So during one of our conversations with @zesneakers1999 I brought up the existence of my SkyVik fankid I created for my obligatory "my OTP Lives Happily Ever After for my Own Sanity AU" and her interest compelled me not only to clean up that sketch I made of SkyVik Baby with Blitzcrank but also to post my very detailed thoughts on SkyVik family. So yeah, in-depth long rambling borderlining of fic sometimes because I don't know what I'm doing anymore of SkyVik family AU under the cut. Enjoy the long, indigestible fluff.
(For context, SkyVik Baby works in the PowderVerse because I'm among the few people who believe it's also the official SkyVik AU. However, I'll be focusing on an unrealistically better AU in which Jayce lives and Hextech gets to exist but shit doesn't hit the fan... I ended cutting a lot of context for the post to be- mostly digestible but basically Viktor, Sky and Jayce manage to find a cure for Viktor's disease and they all manage to save Zaun thanks to Hextech as well as Sky's own personal botany research. Following his recovery, Viktor allows himself to live and love and thus lets Sky in his life. They start dating, get together and Vitkor eventually takes her last name.)
So I think that for a while, Viktor was content at the thought of leaving his work behind as a legacy the way he had always wanted. But since love and legacy are intertwined themes in Arcane, I can't help but think that in a way love + legacy = progeny... Therefore, Viktor finds himself thinking that there cannot be a more loving legacy to leave behind than one which is made of a little of yourself and a little of your other half. Viktor was proud of what he had accomplished and shared with the world to improve it but the more he gave it a thought, the more he found himself wanting, desiring and craving a legacy which would not be knowledge or technical nature displayed for the entire world to benefit from and enjoy but something personal, something which would be his and Sky's only, something they wouldn't create out of love for others but out of love for each other; their own pride and joy, their own little private project.
Jokingly, Sky and Viktor would sometimes refer to Blitzcrank as their child but the joke always left Viktor secretly dreaming and yearning even more. He didn't know how to broach the topic but it simply took one of Sky's teasing comments about Blitz being like Viktor's baby for Viktor to suddenly ask her.
"Sky, have you ever considered the idea of children?"
To say it took Sky by surprise would be an understatement. She had never imagined Viktor would ever be interested in the prospect of parenthood and the sudden question left her at a loss for words for a moment. It wasn't that Sky herself had never entertained the idea but for the whole time they'd been together, happy as can be just the two of them, the topic had never been brought up. Besides, Sky knew how lost they both could get in their respective scientific world: in the Academy lab together or in the workshop and greenhouse of the home they had made for themselves at the surface of Zaun, near the now fully decontaminated pond they used to play in as kids.
Sky had never imagined fatherhood would ever cross Viktor's mind and yet, she was moved by the spark in his eyes, the love in his voice, how enthusiastic and slightly bashful he was as he set out his entire thoughts to her.
It had not been something Sky had thought about in depth but neither had she ever ruled out the idea. And now, with Viktor talking so passionately about this future he wanted with her, it made her think. It made her happy. Still, it took her some time to reflect, to really take in what it meant, which Viktor respected. He knew it was also mostly her choice and he could never hold it against her if she didn't want it. He loved her regardless.
But Sky wanted it more than anything.
---
However, time passed without Sky ever getting pregnant and Viktor eventually came to the conclusion that maybe, probably, it was all his fault. Viktor had never known of the exhaustive list of symptoms his illness gave him but given how severely and relentlessly the Grey, the poisonous chemical wastes and other such toxic heavy metals had eroded his body, he wouldn't have been surprised to learn infertility was among them. Jayce, Sky and he might have stopped his disease from spreading, might have improved his health but that didn't mean the entirety of the damage was gone. Perhaps so much within him had been rotten that it had even destroyed his chances of ever being a father.
He would try to hide his grief, his shame but there was nothing Viktor could conceal from the world, not from his own parents, not from Jayce and not from Sky. He had genuinely wished to build this family with her but here was something else Viktor was unable to have, something else that was taken away from him. Sky would try to reassure him, telling him that he couldn't be certain he was the issue and that she loved him anyway. Viktor held onto her words, knowing that she meant every single one.
