sure your tone wasn’t disappointed or angry or any unintentional emotion that would make him feel bad when there was absolutely nothing to feel bad about. You’d respect his decision the same way you know he’d respect yours.
“No…” he quickly interjected. “I…this is not because I don’t want you here. It is because I do. I’m afraid I may do something that will scare you off…”
“I don’t scare easily.” You want to add, ‘I once spit in the face of a god,’ but then he would start asking questions. So you just touched his hand and smiled.
The elevator stopped with a mechanical groan, and Viktor nodded, more to himself than to you, and walked out to the second-floor foyer. He opened the door and walked inside with you close behind. However, you couldn’t make it past the door frame without gasping wide-eyed while your mind blanked.
Something about butterflies and wings came to mind, though.
The inside of his apartment was the exact same floor plan as the other dimension. A small kitchenette to the left with a window on top of the sink, and the rest was open space. The glass and wood door to the balcony was on a diagonal corner in front of the main door; next to it was a small arrangement of windows with curved lines going through them, giving them a delicate design. There was a room to the side, which you guessed was the bedroom, and another room at the end of the open space, the bathroom. It wasn’t cramped, but it was small.
You knew this floor plan like the back of your hand; you could close your eyes and go from here to the bathroom without bumping into the wall.
What changed, though, made the entire home feel different. The decorations and the colors. The lived-in details of the furniture.
The walls had been painted a deep forest green, instead of the neutral gray of the other dimension. There were decorations on the walls, diplomas, and schematics displayed proudly. The wooden floors were shiny and covered with rugs here and there.
The small table that served as a divider between the kitchen and the living space had a napkin holder and a wooden straw table mat. There were pans on top of the fridge and plates on the dish rack. There were two mugs on the sink, one of them with ‘man of progress printed on it.
It contrasted with the table that only served to hold books, boxes, and schematics. On the other timeline, glasses and plates were stored so as not to catch dust from not being used.
The living room had three bookcases filled with trinkets, books, vinyl records, and their player.
The books weren’t just academic, like the other apartment’s shelves, but also biographies and fantasy, architecture, and philosophy.
You could see the collector's edition of your mother’s saga neatly tucked into a shelf with small ceramic figures of the main characters in front of them.
There were photos of him, Jayce, Sky, and even your mom and Willah. Noticeably he didn’t look particularly comfortable in any of them, but it was a stark difference from the single photo of Jayce and Viktor at the inauguration of the hexgate and the framed newspaper clipping of the hex crystal discovery.
The couch was a light dusty pink color with decorative pillows and two folded blankets on the back of it. It was a sharp difference from the leather-bound couch with blankets thrown about and his bed pillow shoved into a corner.
Behind a clothed divider, a desk and some scientific material were completely thrown around, but the mess was enclosed there. Near a big window, you saw the single-seat, twin version of the couch your mother sent to the lab. Tucked in a nook surrounded by plants and books.
There were shoes on the shoe rack and coats on the coat hanger. There was an open book with a cover-up on the end table near the couch. There were tea stains on the dinner table. There was a life being lived here.
As you walked around the home, with Viktor trailing in front of you explaining and adding commentary to the million new things you were finding in the familiar house, you found yourself wondering why the Viktor you knew from before couldn’t have been gifted this…why was this Viktor standing in front of you smiling and being a generally happy human while his cosmic twin coughed himself to death? It made you sad and happy and angry and relieved.
“Are you alright?” Viktor tapped your shoulder, something he had now started to use to catch your attention instead of grabbing you.
You took a deep breath and mentioned the couch, silently asking permission to sit. Quickly he nodded and grabbed some pillows to make space for you.
When you fell onto the leathery furniture, he took the place next to you, looking concerned.
“V…I…need to--”
“Meow”
Your speech was interrupted by a long, muffled meow by the front door, accompanied by small scratches on the wood.
“Oh…No, no… I’m sorry…Give me a moment…” Viktor gave an apologetic smile and got up, while you looked on intrigued by this.
He walked towards the bathroom door and opened it and then went back to the front door and did the same. The blackest of black cats intertwined itself on Viktor's legs, giving out small greeting squeaks and purrs.
“Go. Go on. Yes, I know.” Viktor said, smiling softly at the cat, talking back to them as if he could understand.
The scientist softly nudged the cat with his foot, making the furry critter understand the big human wanted to move.
The cat finally acknowledged you and walked slowly towards where you sat, sitting gracefully in front of you and staring. Their blue eyes looked at you, and you swore that if all of the lights in Piltover were to turn off, the cat's eyes would be the only thing beaming.
“You have a cat.” You stated more than asked.
“Eehhh…Technically, the building has a cat. She just heard me first.” He limped back towards the couch and sat down.
“What's her name?”
“Noir…Nono for short.”
The cat leaped to the couch and smelled the hand you gave her. After a while, she deemed you worthy of her time and pushed her head into her hand, while Viktor stroked her body.
“Nono.” You called, and she looked at you. You presented her with your name, and she meowed.
When she was sick of the attention, she jumped down and walked to the bathroom, where you heard the telltale signs of her munching on her food.
“What were you saying?”
Viktor’s face was the definition of relaxed, the concern from before being replaced with a soft gaze and smile.
Was the need to come clean to him about his cosmic twin attempting to end the world worth him losing his peace? Would the information you were about to vomit change what he has so carefully built?
“I…think I just need to eat.” You gave him a bright smile, and he laughed quietly.
“Very well.” He got up from the couch and made his way to the kitchen counter, and you followed him. “Please, make yourself comfortable.”
You already were, the familiar floor plan making you feel at home. You sat at the dinner table watching him open his fridge and take out some glass containers with food and place them in the oven to heat up.
Viktor sat on a chair next to you and slowly took off his leg brace, sighing in release.
