Looking for a certain post? Well, scroll no more! Y'girl finally got her crap together and made a master list for ya'll!
Updated 4/17/2023
THE TO-DO LIST
The To-Do List
WHAT’S NEW?
A Weekend in the Cabin || Less Than Restful || Down to the Village || Final Fright Night || Snacks for Pudding || Only a Little Separation || Christmas Day || Snow Bunnies || A Big, Dramatic Cat || Taking it up a Notch || Missing You || Busted || One Small Decision || I’ll Always Find You || When Memory Fails || Between the Scenes: S2 CH44 || Gender Reveal || Telling the Sun
ONE OFFS
Arrival
How it SHOULD Have Gone: CH27
Zoo Date
In the Arms of Another
Epilogue
The Wedding
Refusing the Sunset
Pulling From the Wish Tree Be Like
Not Another Story About Slippers
The Sun Dims
Visions of Her
Insecurity
A Day at the Office
Pudding
Unwanted Experiences
In Which Victor Won't Play Piano
A 'Business Dinner'
Captain
When Pampering is Required
Midsummer Confession
Only a Little Separation
Christmas Day
Snow Bunnies
A Big, Dramatic Cat
Taking it up a Notch
Missing You
Busted
One Small Decision
I’ll Always Find You
SERIES
The Year 5000 (Completed)
Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4
The Worst Business Trip (Completed)
The Worst Business Trip: Part 1 || In Which Victor Gets INCREDIBLY Drunk: Part 2 || A Walk in the Park: Part 3 || Heart to Heart: Part 4
Together (Completed)
Together: Part 1 || Not the Trip She Expected: Part 2 || A Trip to the Hospital: Part 3 || Recovery, Day 1: Part 4 || A Difficult Patient: Part 5
Between the Scenes
Between the Scenes: S1 Ch27 || Between the Scenes: S1 CH18 CUP || Between the Scenes: S2 CH31 || Between the Scenes: S2 CH44 ||
Weekend Away (Completed)
A Weekend in the Cabin || Less Than Restful || Down to the Village || Final Fright Night
A Fatherless Child
When Memory Fails || Telling the Sun || Gender Reveal ||
CONTINUING STORY LINE
Leftovers
Christmas Day
In Which Victor Panics
Rewards and Birthdays
Totally Not a Date
In Which Victor Invites Himself Over
Dress Shopping with the CEO
The Fight
On the Stage
Well-Earned Relaxation
Just A Saturday Chore Day
At the Breaking Point
Snow Day
Returning Late
In Which Victor Panics...Again
Delayed News
In Which Victor Gets Spoiled
A Surprise Trip
When Dummies are Pregnant
Snacks for Pudding
ANALYSES
Victor’s S2 Theme: A Musical Analysis
REQUESTS
Little League
In Which Victor Pushes His Limits
When Time Repeats
Caught With Lucien
For the First Time
Two Weeks Old
Late-Night Scares
Memory
Meeting Mom
Breaking the Rules
To Rescue the Fair Maiden
Left Behind
#2
When in Paris (Completed)
When in Paris || When in Paris: Part 2
Jealous Victor (Completed)
An Unwanted Engagement: Part 1 || Confronting the Auntie: Part 2
A New Life Begins (Completed)
A New Life Begins: Part 1 || Jailbreaking an Invalid: Part 2 || On Your Own Two Feet: Part 3
In Which She Goes Missing
In Which She Goes Missing: Part 1 || Playing Hero: Part 2
Separation (Completed)
Sunset: Part 1 || Sunset: Part 2 || Eventide || Art: Aftermath || Eventide: The Other Side || Sunrise
Into the Jungle (Completed)
Into the Jungle: Part 1 || Into the Jungle: Part 2 || Into the Jungle: Part 3 || Into the Jungle: Part 4 || Into the Jungle: Part 5 || Into the Jungle: Part 6 The FINALE
Family Time (Completed)
Family Time: Part 1 || Family Time: Part 2
Driving Lesson (Completed)
A Short Driving Lesson || Effect || Aftermath
My Roommate (Ongoing)
My Roommate is a Sunbeam Incarnate || My Roommate is a Sunbeam Incarnate: Part 2 ||
ART
Victor’s House of Mysteries || Mystical Wares || A Weekend in the Cabin A Weekend in the Cabin
Hello there, my lovely readers! Curious why I've been away?