The pragmatic or maybe paranoid part of Viktor thought it was for the best. After all, what kind of father wasn't strong enough to hold his own child? What if he met an untimely end despite the cure and left his child fatherless, leaving Sky alone to raise them? Worse, what if his child came into the world weak, sick, doomed, bearing the same disease? Viktor would scold himself at that thought. He was fully aware his illness wasn't congenital. The affliction given by the Grey was not hereditary.
Still, the thought lingered.
"Perhaps it's meant to be. I wouldn't want our child to be, you know," he gestured vaguely at his leg, at his cane resting against the bedside table, at himself. "Like me."
Seeing her strong-willed Viktor being so defeated felt like a dagger to Sky's heart but it had been Viktor himself who taught Sky hope and perseverance and now, she felt like it was time for her to return the favor. She scooted over closer to him, resting her head against his chest to feel the reassuring, steady beat of his heart, feel the way his lungs filled in and out without forcing a single cough out of him. Sky's fingers idly slid up and down the side of Viktor's torso, smiling to herself when she noted the way his ribs no longer painfully protruded from underneath his skin.
"All I hope for is for them to be like you," Sky countered. "Kind-hearted, brilliant, resilient and," she moved to give him a kiss. "Beautiful".
Viktor couldn't help the brief smile that illuminated his face. Sky had always been robust, in more ways than one and more than she knew. Children of Zaun had to be tough but persistence could only take you so far if you had no one to walk along the narrow, poisonous road with. He had always leant on her the way she had leant on him and neither Sky's sensitivity nor Viktor's frail body had ever crumbled under the other’s weight as they raised each other up.
Viktor allowed himself to hope that thankfully, their offspring would inherit the best of their combined traits before his face fell again. It didn't matter anyway. As it turned out, he would never be able to have a child, period.
Those dark thoughts quickly vanished however, as Sky leant in to kiss him again and again, moving to straddle him with an air of smug confidence that Viktor rarely ever got to witness. It was the same attitude Piltover had tried to tear away from her, that Sky had smothered for far too long before she finally allowed herself to flourish naturally in the midst of this vitriolic adversity, the way her flowers had bloomed and thrived in the virulent atmosphere of the Undercity.
Viktor had taught Sky never to give up and she would not allow him to forget.
---
Although he tried to hide it and pretend it was okay, Viktor had long since given up hope when Sky started noticing the first changes. The faint feeling of sickness on some mornings, the unusual tiredness... Her missed periods. Despite the clear signs, Sky didn't want to get her hopes up, didn't want to give Viktor false hope after so much time passed without success; so she waited just to be sure, got herself checked so that there was no doubt left in her.
Viktor was working on Blitzcrank when Sky walked into the workshop. The golem was doing excellent work cleaning the depth of Zaun off the remaining toxic wastes but the poor thing was eroding himself in the process. Viktor would work tirelessly to fix and improve him, to make his task easier, to thank him. Sky watched Viktor work, hunched over in a way that Sky knew she would have to massage the knots off his aching back in the evening. He was so absorbed in his task that he noticed her presence only when she stepped right beside him and leant in to plant a soft kiss on his cheek, earning her a surprised look which quickly turned into a small, loving smile.
Sky sat up on the other stool by Viktor's side and looked up at the towering golem with unguarded love and admiration. Blitzcrank was the very first project initiated by their small team: not just Viktor and Jayce but also herself. Viktor's engineering prowess paired with his and Jayce's Hextech as well as Sky's vision of a Zaun cleaned thanks to automation. In a way, the golem really was like their oversized child.
"Have you considered coming up with a new design?" Sky inquired. "Maybe Blitz would have it easier with another golem friend to help him?"
Viktor looked back at the automaton, genuinely contemplating Sky's idea for a moment. "Perhaps," Viktor mused. "Don't you believe in him, though? He's been doing great on his own so far. It's only a matter of time until Zaun is truly healed, all thanks to him."