“If you want to, you can shower. I can go ask Madame Theroux, my neighbor, if she can let me borrow one of her kid's old clothes… I think she might have something that fits you.”
“Oh no…That’s too much of a bother.”
“Nonsense.” He got up and grabbed a discarded cane that was hooked on the divider and walked towards his bedroom.
After a while, he came out holding two fluffy towels and handed them to you. “She probably already heard I have company; might as well come clean sooner than later; otherwise she’ll be knocking on my door to snoop.”
“Sounds like a charm.” You grabbed the towels.
“She is actually. She’s very protective of us…the people in the building.” He smiled and mentioned the bathroom door. “If you could just leave the door ajar so Nono can come in and out…otherwise she will throw a tantrum.”
The black cat, now curled up on the couch, meowed at hearing her name. You nodded and walked to the bathroom while Viktor made his way to his neighbor's door.
“Oh…you can use whatever you need from there.” He opened the door and paused again. “There’s a robe on the back of the door if you need it.”
The door clicked shut, and you looked at Nono, who looked up at you and blinked slowly.
The bathroom was big, and while in the other dimension, it was just a well, normal bathroom; this one had been enhanced to help Viktor with his disability.
There were grab rails next to the slightly raised toilet and in the shower nook. All of the towel racks were sturdy enough to assist if he needed.
The floor had several thin anti-slip rugs, and the shower also had one that looked like wood.
There was also a stool inside the shower that you assumed he would use when needed.
You and Viktor in your timeline had once talked about this, making his house accessible for when he needed it, but his answer had been dismissive. A shrug and an ‘I spend more time in the lab anyway.’ Maybe you should have insisted; maybe you should have been more enthused about making it easier for him. Maybe if you had, he would have seen you in a better light after he had gotten the news.
It frustrated you that ‘maybes’ were all you had now. Even if you went back to your dimension, those things would still be in a maybe and if pile.
You heard the door close and started your shower quickly. You heard a knock on the door.
“There is a chair outside the door, in arm's reach for you to take. Madame Theroux said she threw in some undergarments…I didn’t check.”
“Thank you.”
You finished the shower and grabbed the clothes. Some red cotton checkered bottoms, a matching shirt, a white undershirt, and undergarments. It looked cozy, and it did fit you perfectly. This brought up the question of how Viktor had described you to the neighbor for her to get accurate measurements.
Walking out of the bathroom intent on joking about it with him, you stopped when you saw him haul a blanket and what you assume was a pillow to the couch.
“Oh. You are done.” He smiled, grabbed some clothes from the back of the couch, and walked towards you. “I think the food will be done soon. I am going to take a shower too, and then we eat, yes?”
You were still looking at the pillow and the sheet that was already tucked into the sofa.
“This for me?” You blurted it out before he passed you, and he shook his head.
“No. You’re my guest. You sleep on the bed.” He sounded proud of himself. “May I?”
Viktor pointed to the door of the bathroom, and you noticed you had been blocking his path. You took a step forward, and he smiled, walked inside, and pushed the door almost closed.
The ruffling of clothes snapped you out of your stupor, and you walked towards the kitchen, throwing daggers at the couch.
Summary: You had been on the rooftop with Jayce and the Herald and somehow you were sent to a place where things can be different with your help
Disclaimers and Warnings: If you want me to tag you on the chapters let me know! Also leave a comment with your thoughts :D Not finished, not proofread. English isn't my 1st language. All I know about LOL is from google and all I know about Arcane is taken from the show, so inacuracies will be plenty. I have a sort of idea on how to I'm gonna go with magic and runes, so bear with me. The reader will be written as GN (going by they/them) to get everyone involved, but if you see any discrepancies let me know
A.N: I'm sorry for the delay. Unfortunately life gets in the way of these things!
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19 • Part 20 • Part 21 • Part 22 • Part 23 • Part 24
• ··········· • ············ •
The trip down to the Entresol level was far easier than the one you just did. Get on the ascensor. Get off. Welcome to Zaun.
The undercity was very similar to what you remembered in your dimension, even though you hadn’t spent a long time there. Dark, chaotic, and yet in the chaos there was beauty. People shouting back and forth, vehicles coming and going, lights reflecting on colored glass panes.
Once upon another timeline, after Viktor became hexed and started his commune, you became a common guest in it. Helping him do things and reach higher, do better...improve…evolve. He would find ways to get you to the commune quickly and safely; most of them wouldn’t have you pass through the streets of Zaun. And if by any chance you’d need to, he’d get someone to accompany you.
No…he wouldn’t get someone…He would make someone.
It was hard to try and distinguish what was made out of love and what was made out of fawning. He wanted you in the commune, whether because he cared or because he needed more evolved; you didn’t know. But looking back at all the gestures he did, all the little smiles and touches, it was hard to imagine him, at that time, doing it for love. It was a means to an end. Much like the hex angel he had sent after you.
A tap on your shoulder snapped you violently out of your thoughts, so much so that you had to grab your chest to keep your quickening heart from exploding.
“Gods, Viktor.” You breathed. “Scared the shit out of me.”
“We have been walking for 10 minutes.” He sounded confused. “Where were you?”
“Far.” You looked at him, and he had a concerned look on his face. “Sorry.”
“No need to apologize. As long as you come back.”
“I’ll try.”
“We are here.”
You had stopped in front of a two-story building. It was thin and tall, and it looked like it had been pulled up by the roof disproportionately. The broken window on the ground floor showed the dancing shadows of an abandoned store, with half-empty shelves and dust shimmering there. The other two floors had two square windows to the street but only a faint light coming out of them. The door to the living quarters was ajar, and despite looking neglected on the outside, clothes were hanging on the windows, and on the last floor, there was a little parapet with some plants on it.
“There.” Viktor pointed to the first-floor window. “That was my bedroom.”