Well, it's because I've been working on an original novel! It is nearly complete, now, and I'm super excited about it!
That said, I have a question for everyone who sees this post. If you enjoy my writing style, would you be interested in beta reading my novel? It's a romance between a vampire politician named Reuben DeVito, and an author named Ambrose Marcus.
After being forced to attend a speed dating event, the pair strike a crazy deal: Ambrose needs information for his next romance novel and Reuben needs to gain favor with human voters, so the two will pretend to date until they reach their goals.
If you're interested in a link to the manuscript, feel free to comment below and I will message it to you.
If you're not interested and just want to know when there will be more Victor content, well. Soon! This book has taken all my writing time for months, but now that it's almost done, I can return to fan fiction <3
This takes place after the most recent events in the global server. So...spoilers kind of?
Mr. Mills looked down at the gleaming key in his hand, then back up to Victor with confusion clouding his gentle eyes. "Boss?"
Victor simply nodded before turning his head away, showing perhaps more emotion than he intended. "I don't need it anymore. Souvenir is yours to do with what you will. You have more than paid for it through the years."
What he didn't say was what was really on his mind.
I don't need it anymore. Souvenir has served its purpose.
I already found her and this time...she isn't coming back.
I can't take these memories.
Safely in his car, tears began to fall for what felt like the thousandth time.
The pen made a soft click as the ink cartridge within it shifted while the pen spun through Victor’s slender fingers. Despite his eyes being entirely focused on the computer screen in front of him, his mind kept drifting back to the odd encounter of the morning. That girl…the scene had been so familiar as she stepped out into the road, completely distracted. He hadn’t even consciously realized he’d stopped time until the surprise of finding her an Evolver broke him from his moment of reverie. While he didn’t exactly make a habit of rescuing dummies who stepped out into the road, something deep inside him had taken over just like it had in his childhood.
Which he supposed he could have brushed off. She was just some random young woman, after all. There were millions just like her. He had no interest in her past the nagging curiosity that he must have seen her before. No, there was only one woman he had any interest in. Even at that, such interest was little more than a drive to know that the person who had selflessly saved his life had not lost hers.
At least, that was what he told himself.
But then, the same girl had shown up at his door. That solved the mystery of where he’d seen her, at least; there must have been a photograph of the company’s producer when he’d read their final report and deemed it time to cease their funding. Miracle Finder had been popular in its day, but like most things do, it had run its course. He was 100% confident in his decision to cut their funding.
So why was he now considering something contradictory to his previous stance? Perhaps it was the passion in every inch of her small body. Or the way she’d looked him directly in the eye without any hint of nervousness. More likely, it was the drive he saw behind those threats. She made him believe that she had what it took to carry out her promises. And so? Just a hint of a smile pooled at the corners of his lips as Victor realized he’d already made up his mind and just hadn’t caught up to it yet.
He would let her present her case at the investment assessment meeting, but what he really looked for in a good investment had already shone through. For now, some field research was required.
Victor picked up his phone and pressed the number one speed-dial. The voice of Goldman soon filled his ear. “Boss! What can I help you with?”
“I’m going out. Tell my 3pm appointment that they’ve been rescheduled to 4pm.” As he spoke, Victor plucked his jacket from the back of the chair and shrugged it over his shoulders. “Also, I want you to earmark 500 million for that studio. Add it to the quarterly report, but do not send the adjusted budget to the board yet.”
A sputtering sound came from the other end of the phone. Despite his years of working for Victor, the man still managed to catch Goldman off-guard. “You mean that persistent little studio with the producer who buzzes around like a fly begging for funding? Sir, weren’t they only asking for 50 million? And why are you marking it as approved before the application meeting even happens?”
Victor seemed to completely disregard his assistant’s questions, the only outward sign of their acknowledgement being a twitch of the corner of his upturned lip. “I’ll be back late this afternoon. If you have any issues with moving the meeting, tell Mr. Chin to call me directly.” And with that, he hung up the phone and stepped into the elevator.
~~~
The set was awash with voices and people rushing around like a hive of excited bees. Victor met no resistance at the door; the staff were more than happy to allow the legendary CEO to explore the set at his leisure. Was he there to talk investment? Was he going to be on the show? They didn’t know, but they did know not to stand in the way of the man with the dark eyes.