Sky watched Viktor give the deactivated golem a small affectionate pat and smiled. "Of course!" she chimed in. "I was just thinking that- maybe Blitz could use a little sibling…"
There was a quiet moment where Viktor's focus seemed to shift away from the golem as he slowly processed Sky's words. Sky could almost see the gears turning behind his eyes as he stared at something only he seemed to be able to see, until his amber eyes flicked in her direction. Viktor's expression was undecipherable, something in-between confusion and curiosity with something Sky could only read as a pang of hurt paired with a hint of yearning. Sky knew her choice of words had piqued his interest and as expected, Viktor couldn't decide what to think of it. He knew she wouldn't tease him about it and she was far too careful with her words for them to have been a slip.
The sight of her troubled husband was starting to make Sky feel bad about her little game. She couldn't do this any longer.
Viktor started when Sky gently took one of his hands to lay it on her tummy and she couldn't help the smile forming on her face as she noticed the way his expression shifted, amber eyes widening as Sky uttered her next words with a calmness she was struggling to maintain.
"A baby brother or a baby sister."
The silence seemed to stretch eternally between them. Viktor's eyes refused to meet Sky's, they couldn't, not when they were locked on his own hand still held against Sky's belly.
"Sky…" Viktor whispered after a moment. His voice was weak and Sky could feel his hand shake as he seemed to be searching for his words, unable to fully process, let alone accept the truth laid before him. "Are you- Are you sure?"
Sky nodded and blinked back tears when she noticed Viktor's own had already slipped from his misty eyes and down his cheeks as he almost sobbed in disbelief.
"That can't be true," he murmured, mostly to himself. "I'm- I cannot-"
"You can," Sky interrupted him, bringing one hand up to cup his cheek and lift his face up so their gaze could meet. She inhaled shakily, trying to steel herself, trying not to burst into happy tears as she looked straight into Viktor's teary eyes and said the words she knew he needed to hear loud and clear. "I'm pregnant, Viktor. It's your child, our baby."
Viktor made a sound that could have been either a gasp, a sob or a laugh. The way his face lit up, golden eyes shimmering with tears of sheer unguarded joy, put even the brightest flower in Sky's greenhouse to shame. Sky herself couldn't hold back her tears anymore as Viktor pulled her in a tight embrace, bringing her to sit on his lap as he laughed and sobbed into her shoulder.
---
Viktor showed up at the lab the next day with a broad smile Jayce had only seen on a few special occasions throughout their many years of friendship. It was the smile he saw for the first time the night they discovered Hextech together and floated giddily in the lab; the smile Viktor wore despite his bashfulness, when they completed Blitzcrank and showed him off to the public for the first time; the smile that graced Viktor's face when he told Jayce that Sky had said “yes”.
It was the kind of smile that was so rare and so broad it was inevitably contagious.
Jayce could never have guessed the reason behind said smile though.
"How does the Man of Progress feel about becoming an uncle?"
Jayce's eyes grew wide, an expression of joy and disbelief coming from the friend who had witnessed Viktor's desperation and supported him back when his desire to have a child had seemed like an unreachable dream.
"Viktor," Jayce began, incredulous. "Viktor, did you finally-"
Viktor nodded wordlessly, his eyes alone speaking of the glee he could hardly contain, only to gasp audibly as the firm hug Jayce pulled him into lifted him off the floor, making Viktor feel dizzy for a moment until he joined Jayce in his joyous laughing fit.
---
Save for the occasional morning sickness, Sky's pregnancy went well. She certainly wasn't deterred from her work although she eventually stopped going to the Academy in the later months and stuck to working at home. She had always loved to work with music on, something Viktor learnt back when they weren't yet together.
Back in the days, he would sometimes walk on her working alone, humming or singing to herself. Once, Viktor had been so caught up in the soft intonations of her voice that he initially didn't notice she had stopped and was staring at him in shock, her face red in embarrassment. Sky had eventually explained to him that plants reacted to certain sound waves, her bashfulness melting away as she gradually lost herself in a lengthy, excited rambling about her passion. Viktor could remember that, for a moment, Sky's eagerness had felt new to him on top of being the most charming thing he had ever gotten to witness… Until he realized that he had already seen Sky like this, long ago, back when they were children of the fissure with dreams which seemed absurd to most but were real to them. Viktor had felt foolish then. He had pushed her away, forced himself not to look at her for so long, only to temporarily forget how bright and lovely she truly was. It was like getting to know Sky Young all over again.