You looked up where he was pointing and smiled. There was a purple curtain there, and you wondered if that was there when he was.
“And that was the living room.” He pointed to the window next to the other.
Viktor had a melancholic air to him. A sort of haziness in his eyes as he remembered those times. You kept quiet, letting him reminisce.
“You want to go up?” You said when he sighed with finality.
“No. There is probably someone living there.” He turned around to walk further down the artificially lit streets.
You silently followed him through the streets, watching the stalls and the stores start to get customers. You knew danger lurked around every shadow, especially with the chembarons running amok, but right now it seemed calm and safe…safe-ish.
One thing that surprised you, though, was the sound above the sounds. Above the cacophony of the undercity, there were whispers and buzz like a layer of frenzied talk about the frenzy. Several times you’d pause and look back when something whispered in your ear. It didn’t feel evil or angry. It was playful, like a child touching your shoulder only to hide away.
“Is everything alright?” Viktor asked, and you nodded.
“I’ll explain later. Rune related.”
He paused and looked back at the building that was once his home and then at the intersection where you were both standing. In front was a metal bridge, a path to the left towards more buildings, and a metal stairway to the right.
“It’s there.” He pointed to a small location on a metal landing on a lower level.
“More stairs!”
“Zaun’s architecture is vertical.” He spat out, limping towards the steps.
You walked beside him, keeping a close eye on him. He held to the thin railing, and between that and his crutch, you both made your way down slowly but safely.
“As you can guess...” He adjusted his aid and straightened up. “It was fun for me growing up.”
The layer of sarcasm in the sentence was as thick as the fog that rolled above.
“Between the lungs and the bones, I was a regular at the playground…if there had been any playgrounds…”
There was resentment in his voice, but not anger. He wanted the best for the Undercity, even after it had pushed him aside. He knew, the same as you or your mother, that the betterment of Zaun would be the betterment of everyone who lived in it. Whether they were healthy or not.
“Would you ever consider coming back?” You expected a resounding and quick no since that had been the answer given to you by his cosmic twin, but once again the thoughtful silence told you how different they were.
“Yes, if that’s a decisive factor in the improvement of people's lives here, I would.” There was no doubt in his tone.
“Sounds like you’ve thought this over.”
“Heh. It is where I was born; I will always love it. No matter what it becomes.” His head nodded forward, and you saw your target location coming up.
The store window was bright with orange and yellow lights, reminding you of a lit fireplace. The black-trimmed glass panes with gentle curves made it welcoming, and the array of colorful packages and signs made it even more appealing to the eye. But what made you look at the small store was the symbol on the sign. It was the fire rune, mirrored and delicately decorated with leaves and flowers.
“My mother used to come here.” He recalled once more. “I liked the little candy they had for coughs and the muscle cream too.”
You smiled at him and walked inside, his presence close behind you. The little voices and sounds from what you thought were the arcane became a little louder as you approached the store, but they quickly became silent as the bell signaling a customer entrance rang.
The inside of the store was warm and smelled of dried leaves and soothing balms. The dark wooden shelves were filled with paper packets, glass bottles, and tin cans with various colorful labels. The decorations, the advertisements, and even the rug on the floor were old and raggedy, but it gave the place a cozy feeling.
“Hello. Welcome to Fireside Elixirs and Medicines. My name is Elysium. How can I help you?”
Elysium smiled and brightened up the room as they placed their hands on the glass counter. They were wearing a baggy cream-colored wool sweater with a flowery detail embroidered in it, under a pair of green overalls. Their sleeves were rolled up, and his arms were filled with flowery and leafy tattoos.
“Alena sent us,” Viktor announced after the door closed, and Elysium's smile got bigger.
“Oh, yes! You must be the hex-head and the heir.”
You tried to bite back a laugh but failed when you glanced at Viktor’s confused face. His eyes blinking, eyebrows furrowed, and his mouth trying to come up with a reply.
“That’s us.” You waved, and they nodded.
“I’ve got what you asked for here.” Elysium walked to the back of the store, waiting for them to follow.
“What did you ask for?” Viktor mumbled as he followed you, the wooden floor from the apothecary creaking.
“Old records of old customers...” you whispered back as Elysium opened the door to a small storage room and office space.
The small round table in the middle was filled with cardboard boxes, and those boxes were filled with notebooks and binders with papers of different sizes and colors inside. It was literally a mess of papers and books and dust bunnies.
“It’s all I could find, and Janna knows if that’s all of it.”
“I just wanted a list of clients…” you stuttered, surprised at the number of boxes and sheets.
“Yup…those are it. 90 years worth.” Elysium patted you on the back. “If you need me, I'll be right there.”
They pointed to a small corner couch that had an open sketchbook and some pencils next to it. You nodded, still a bit shocked.
Viktor was already inside the office, looking around the boxes, grabbing the lightest ones, and placing them on the floor.
“Do you still sell the rosehip tea?” Viktor asked quietly, Why did you finally accept your fate?
Elysium nodded curiously while you looked at both of them.
“I would like to buy some.” They nodded again, moving to get him his tea. “Do you perhaps have a kettle here?”
“Not here, but I can get you some hot water.” Both of you realized at the same time what the scientist wanted to do.
“That would be appreciated. Thank you.”
The storekeeper nodded again and turned around, probably to find the tea and the water. You shifted your gaze to Viktor, who was now fishing for something out of his satchel.
“Rosehip tea?” you asked, mimicking his movements from before, picking up some of the heavier boxes.
“It is good for joints and inflammation.” He explained, taking out a small leather coin purse, a notebook, and a pen with a colorful top.
“You believe in that?”
…someone else didn’t…
“I believe in anything that might help me. If anything, the human mind is very susceptible to the placebo effect.” He sat down in a chair, starting to undo his brace, sighing in relief once it was free.
Both of you sat down at the table as you started by picking a box and trying to make heads and tails of the boxes.