Victor watched the proceedings as the wheels in his mind spun the information into thread for later. If LFG was going to make such a large investment in the entertainment industry, he needed a deeper understanding of how production functioned.
And, it seemed, the girl did too. Victor spotted her as she weaved her way through the crowd with her face buried in her notebook. He couldn’t help but chuckle as she continued to rush directly toward him with seemingly no spatial awareness. Would she look up in time? His solemn mask made no slip despite the amusement rolling around in his chest. Of course she wouldn’t. She was good at one thing: focusing on one thing at a time.
She walked directly into him and looked up with those big eyes. The sound of surprise she made caused a huff of amusement to compress his chest, though she probably saw it as annoyance instead. His clear eyes scanned the exposed page of notes and the container of pudding in her hands.
The pudding struck him somewhere deep in the back of his skull. Memories of a sandcastle, a little girl, and the hundreds of puddings he’d made since took center stage. Was this…a clue? Surely not. It wasn’t like he and that little girl were the only two people who enjoyed caramel pudding. But there was only one way to know for sure. “And put that thing in the cafe fridge,” he finished his lecture.
His eyes never left the girl’s retreating back as suspicions began tumbling like stones in the polishing media of his mind. With a new mission, Victor returned to his car and made his way down the quiet, familiar streets that led to Souvenir.
After this many years, making pudding had almost become something of a calming meditation. Whenever he needed to clear his mind, those familiar ingredients in his hand spoke like voices of prayer. The scent of caramel replied, always washing away his concerns with the affirmation of action.
He thought about the recent encounters with the clumsy-yet-determined girl. She was about the right age, he’d guess. And just as stubborn as the little girl in his memory who demanded payment in pudding with no doubt in her mind that he would deliver. A single-mindedness shared by the producer who kept appearing like a stray cat.
Soon, the warm puddings sat on the passenger seat while Victor made his way back to the film set. For a moment he doubted whether this shredded and disjointed plan would do anything at all, but he’d held the hope for seventeen years that the sweet dessert would again serve to bring the girl to his side. It certainly didn’t hurt to try.
No one questioned the CEO as he slipped into the cafe and located the bag he’d seen the girl carrying earlier. It was an easy task to replace her clumsy puddings with his own. For a moment he considered just throwing hers out when he exited the building, but his curiosity led him to bringing them home. Maybe she, too, had been trying to perfect the recipe?
A single bite told him that if she had been…she was failing.
But he finished the dessert anyway while his mind followed the thread of events as it wove itself into the tapestry of his life. He didn’t know exactly what image the slowly-emerging fabric held, but he was starting to get a few clues.
~~~
Days passed and Victor grew more and more sullen. Even if she’d eaten his pudding, how was she to know it came from him? Had he expected her to burst into his office singing the praises of this dessert that had magically appeared where hers had been? It wasn’t a well-thought out plan. But still he mused over the puzzle pieces scattered across his life one by one. At first he’d thought there were two puzzles: the mystery girl from his childhood, and the plucky little producer who made him feel something strange whenever he saw her.
What if…they were really the same image?
There was really only one way to pull himself out of a mood like this. Victor unlocked his phone and began a list of ingredients, which he sent to Mr. Mills without any need for explanation. The elderly gentleman would know exactly what it meant: the Souvenir Boss was returning.
Another message to Goldman ensured his free evening and Victor was off. He arrived at the restaurant soon after, immediately feeling his stress levels drop. No sooner had he pulled the apron over his head and tied it behind his back than he heard the click of the front door unlocking. Good old Mr. Mills, reliable as ever. Victor placed a hand on the kitchen door to greet his friend when a second voice gave him pause.
“You’re our first guest of the day!” came the familiar voice of his elderly server. Victor backed away from the door and instead began pulling out the equipment he would need for preparing today’s food. He could hear the rising and falling cadence of the two voices in the other room as he hummed to himself with a smile on his face.
A smile which immediately faded when Mr. Mills entered the kitchen. “The young miss wants to film here. I know it’s generally against your policy, but she’s very persuasive-”
“Absolutely not.”
Mr. Mills nodded with a soft frown on his lips. “The usual response, then?” Victor returned the nod and his friend retreated quickly, leaving the chef feeling more than a little annoyed. Why were so many people obsessed with documenting their food rather than enjoying it? He scowled and peeked through the crack of the kitchen door, curious what kind of person was being impolite today.