As Sky worked during her pregnancy, she kept playing music not just for her blooming specimens but also because she knew her baby would be able to hear what was going on in the outside world at some point and Sky wanted them to experience everything with her. She sang to them often throughout her entire pregnancy. Sometimes, it was just the two of them. Sometimes, Viktor was there to listen.
---
For the most part, Sky tried to take care of herself, using her extensive knowledge on medicinal plants in order to ease the occasional pains or discomfort for instance, but Viktor also always made sure to pamper her. He always seemed to worry. Not only was she the love of his life and the mother of his child but Sky had also always taken such great care of him even when he was at his worst, it only seemed natural for him to take care of her in return. Viktor was definitely excited though and took his role as an attentive father very seriously from the moment he learnt he was one. He wanted to bond with his child as soon as possible and started to talk to them as soon as he learnt they could hear his voice. Similarly, he'd try to feel for the baby's movements and much to Sky's amusement, Viktor could hardly hide his initial disappointment when Sky felt the baby move for the first time but it was too early for him to feel anything from outside. Still, he was overjoyed and especially relieved to know their baby was active. An active baby meant a healthy baby and to Viktor, it was of the utmost importance.
It wasn't always comfortable for Sky, the little one always made their intentions loud and clear, going as far as to dictate the position Sky had to sleep in lest she wanted to be kicked over and over again. Sky often noted how much of a certain someone the baby reminded her of. Stubborn to a fault. Never asking for permission.
She had hoped for it after all, a fact Viktor never failed to remind her of.
On her good days, Sky would smile. On the other days, she would glare.
Either way, Viktor always went out to fetch her a portion of greasy zaunite fish snacks. Sky craved those things even more during her pregnancy and devoured them ravenously.
Sky would sometimes complain about her bump, how it made her look or affected her mobility but Viktor would be lying if he said he wasn't absolutely enamored. To him, Sky was lovely, gorgeous, ravishing. She would always be. Sky was embarrassed at first until she started to tease him about it but Viktor was unashamed. He took every opportunity to touch or kiss, gladly massaging Sky's round tummy whenever the opportunity presented itself and being unable to contain his joy and excitement whenever he felt the baby move or kick.
If anything, Sky was mostly bothered by the way pregnancy affected her mobility. She had always been so energetic, running, climbing, jumping and swimming in every corner of Zaun ever since she was a child. Sky had only begun to walk slower when she befriended Viktor, something she never came to regret but she initially feared her pregnancy would compel her to sit still for months. She was relieved to learn she would still be able to exercise and that it was actually recommended. She went on walks a lot and found herself enjoying swimming in the pond even more.
---
The way I imagine delivery day going is that Viktor would be giving a lecture at the Academy to one of his classes when he learnt that Sky's water broke. He'd try to remain calm but his students could tell he was internally panicking (because Viktor cannot for the life of him keep his emotions in check) as he gathered his things, apologized and left as quick as he could only to re-enter the auditorium a couple of seconds later because he realized he'd forgotten some stuff only to rush back outside AND RE- RE-ENTER AND RUSH BACK OUTSIDE AGAIN.
Vitkor absolutely stayed by Sky's side the whole time she gave birth to their baby, he was with her the whole time, holding her hand, encouraging her, supporting her through it all; though he really had to take it upon himself not to give in to stress because as overwhelming as it was, he knew he had to stay strong for Sky. Delivery thankfully went well, though there was a brief moment of silence which terrified Viktor as he found himself coming up with the worst case scenario. Baby cries soon filled the room however, and Sky got to hold her daughter against her for the first time. Viktor's body could no longer support its own weight and he was profusely crying by the time his little girl was placed in his arms.
Nevena "Nova" Young.
(Nevena is a Slavic name meaning "marigold", which fits both Viktor's Slavic inspiration and Sky's botany, especially since the flower breed she created is a yellow flower. Speaking of names, I firmly believe that Viktor would have insisted on Sky choosing the name of their baby, it seems like something he'd want to me.)