Viktor was a pro, quickly grabbing everything out of one box and making piles for each size of paper sheet and note and then making another pile with the whole notebooks. You started to follow his lead, adding papers and notebooks to the piles.
Elysium would come around at certain points throughout the morning, bringing the water for the tea and two mismatched cups. It was clear the shop still had some customers, the bell ringing from time to time and Elysium’s calm voice helping them out.
By the time lunch came around, you had made your way through a couple of boxes, and both looked proud when their new acquaintance whistled, impressed.
“I’m starting to think we should pay you for this.” They joked, leaning into the doorway.
“No need. It is quite…relaxing.” Viktor quickly blurted, and you snorted in disagreement.
“Please forgive him. He’s usually knee-deep in chaos.” You grabbed your backpack.
“Well, it’s food time. If you guys want to come, I’m going to a little stall down the street.” Elysium grabbed his satchel bag and waited for your answers.
You both nodded in sync and made your way out the door.
“Alena told me you are interested in the magic symbols. Can I ask why?” Elysium asked, slurping his noodles.
“I am researching them for my studies.” Viktor quickly blurted it out before you could even open your mouth.
“For hextech?”
“No. Personal.”
“That’s awesome!!”
“What do you know about them?” You asked, setting the spoon down and leaning over the serving shelf of the food stall.
“Urban legend. Mom warned me about the old man with magic, that he would come and take me if I got into trouble.”
Viktor nudged your knee with his own, and you looked at him. He raised his eyebrows, and you nodded, acknowledging that the shopkeeper had the same experience as Viktor.
“Did your grandparents see him too?”
“Not my grandparents…my great uncle.” Elysium finished his food and pushed the bowl aside. “He once saw him near the lanes, just looking.”
“Did he talk to him?” Viktor asked, also pushing his food aside and grabbing a small tray with a little fried round pastry layered with sugar and cinnamon.
“But he would see him there almost every day. Gr’uncle thought he was a ghost most of the time, and he was scared of ghosts.” They gave you a sad smile. “Later in life he became…sick…mentally…he’d forget things and see things, and we couldn't tell what was real or what was his imagination.”
“Was it the mines?” Viktor asked, plopping the sugar bomb into his mouth.
“Probably…or the gray. Or both.”
The air turned solemn, the three of you contemplating the lives of the citizens of the Undercity. They had been forgotten by the council; every piece of comfort they had been given by them was performative. Sure, Councilor Kiramman funded and made the pipes that expelled the gray from the city, but in the end, there was always a blade above these people's neck. You knew this because you saw it. Caytlin only needed to turn a key, and the toxic gas was once more weaponized against them.
Every time someone tried to do good…actual good for the people of Zaun, there were hurdles and committees and just unenthusiastic talks about why they needed actual schools for children in Zaun; meanwhile, Piltover prided itself on the education of its citizens.
Heimerdinger had been right when he told the boys back then about security, and when they told you, you were just as outraged as they were. Now though? Now you know that Hextech indeed needs some security precautions. Against Piltover's need to stomp on their lower city mostly.
Zaun was dangerous; the shadows were sometimes death sentences, but they had been left to fend for themselves. Enforcers weren’t policing the bad guys here; they were just making sure the cages were locked.
It angered you that you had been blind to most of it. Even to the point of not giving a shit about it. Your ivory tower was way too high for you to see the people down below. Until you were dragged into it. Sure, it was by a hexed Viktor, but the experiences were all real, the people who wandered into the commune, their stories.
And even though the means he used were flawed, he tried to help them. Only to be the one who would fatally use them.
“It was evolution, my dear friend. The betterment of ourselves only leads to the betterment of our surroundings.” Viktor's mechanical voice snapped you out of your thoughts. He was right there…in your ear.
“Are you alright?” Elysium asked, stopping the animated conversation they were having with Viktor. You're Viktor.
“Yeah…sorry! Just thinking about the boxes back at the store.” You looked at your gloved hands. “I can’t feel the tips of my fingers.”
“I think we can start to decipher the clients with what we have now, and perhaps tomorrow we could investigate those.” Viktor grabbed a paper bag with grease stains from the man in the stall. It was filled with the sugary fried pastries he had been eating. “When we exhaust all of those people, we go back for more.”
“Sounds like a game plan.” Elysium nodded as if he was the one who was going to do it.
“It does.” You looked back at the shopkeeper. “You’re going to help us with this?”
“Ah! No. That’s all you.”
You groaned as they laughed, patting your shoulder in solidarity with your exasperation.
What you had thought was going to be a day of exploration turned out to be a day of tracking people through receipts, prescriptions, and old notes made by at least two generations of Alena’s family.
Luckily, once Elysium announced the shop was closing, Viktor groaned, apparently enjoying this methodical work, and you let out a relieved moan.
Elysium handed Viktor a tin with more rosehip tea and bid you both goodbye. It wasn’t late, but the air was starting to become even more chilly.
Summary: You had been on the rooftop with Jayce and the Herald and somehow you were sent to a place where things can be different with your help
Disclaimers and Warnings: If you want me to tag you on the chapters let me know! Also leave a comment with your thoughts :D Not finished, not proofread. English isn't my 1st language. All I know about LOL is from google and all I know about Arcane is taken from the show, so inacuracies will be plenty. I have a sort of idea on how to I'm gonna go with magic and runes, so bear with me. The reader will be written as GN (going by they/them) to get everyone involved, but if you see any discrepancies let me know
A.N: I feel like I should apologize...sorry...not sorry...I'm still cooking people...
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19 • Part 20 • Part 21 • Part 22 • Part 23
• ··········· • ············ •
As you were about to move in to capture his lips, a voice from behind you two shouted, making you both jump. Viktor unwittingly grabbed your elbows and quickly let go.