Only for his eyes to widen slightly when he saw the girl. Yes, that girl. She had found his restaurant?! He felt a small flutter somewhere in his midsection; most likely just pleasure that his plan seemed to be going better than he imagined. Except…he’d just kicked her out. Minor setback, that.
His mind was already spinning with solutions when the dining room again filled with voices. Victor peeked out and saw, with less surprise than he expected, that the girl had come back inside. But this time she wasn’t alone. Victor wasn’t at all surprised to see the blonde superstar had arrived; Kiro was a common sight whenever Souvenir was open. But to see him with the girl? The scowl deepened.
Victor had half a mind to kick the both of them out again, but did not allow himself to give in to his impulsiveness. This was surely fate giving him a second chance at a plan. He thought as he cooked, each dish bringing with it another half-baked idea.
It wasn’t until the final dish went out that he’d settled on a plan he liked. The pudding was in the oven mere minutes later and the bill written up. Victor left the bills on the counter, replaced his apron, pulled out his keys, and exited through the back door. He couldn’t stand another minute of hearing her laugh with Kiro, anyway.
~~~
It had been barely five minutes and Victor already knew that the board would have none of this nonsense. Where was the passion and drive that he’d seen before? It was obvious to him that she was not excited about the proposal in the least. “You took this long to prepare a report like this? You seemed more at home on the film set.” At least there she’d been earnest and excited. This? This report had no life whatsoever. This was not work worth the prize he had already allotted, but he knew she could do better. And more importantly, it seemed she knew she could do better with her lack of argument.
She’d already convinced him. Now it was time for her to convince the board. It seemed she needed a little more motivation.
“I will not be attending the meeting. Now, you can go.” Victor watched as her shoulders drooped and the girl hurried out of his office. He’d been tough, yes, but no tougher than he was on any other applicant. He knew she could rise to the bar; he simply had to show her where it was.
No sooner had she left than he noticed the notebook sitting on the corner of his desk. “Dummy,” he grumbled as he picked it up and began rifling through the pages. “Didn’t I tell you to get rid of this thing?” His eyes scanned the pages and pages of notes, pausing when he reached a large section about Souvenir.
Ah, now this. This showed passion. This showed heart. Even her scribbled half-ideas in a more hurried writing showed the story which made the whole meeting come together. She didn’t seem excited about the report because she wasn’t excited about it. A half-smile crept up the left side of his mouth and he pulled out the business card she’d left at the restaurant.
If this was where her passion really lies, well? She’d piqued his curiosity enough to see where this all would go. He pulled out his phone and typed a short message: “You may film here.”
There was a knock at the door, the familiar cadence of Goldman. “Come in,” Victor called out, setting down his phone and opening a folder of documents. The assistant came bustling in with another similar folder, which he set on the corner of the desk.
“Hey boss, I brought these in for you. I saw that girl here again; she really is persistent, isn’t she?” Victor looked up and nodded, hardly realizing the smile was still on his face. Goldman seemed surprised to see it and got a mischievous glint in his eye. “You seem pretty happy about it, boss. You aren’t getting fond of her, are you? A little bit of a crush?”
Victor immediately stonewalled his face and shook his head, though he felt the tips of his ears getting a little warm. “You’re being ridiculous, Goldman. She’s just another potential business partner. Now, get out of my office before I give you more work to do!” Goldman began to laugh and backed out of the office, giving Victor a wink before closing the door behind him.
Absolutely not. How ridiculous. Victor shook his head and did his best to ignore the tiny voice in the back of his head asking, “What if you are?”
I'm still waiting for your return lol...<♡ and so other victor's fan
Sorry for the long delay! This time of the year is quite busy for me. But I'm back with a new requested fic; I hope you enjoy it when it goes up. Thank you for sticking around despite the dry spell <3
Hi first thing first i wanted to say just how much I love you and your writing about Victor.
Keeping the latest main story chapter where Victor loss his memory, can i ask for a fic where Mc is the one who loss her memory, everything about them. Angst, I wonder how would Victor react to the unexpected situation where she forgot everything about him and things they did together.
Thank you for your kind words! I've prepared a little something for you. I hope you like it!
Drizzling rain ran down the office windows, as cold and grey as the heart of the man sitting in a wing-backed chair with a pen between his fingers. Down below, the city moved in slow motion as the water on the streets brought caution to travelers with its risk of wet socks or loss of control. It would likely turn to an invisible coat of slick ice overnight, rendering it even more dangerous when the morning broke.