Although he was aware everything had gone perfectly, Viktor couldn't help but worry, most likely unable to accept the fact that he had helped conceive a fully healthy baby. He constantly asked to make sure Nevena was okay right after her birth because he was so scared his own condition might have caused his baby to be sick. He had to be reassured by the whole medical team multiple times that his kid was as healthy as can be.
Viktor never wanted to leave Sky's side during her stay at the hospital. He couldn't, wouldn't return home without his wife and daughter. So he stayed there and barely slept, holding onto Sky as she rested, watching over her to make sure she was okay as she recovered and doing anything he could to make it easier for her; she deserved as much. When Sky was released from the hospital and they all got to go home together, Viktor did the same, making sure Sky was resting properly and doing as much as he could for her and Nova.
Viktor could thankfully rely on his own parents a lot for help (I will never ever forget about them and how much they loved their son and I hate Arcane writers for pretending they do not exist). They definitely were loving grandparents who spoiled their granddaughter a looooot!!! And Jayce? He certainly made good on his promise to become the best uncle ever (if I'm taking the Mel//Jay direction, which is likely, Jayce definitely gets the biggest baby fevers when babysitting Nevena and would definitely want the same thing with Mel. I think- Jayce would be real dad material).
---
Viktor never had the best sleeping pattern and has always been far too used to all nighters, so getting up at night when his baby girl started crying wasn't as difficult for him. Nevena has always been receptive to her parents’ voice, her mother's soft, soothing tone, her father's lilting accent… She’s been hearing them since the beginning and it always worked wonders to calm her down.
Viktor fighting the urge to cry when Nevena called him “dada” for the first time. That's all.
---
The house was definitely heavily babyproofed!!! Viktor is a walking safety hazard and there's no way a place inhabited by two scientists would be 100% kid-friendly, so they really made sure to turn it (or at least most of it) into a safe place for their little one beforehand. The workshop was a big no-no place to go and yet, Viktor has found Nevena crawling her way toward it more than once, not asking for permission.
However, growing up, Nova was eventually allowed to go there as long as Viktor was present to watch her. Sometimes, she would watch her father work on some projects of his; on some other times, she would watch him build a new mechanical toy for her. Either way, Nevena would always watch her dad work with wide and curious golden eyes, reminding Viktor of how Sky used to silently watch him tinker when they were children. It would fill Viktor with joy to build things as simple and harmless as toys for his daughter. It had been decades since he last built a toy and the day Viktor took Nevena to the pond so they could test her very first toy boat together was truly special to him. Watching his daughter effortlessly, carelessly running after the little boat as it went along the current would forever remain one of Viktor's favorite memories.
Viktor never once thought he would ever look at that pond and see his wife play with his daughter in the now clear and purified water.
---
Nevena might have her father's amber eyes but she gradually became covered in the same freckles as Sky as she grew older. She also has her mom's tightly curled poofy hair that Sky knows perfectly how to care for. Viktor had never in his whole life expected himself to sit down and do a little girl's hair but given how dexterous he is, he'd get the hang of it real quick! He's not stopping until he gets it perfectly anyway.
---
When Jayce, Sky and Viktor are all working at the Academy, Viktor's parents are the one babysitting Nevena. However, the little girl sometimes gets to go there and witness what her parents and uncle are working on. More than once has Nevena toddled into the lab asking that she help her parents and uncle on their “Egg-Deck” experiment. Overall, Nova possesses the curiosity of a child raised by two brillant scientists, with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She has always wanted to help and participate in experiments, whether people want her to or not. Sky still painfully remembers the time Nevena pulled up some of her precious plants because she had thought they were weeds and Viktor once had to get Nevena out of the auditorium when she walked in during a lecture, asking her dad to tell her about runes. The best way to get her to sit still is to give her a book to learn from or things to tinker with so that she always has her brain or her hands busy. Always better and safer to think ahead and give her safe experiments to lead than to let her unsupervised and free to decide what she'll do next. You never know when and what she'll decide to crank up.
Nevena being around in the Academy also means that Heimerdinger’s poro cannot know peace as she'll always try to catch him to cuddle him with no intention to ever release him. That is, when she doesn't decide to give the old fluffy professor himself a surprise hug.
Nevena Young doesn't ask for permission.