You looked over your shoulder to see a worker stomping towards the both of you. An enforcer rounded the corner close behind him. He was calling out to the both of you, and you turned to see Viktor's golden orbs staring at the two men, squinting in thought.
“Remember when I said we might have to commit crimes?” Viktor whispered, without taking his eyes off the other men.
“I also remember you distinctively saying there were other ways to escape than to just run.”
“Heeeh… We might want to start a brisk walk just in case.”
You looked at him with a blank, annoyed face, and he shrugged, giving you a look of, ‘I don’t really know what I’m doing right now; I’m just doing it confidently.’.
The people behind were closing in, and you both started to walk briskly, as fast as Viktor could without breaking into a run.
“I can run if we need to.” Viktor looked over his shoulder at the quickly approaching guards. “But I have to take off my brace.”
“Let’s avoid that.” You kept looking around, hoping somewhere in the back of your mind was stored a memory that could give an idea of where to hide.
“I know where we can hide!” Viktor, seemingly reading your thoughts, went to grab your wrist but ended up grabbing the edge of your scarf, pulling gently.
A sharp turn, and Viktor stopped abruptly, checking to see if the men were anywhere in sight. With a satisfied nod, he pointed to a metal door. A sign with “Machine Room” written on it.
Viktor tapped the handle to the door, and you nodded, understanding what he meant with a look. Quickly you took the glove off and unlocked it.
Before getting in the room, you saw a couple of spare pipes leaning on the wall further ahead, and with another flick of your wrist, a swoosh of air made them fall with several clinks and clunks.
As you closed and re-locked the door, you heard the enforcer and the worker shout and run in front of the door towards the pipes and then continue on. You sighed in relief and looked around.
The room was loud, the whirring of the machines and pumps causing it to be almost unbearable. A few fluorescent lights hung from the tall ceiling, making the ceiling a void above you. You groaned, your face twisting in disapproval.
Viktor limped towards a metal staircase leading to a lower floor. He sat on the first step with a grunt, took off his bag, his hands moved to the brace on his leg, and he started to unbuckle it.
“Viktor?” You sat down next to him, trying not to shout at him.
“I was expecting this.” He told you loudly but calmly, hands making quick work of the buckles under his knee. “The night shift probably just ended; the morning shift is starting to arrive. I was hoping we could have walked a little further, but nonetheless…this is…mmmm…workable.”
“Alright. And how do we work with it?”
Viktor grunted, pulling his brace from his leg, bending it, and testing it on the ground. He held a hand up for you to help him stand, and you did so, already versed on the best way to do it. He made a ‘whoop’ sound when he stood, which made you chuckle. It was followed with one of his own.
For a few seconds, you both stood there. You with hands hovering near his shoulders, ready to grab him if he toppled, and him swaying side to side, looking at his feet, finding his own balance. When he straightened out, he made a grimace but then sighed, becoming once more accustomed to the added discomfort.
"A little further down, there is an arch that has a way to go down to the bedrock below. And then it’s a little walk until we can climb up the rock to Zaun.”
“Way to go down? Climb?” You raised an eyebrow, and he patted his hextech, now braceless.
“Climb.” He saw your blank face. “It’s not going to be comfortable or painless, but it’ll be alright. I can take it.”
“I…mmmm…" You locked your jaw and sniffled disapprovingly but held your hands up. "Alright. I’m not going to argue. Nope. I’ll judge silently.”
Viktor’s face turned triumphant as he walked by you. When he reached the door, he placed his ear to it. He nodded, looking at you, signaling there was no one he could hear. You unlocked the door, and he carefully and silently popped his head out and then waved at you to come.
It must have been a sight to see the two of you comically sneaking around the mostly empty corridors. You were carrying his brace under your arm while he was doing his best not to hit the crutch on the walls while hunching down to try and become smaller.
Thankfully, the only ones watching would have been the Gods, since nobody passed by you two.
You hoped they were having a good laugh.
“There.” He pointed to an unassuming archway.
When you reached in, you looked down. It wasn’t as high as you expected. If you had to guess, it was probably 7 or 8 feet. You looked around. To one side the ground went deeper down, on the other a solid wall of rock went steeply upwards.
You turned your gaze to Viktor, who was also appraising the wall of creamy rock. He looked back at you, and you raised an eyebrow, your gaze shifting between him and the rock and back to him.
“It will be fine.” He concluded with finality, and you pulled an unimpressed and obviously belligerent expression.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Your silent judgment is very loud.” Viktor raised an eyebrow at you.
You gave him a one-shoulder shrug and tilted your chin towards the wall to the side of the archway. Several metal tubes were carved into it, forming a ladder down.
“Ahah!” He inspected them closely. Grabbing one and pulling it with some force to see if it would hold. It creaked but didn't fall off.
“Alright.” You grabbed his crutch from his hands, quickly making it cane size, and secured it between the straps of your backpack.
“I can take the brace.” He asked for it, and you gave it to him. He secured two of its leather straps to the strap of his shoulder bag and pulled it a bit to see if it was safe.
He started for the ladder, and you stopped him, hand on his forearm.
“Let me go first. It’ll be easier to help you from down there.” You moved past him as he nodded.
You saw his hand move towards your own arm but stop and just hover there, waiting in case it was necessary for him to actually grab you. His eyes were fixed on the steps and on your movement, making sure you were secure in your descent. It was a caring gesture; it made you give him a goofy smile, and he reciprocated.
“Go on.” He mentioned it with his head, and you started going down.
The steps were flimsy but seemed sturdy enough for you to climb down, the metal groaning in some places, but it didn’t show signs of breaking.
“Please do not break anything.” He quickly shouted at you. “Unless you want to try your mending on a real bone.”
“A little eager for disaster, aren’t we?” You jumped the 3 steps needed to reach the ground with a little oomph. “Your turn.”