Just like the feeling of losing the object of one’s addiction and adoration. Invisible, but a hazard nonetheless. Despite the multiple warnings he had received, Victor nonetheless felt unprepared to handle the consequences of breaking the rules. While the girl remembered none of their time together, their actual circumstances had not changed. As such…she would arrive at his office any moment to give her report and depart.
Or this exact moment.
A tap on the door prompted Victor’s eyes to raise from the page in front of him and linger briefly on the stained wood. “Come in.” He looked back down, drawing a breath deep into his lungs in an effort to put out the raging inferno within his chest. Despite its encasement of ice, the fiery talons dug into the soft tissue of his heart in an attempt to tear it asunder.
This was their first meeting since the consequences of his actions hit full-force and tore the girl’s memories away. Her blank eyes and simply polite expression plunged Victor back into the darkness of that night, though the careful bricks he’d spent a lifetime laying allowed his face to remain impassible.
“Proceed with the report.”
She nodded and passed a copy of the paperwork to Victor, which he gripped firmly to prevent any trembling in his hands. Those dark eyes swept up and down the active and familiar form, nearly pulling the corner of his lip upwards toward them. Yet they fell short as he remembered the liveliness he saw was because of her passion toward her work, not because of their history.
And passionate she was. A light seemed to fill every cell of her body as the girl presented her company’s accomplishments. Her hands gestured widely and her smile dominated her face. He loved that smile. Even though it was no longer aimed at him, its warmth still managed to soak into his soul like the sun on his face. Victor found himself so mesmerized by her liveliness that he almost didn’t realize she had fallen silent.
“So? Did we meet the CEO’s expectations?” The girl stared fervently into Victor’s eyes in the same way she always had, but her expression lacked the deeper emotions behind it that he was used to. He cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter, mentally ensuring the impassive mask was securely in place.
“Your company hit all the benchmarks that had been set for the quarter, but is still lacking in these three areas.” Victor scratched away at the report and extended it toward the girl. “I expect improvement on them before the mid-quarter report.” The girl frowned, understanding now why Anna had spent so long talking her into doing the reports from now on. The CEO was intimidating, with eyes of obsidian and a spine as straight as a pine tree.
She knew that handling their financial support had always been Anna’s job, but the girl couldn’t help the nagging feeling that she’d at least seen the CEO somewhere. “One final question, Sir. Have…we met before? You look familiar, but I don’t remember ever actually being introduced.” She gave her name and extended her hand with a smile on her face. “Either way, I suppose we’ll be getting much better acquainted with me taking over these reports permanently!”
How did such a simple question have the power to reach into his chest and grind his tender heart into dust? Victor restrained the impulse to place a hand over his aching chest and shook his head. “No. This is the first time we are meeting. Since you claimed that as your last question, you are free to go.” And by that, he obviously meant ‘I want you out of my office,’ which the girl picked up on instinct.
The inquisitive and conflicted glint had not left her eye, but the girl backed out of the office with her report in hand and closed the door behind her. No sooner had she sealed the opening to his sanctuary than Victor’s proud shoulders dropped and his hand finally made its way to his heart. He let out a pained groan and clenched his other fist tightly. What kind of boon had it really been to allow Victor to keep his memories?! Would it not have been kinder to spare him this pain by wiping out the past and allowing them both to start over?
But such things were not often granted to him. The pain intensified until the corners of his eyes could no longer contain the tears Victor fought to keep back. He wasn’t even sure if the pain was physical or emotional at this point, but either way it was all-consuming.
His hand went to the dark phone on his desk and flicked to the girl’s contact out of instinct. He was halfway through asking if she’d prefer pudding or cake for dessert when the completely blank conversation caused him to stop. That’s right…she would not be there for dinner. Or for watching some sappy television show before bed. Or for wrapping his arms around tightly as he drifted off to sleep.
Victor dropped the phone and turned to the window, peering into the growing gloom through the rivulets of water running down the glass. How many times would this reality hit him? He pressed his hand to the glass and stared out over the lights of the city, feeling as empty as the streets that reflected the skies.
Far out in the distance, the light atop the Loveland TV tower shone through the storm. Perhaps…there was always a small beacon in the darkness. He turned his head back to his phone as an idea brewed behind his stormy eyes.