You saw him grab the steps and test one. It groaned with the weight of his hex leg but nothing else. He slowly made his way down as you followed his movements attentively. As soon as he got within helping distance, you hovered, your hands up, ready to steady him. You noticed his grimace with every step, but there was no other complaint.
When his boots touched the ground, you held on to his shoulders as he took some deep breaths and balanced himself. His face was a mix of discomfort and pain.
“Are you alright?” Concern was written on your features when his own didn’t change. “Vik?”
“Give me a minute…” You gently led him to the rock wall, and he leaned on it. “I might have underestimated the physicality of this part of our endeavor.”
Viktor groaned when he tried to put weight on his leg, quickly grabbing his thigh.
“Alright. We rest.” You ordered rather than asked.
Unlatching his brace from the of his bag strap, you helped him put it on.
“I’ll need it off when we go up.” He whined, placing a hand on your shoulder as you slid his brace up.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” You strapped the thing in on his lower leg but let him do the straps on his thigh while you pulled the crutch to his preferred height.
He tested the leg again and nodded, still grimacing. You grabbed a bottle of water from your backpack and handed it to him after taking a swig yourself. He took it gratefully, sighing after closing the lid.
You sat on the ground in front of him, legs outstretched, leaning into your hands, and looked at the man in front of you. He seemed somewhat defeated, fiddling with the buckles of his belt, leaning against the rock wall.
“Hey!” You called him, and he looked up to you, his face blank but waiting. “I’m glad you're here.”
“Eh…” he sighed heavily. “I was hoping our exploration would go smoother than this. I didn’t remember those steps being so hard to go down.”
“When was the last time you got down here?”
“A couple of years...” you raised an eyebrow. “Since the start of hextech…”
You rolled your eyes but smiled gently at him, trying not to sound condescending.
“Ten years is not a couple. There were no back screws then, no hex leg, no crutch...”
“How did—? Esther?” You nodded and shrugged. Not good at lying...pfft.
“Either way. If we do this the scientific way, now we know this path is not viable. We’ll find another one.” You winked at him, and he frowned.
“This would be a good time to gloat and tell me how right you were.”
“About?”
“Not wanting me to come along.”
“But I do, though.” You leaned forward, crossing your legs like a kid and leaning forward, picking at the dirt on the ground. “I always did. I just don’t want you to get hurt. Not because you are incapable of taking care of yourself, but because Zaun is dangerous for you and for me.”
“That is why I also want to come with you.” He slid down the rocky wall and sat down as well, looking at you. “The thought of you going alone to Zaun was…not welcomed.”
You gave him a grin, shook your head, got up, and walked to him. When you were at arm's length from him, you squatted in front of him. He followed your movements with curiosity, his golden orbs bright and attentive.
After a few seconds of silence, your hand came up to touch his face, but a thought on the back of your mind stopped you. It was hardly fair that he couldn't touch you without the chance of triggering a panic attack, and yet you felt no qualms in doing it to him.
As if reading your thoughts, he moved his face to nuzzle your hand, a smile on his lips and a glint in his eyes. You saw his hand come up to your hand face but only hovered there, close enough for you to feel the coolness coming off his fingers but not touching.
“We should go.” He whispered, his face still leaning into your palm. “Otherwise I fear I might lose my resolve.”
“To go to Zaun?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No.”
“Oh.” His eyes shifted to your lips. “Oh…”
With a groan you got up, grabbed his crutch, and held it so he could get up. As soon as you could, you grabbed his elbow and helped him up.
“You are quite the expert at lifting me to my feet.” He was adjusting his crutch as you kept your hands near his shoulders just in case.
“Making up for the first time we met.” You grinned, and he looked at you snorting.
Viktor nodded when he was ready to keep walking. You grabbed at the strap of his leather bag and gently pulled it. He lowered his head and allowed you to take it.
You secured it around your torso, grabbed the backpack you had discarded on the floor, and flung it on your back. You felt him rearrange a strap that was twisted and then patting it.
“The place I used to go up is not far.” He motioned with his head.
“We’ll go slow. No crimes being committed here.” You joked, and he nodded.
You walked a few feet in comfortable silence. The sun was still low on the horizon, and you could hear sounds of people going about their lives on the sides of the dried riverbed. It was peaceful.
At points you’d stop so Viktor could rest, but you never fussed over it. He’d lean on the wall, and you’d wait for him to restart walking.
When he stopped and tapped your shoulder, you realized he was looking at the wall. Following his eyes, you saw several formations in the rock that looked like steps. You sighed. It wasn’t going to be easy, but it’s better than you expected.
The height between steps was not much, nor was their depth. There were just... a lot of them. And they weren’t natural to the rock; someone had carved them, and with their use, it seemed like their angle became sharper. One slip-up and it would be quite the tumble.
“Alright…this is doable. I don’t think you need to take the brace off.” You encouraged Viktor, and he nodded, not very convinced. “We go nice and easy, and we rest when we need to.”
And that's what you did. Nice, slow walk up some steep stairs. Midway Viktor took off his brace but kept his crutch close to him.
Slowly but surely you trekked up the steps, and when you arrived at the Undercity’s promenade, you were both out of breath.
You both sat on the last step, Viktor tapping your knee and pointing to his bag. Unceremoniously you gave it to him, your mind still trying to figure out how to breathe in and out. No coherent thoughts, just bringing air in and out.
The sound of something shaking caught your attention, and you looked at Viktor as he placed an inhaler between his lips and breathed in.
“Why... why do you need… that?” You said between breaths.
“Keep…the lungs…from remembering they are not mine…” he said, storing the medicine inside the bag and lightly touching his chest. “They get fussy…with big...activities...””
Nothing he said would be considered coherent to anyone else. Lungs with memory? But to you, that was music to your ears. It brought a smile to your face.