Zero only said their memories had to be dissolved. He said nothing about making new ones.
"I will be attending a conference with the heads of Loveland TV next week. Arrange your schedule so you can attend with me for networking. If you expect to improve viewership as I required in our meeting, you need to make connections."
Victor looked into his little suitcase and chewed thoughtfully on his lip. Clothing, that was non-negotiable. The gifts for Mom also had to go, leaving very little room for anything else. Despite Dad convincing him not to bring his trophies on the last trip, Victor couldn't help his desire to make his Mom proud.
Then he remembered: the photo album! It had been quite the brilliant idea, he thought. Take pictures of each award, event, and recognition he earned while away from her smiling face and put them in a book, so she could be there in some small way. There should be plenty of room for such a small token!
But the last time he'd seen it, the little blue book was on his father's desk. He'd just have to go get it. Victor straightened his little shirt and padded softly up to the office door. His fist was raised to knock when he heard the sharp voice of Dad.
He knew better than to bother Dad when he was using that tone. The album would have to wait. Victor turned to return to his room when the sound of his own name caused him to pause. His mind spun for a moment before he decided to do something a little uncharacteristic and put his ear to the door.
"The course load is extra heavy this semester since Mr. Hau retired. I will have very little time to care for Vic."
"I know, but I can't leave Victor here on his own for an entire month while I'm away! At least you could be there in the evenings. And you know how mature and well-behaved our son is. He'll barely be an inconvenience."
"I know. He's such a good boy at only ten years old. But are you sure there's no other way? Can't he stay with your parents?"
"No, they can't. I'm sure your parents will be more than happy to help watch him. They're not as busy as mine."
"I'm not going to have this fight with you again. I'll take him for the full month, but I can't keep doing this. You're going to have to figure out something else if you're going to keep abandoning him for weeks at a time."
"Abandoning him?! I'm not the one who moved halfway across the globe! But I don't want to fight, either. I'll just go let Vic know his trip is extended."
Victor slumped against the wall, unable to listen any longer. Was he…an inconvenience? The corners of his eyes pricked, but he pulled in a deep breath and hurried back to his room. Being caught eavesdropping would definitely make him inconvenient.
He climbed up onto his bed and pulled his knees up to his chest, eyes staring off into middle space. They were dark and hard as the boy stored the conversation deep in the depths of his mind. If his mom was only allowing him to stay because he was well-behaved and mature, then he would be the most well-behaved and mature ten-year-old she knew.
And that didn't include taking up her precious time with his silly photo album.
A knock came to his door and Victor looked up. "Come in."
Mr. Li opened the door with a smile on his face. "Hey Vic, guess what! Your trip to see your mother got extended! You get to spend an entire month in France while your father is away. Doesn't that sound great?" He stepped into the room and deposited a little blue book into the open suitcase. "Don't forget the album you worked so hard on. Your mother will be so proud of you."
Victor nodded quietly with his eyes on the book. It wouldn't hurt to at least take it, right? His father smiled as he mussed Victor's hair. "Very good. You're such a good boy, son. Why don't you get some sleep? We have to be at the airport early in the morning."
Those dark eyes stared at the back of the door long after Dad was gone. There were a million little thoughts running around in that little brain. Well…if she wasn't proud of him yet, he'd make sure she was by the end of the trip. He'd be sure of it.
I just got Victor's tiger New Year card and thought it needed just a little bit of a date to go with it. I hope you enjoy ^_^
“You’re making that face again.”
Victor looked up from the carrot he was grating and lowered his eyebrows. Sure enough, the girl was right there, leaning on the counter and resting her chin in her hands. Her best ‘puppy dog’ eyes stared directly into his soul. “You know that face doesn’t work on me.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, lifting one foot and tilting her head slightly. “You know exactly how cute I am!” Victor huffed and continued grating the carrot, while the girl puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. She was not going to be defeated! She had more than one strategy up her sleeve, after all.
She slid around the counter to stand behind Victor and wrapped her arms around his waist. “What are you doing, dummy?” he rumbled, the tones vibrating in her hands. Without speaking a word, she set about undoing the buttons of his shirt and caressing his abs with gentle fingertips. “Mmm.” A pleased groan echoed in his chest and Victor pressed his back into her body. “Mmm. You’re going to delay dinner if you keep up with mischievous pranks like this, you know. How am I supposed to cook when you’re being sly?” His breathy voice told the girl she was getting exactly the reaction she wanted and a smile spread across her face.