“Well…hopefully…there will be no more extraneous activities from now on.” You leaned your elbows on your knees, and Viktor laughed, coughed, and laughed again.
“You are in Zaun, Piltie. This is where the word ‘extraneous’ was invented.”
He winked at you with a grin, and you found yourself admitting that you cared for him more than just him being the simulacrum of the Viktor you once loved and cared for.
Summary: You had been on the rooftop with Jayce and the Herald and somehow you were sent to a place where things can be different with your help
Disclaimers and Warnings: If you want me to tag you on the chapters let me know! Also leave a comment with your thoughts :D Not finished, not proofread. English isn't my 1st language. All I know about LOL is from google and all I know about Arcane is taken from the show, so inacuracies will be plenty. I have a sort of idea on how to I'm gonna go with magic and runes, so bear with me. The reader will be written as GN (going by they/them) to get everyone involved, but if you see any discrepancies let me know
A.N: Viktor's Zaunite wear is inspired by this artwork.
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19 • Part 20 • Part 21 • Part 22
• ··········· • ············ •
It was a cold autumn morning, even as the sun started to shine down on you, bundled up in more layers of clothing than usual. You sat in a little park near the river that trespassed and separated Topside from the Undercity.
The small park was almost deserted, with only a few people walking their dogs and some artists putting up their canvases and even some stalls. It was close to the artist's quarters in the city, so it was a convenient place to set up shop.
You found this place rather soothing; the Artists Quarters was always a go-to location whenever you wanted to unwind. Many festivals adjacent to bigger festivities on the top side would be done in this park. It would be filled with colorful lanterns and unusual foods from foreign, faraway places. You’d always drag Viktor to the festivals, and even though he’d mumble and grumble, you’d find him enjoying the celebrations.
“Apologies for making you wait.” You heard a familiar voice coming from beside you and looked at its owner.
Viktor smiled at you, holding on to his older leather satchel. He was once again out of his normal scientist attire, and you raised an eyebrow at his clothes. His usual white vest was traded in for a dark wine-colored vest with old golden trims, and peeking from under a tattered old blouson jacket was a creamy-colored shirt. His leg brace had black leather belts, and the metal was darker than usual, making the aid hard to see on top of his black trousers. To finish what you were now deeming his Zaunite gear, he had a pair of brown boots with brass tips and two brown leather gloves that had seen better days.
“Look at you. A Zaunite through and through.” You joked, pointing at his outfit. He looked down at himself.
“I never thought I would be wearing these old things again.” He patted the arm of his jacket, and you saw some dust come out of it.
“It suits you…” You threw him a grin and scratched the back of his head, his pale cheeks becoming pink.
“Heh. It reminds me of my childhood. You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Looking down at yourself, you had to agree. The tailor-made clothes you liked to wear on this side had been discarded for today. The outfit was simple, the fabrics diverse and colorful, but not bright. A mix of loose and fitted pieces made the ensemble work. You had annoyed the housekeepers to wash them as many times as possible in two days.
“Flattery will get you everywhere.” You made a dramatic, dismissive gesture.
“Good to know.” He chuckled and pointed to the other side of the river with his head. “Shall we?”
You nodded and turned to make your way to the bridge when a gloved hand gently pulled you in the opposite direction by the shoulder.
“The bridge is that way.” You announced matter-of-factly, looking at the man who was now casually limping in another direction.
“First rule of being invisible: do not cross a bridge patrolled by enforcers.” He kept strolling, a finger-wagging in the air.
You sighed deeply and then chuckled, running to catch up with him. When you reached him, he tilted his head to look at you with a smug grin on his face. You rolled your eyes at him with an exaggerated head turn.
It wasn't a long walk to where he was taking you, but when you looked at where you were heading, your face fell slightly.
The water pumps were a known spot for the scientists and you. Viktor would come here when he needed to think or just be alone, and in the end, no conversation had in this location was good. The good memories of laughing and joking while sipping cold drinks and dangling your feet on the ledge were quickly replaced with fights and resentment.
“Before we go this way.” He slowed his pace as you both approached a wall of dark green ivy clumped and glued to another, less natural one. “There might be a chance that we could be committing…heh…crimes.”
You pulled yourself together, unglazing your eyes and focusing on the swaying man in front of you. With an inflated gasp, you raised your eyebrows in fake shock, placing a hand on your mouth and another on your cheek.
“Not crimes!” You shook your head, and he leaned heavily into his crutch, which was the Viktor equivalent of putting a hand on his hip.
“You are the one court-ordered to stay out of trouble.” He raised an eyebrow.
“I’m not the one under scrutiny by the council.” He frowned for a beat and then shrugged and nodded.
“Fair. Anyway, I thought you should be aware of it.”
“It’s not a crime to go to Zaun…”
“But we might trespass a few properties to get there.” He told you in a sing-song voice that made you chortle.
“Trust me, I’ve trespassed on worse things than the aqueducts.”
“I’m starting to think the enforcers are right about you. Such a bad influence.”
He gave you a smirk and pulled the curtain of ivy aside; a wooden panel that was latched with an old and heavy lock appeared behind it. From his satchel he grabbed a set of keys, looked at them, and picked a smaller brass one, making quick work of unlocking the makeshift door.
“No need for magic.” He said proudly, gently pulling the door open for you, motioning for you to get in.
“Now you’re just showing off.” You joked as you passed him, and he shrugged, walking inside behind you.
Once you were both inside, you looked at the scientist straight in his golden orbs and moved your fingers. The sound of the lock latching in place echoed through the stone halls. His face became deadpan and unimpressed.
“That seems like cheating.” He noted, slowly raising an eyebrow.
“We set no rules for this game.” You jutted your chin up indignantly and closed your eyes, trying to look like a spoiled brat. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
You felt something hard hit the top of your head. You let out a yelp and opened your eyes to see Viktor starting to rearrange the crutch under his arm again.
“Did you just bonk my head with your crutch?” You stroked the place it hit and tried to contain the laughter. It hadn’t hurt; it just startled you, and the idea of him doing it was incredibly funny to you.
“Yes. Yes, I did.” He announced proudly, starting to walk towards the lit corridor. “And I’ll do it again if you misbehave.”
“I am being treated unfairly.” You kept joking, both of you supporting smug smirks and grins.
“Says the Piltie about to enter Zaun.” He snapped back, and once again you gasped in mock indignation.
It felt so incredibly satisfying watching this man be this carefree. You had met this Viktor at some point in your dimension, but it seemed like it was a lifetime ago, and it had lasted a blink of an eye. And you had adored him at these highs just the same as you did in his lows.
Viktor and you kept joking around as you walked through the arches and the gigantic metal gears when a particular archway caught your gaze. Not the architecture, but the view from it. The familiar perspective was burned into your memories.
In your mind's eye, the shadow of a hunched, sickly Viktor appeared. Turning away sharply, a trembling hand on the wall was the only thing supporting him after a violent coughing fit.
‘I am dying!’ his voice resonated in your mind. Hoarse, angry, desperate, cold. ‘I need to focus on my work. You are a distraction I cannot afford. A reminder of a future I can no longer grasp.’
You felt the air catch your throat, and a small whimper came out. Immediately a hand tapped your shoulder, gently snapping you out of your reverie.
“Are you alright?” the same angry voice from before now taking a softer tone to your side.
“Hmm…yes…” You gave him what you thought was a nonchalant smile, but his eyebrow furrowing on his face told you it hadn’t registered like that. “The color of the sky reminded me of something.”
It was a sheepish excuse of a lie. You knew it, and when you saw his confused expression as he looked at the completely normal blue autumn sky, you knew he was also aware.
“Would you like to stop?”
“We just started.”
“We can stop.” He gave a one-shoulder shrug, and you shook your head.
“No need. I’m alright.”
Viktor nodded and took one last glance out of the archway and then back at the way before resuming his walk. You did the same, the haunting silhouette frozen in place. You felt the need to apologize to it when you turned away and sped up towards this companion. You both walked in silence, the joyous beginning of the adventure now taking a more serious tone.
“How was the place you came from?” Viktor asked suddenly.
“Mmm?”
“The place you come from. Was it nice? Did you like it there?”
The line of questioning was expected, and it had surprised you it had taken him this long to do it. In the many times you thought about it, you had decided to be as honest as possible.
“Oh…It was nice. More topside than undercity.”
“Do you miss it?”
“I don’t know.” You answered truthfully and saw him tilt his head to look at you. “I miss what it was. Before I left, things became…rough.”
A beat of silence, and Viktor sighed. The kind of sigh that told you you weren't going to like whatever he said next.
“I…know the story you tell about Esther being your aunt is not true.” He gave you a small smile, without malice or anger in it. “You don’t need to tell me the truth now. I understand the necessity for keeping secrets, but…when you are comfortable, I’ll listen.”
Of all the things you wanted to tell him, you knew right there and then was not the time. Or maybe it was, but in your brain, something was pulling you back.
It would be so easy to sit him down and tell him. You knew he would not only understand himself but help you understand. It would be an amazing discovery for science. For him. The man whose eyes lit up every time you showed a hint of magic.
But something held you back. So many variants of what could happen after you told him quickly pushed away any willingness to do so. What if he became obsessed with jumping time and space like the other Viktor became obsessed with perfection? What if the knowledge of the other him being able to become essentially a god-like creature was enough to make him keep working on the hex-core until it corrupted him? What if his need to help others surpassed his need for self-preservation and led everything to the same path? What if knowing his cosmic twin was dying in another world made him spiral like it sometimes made you?
There were too many options that you couldn’t control, and now was not the time to gamble on which one would be on the card.
“I will…” you said meekly, not being capable of looking at him. “Thank you.”
“It’s only fair that I let you know.” He shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. “You are not a very good liar.”
“I am.” You told him honestly. You weren't being cute or sassy or egocentric. You were good at lying. You'd lied many times since you got here. He was just privy to the moments that took more effort.
“Heh…” He swayed his head from side to side, and his hand mimicked the gesture, tilting side to side. “Perhaps to other people.”
You felt your legs stop walking, and when he realized you had paused, he turned back to you. His eyes filled with concern. He called your name gently, about to start talking, but you shook your head and interrupted him.
“I’m not always lying.” You took a deep breath. You might not tell him everything, but you had to give him something. “I’m compartmentalizing. There are two boxes, and one is filled with…the past. And the other is here and now. And that past box is filled with…memories, good and bad. And I’m trying not to let that box spill into this one. But this box, the here and the now, what’s been said, what’s been done. There are no lies.”
He limped towards you and made the move to place a hand on your shoulder but stopped midway. Instead, he grabbed your hand. He'd learned that if he did it gently enough, you would allow it.
“One day, when you let me see what's in the box, I will do my utmost best to understand.” He whispered, moving his head to catch your eyes in his warm one.
You looked up at him, his voice dripping with sincerity. Your eyebrows were furrowed in thought, and as quickly as he could, Viktor leaned down and kissed the place between them.
He did it with such confidence that all you could do was let out a tiny gasp, your hand immediately coming up to grab his arm, ready to push him away…or pull him to you.
It wasn't just the gesture that made your eyes widen. It was the familiarity that the gesture carried. The Viktor you knew did it whenever you'd frown.
'There's a line right here,' he'd say and then kiss it away.
Looking slightly up, you could feel his minty breath on your face. His nose was a breath away from yours, and your eyes landed on his lips. It would take a single motion for you to kiss him, and you knew he knew that. You saw him swallow and look back at his whiskey eyes. A small twitch telling he was expecting you to do something.