“I’m not being sly. I’m using all of my available resources to reach my goals, just like you taught me.” She nibbled at his neck as she finished unbuttoning his shirt and pulled it down over his shoulders. “This strategy is called ‘bribing the boss’ and I find it’s usually pretty effective.” A pleasant laugh shook Victor’s shoulders and he slid the bowl further back on the counter before spinning around suddenly and wrapping his long, warm arms around her. The world suddenly became very small as his intoxicating scent filled her nostrils.
“Cheeky and a tease. I’m going to have to do something about that.” Victor spun back around to the counter with the girl still in his arms and lifted her onto the counter. He pulled down her shirt and nibbled her collarbone, hard enough that she gasped slightly. “How do you like your own medicine, hmm?”
She laughed and kissed Victor on the cheek. “Perhaps I gave CEO Victor a little too much medicine. But it is all part of my strategy!” The girl placed her hands on his now-exposed pectoral muscles and beamed. “I think that’s enough convincing for now. Time to get back to cooking dinner!”
The girl slipped out of Victor’s arms and hopped down from the counter while flashing him a bright smile. “Besides. I already bought the costumes! So CEO Victor has no choice but to say yes and attend the New Year celebration with me!”
“If you were going to use that excuse in the first place, why did you feel the need to ‘bribe the boss’, hm?” Victor rumbled pleasantly, not bothering to return his shirt to its proper position. “Is it because you simply wanted to remove my shirt? You do seem rather fond of undoing my buttons.” A flush came over the girl’s cheeks, but she made no move to deny it. “That’s what I thought. Now, go wash up. Dinner is almost ready.” Victor waved the grater as if to smack her butt with it and chuckled as she hustled away toward the bedroom.
What a dummy.
~~~
Victor looked in the mirror and sighed, but made no move to remove the ridiculous ears, tail, and paws with which the girl had so eagerly adorned him. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”
The girl came stumbling into the bathroom with her own costume partially on and the tail in her hands. “Victorrrrrr, I need help putting on my tail!” She gave him her most pathetic frown and held the object out toward him. Victor sighed, but accepted the costume piece and gently attached it to her waist. He did have to admit…she did look rather cute.
“Alright, let’s go! Anna texted me that the food has arrived, so we need to get going! We don’t want the long life noodles to get cold before we get there!” She grabbed at his hand and Victor sighed. As if it wasn’t her that had held them up in the first place…
Yet he allowed her to drag him to the front door, paused long enough for him to lock it, and returned to pulling him toward the car. The venue for her company’s celebration was really only five minutes away, which was why they hadn’t felt the need to leave any earlier. But they failed to account for traffic at this hour, which extended the drive to nearly fifteen minutes.
The girl bounced in the chair next to him with excitement, her little tiger ears wiggling with the movement of her body. A little smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he covertly glanced over at her before returning his gaze to the road. Childish…but she was his childish dummy.
They finally reached the venue and the girl burst from the car the moment Victor put it in park. “Why are you in such a hurry?” he called after her, but made no move to rush. Nothing was going to happen to her between the car and the front door. He ensured the car was locked and leisurely strolled toward the building while straightening his ears and tail. The sound of music could be heard through an open window and balloons colored the light which struck the sidewalk. Scents of beef, garlic, and soy sauce pulled him in and bid him welcome to the brightly-lit room full of happy party attendees.
His girl was already surrounded by Willow, Anna, Kiki, and Minor, all of whom were wearing some variation of tiger costume and laughing. Victor lingered in the doorway for a moment, just watching her in her element. Truly there was no deeper beauty than his girl when she was truly happy.
Music filled his ears and time seemed to stand still as he leaned in the door frame with a twinkle in his eye. She turned in what felt like slow motion and beckoned him to her, hand extended for him to catch hold of as he had so many times before.
So many more times than she even realized.
He couldn’t help reflecting on the other ‘new births’ that this girl had brought into his life as they celebrated this new year. From the sandcastle of their youth to the orphanage, to the roads where he saved her life in return, to LFG and more universes than he could count, the girl had shaped and renewed each rebirth of Victor.
And that? That was why he played games, ate long life noodles, and waltzed across the ballroom floor at her request. And why he wore a silly tiger costume through it all. Because honestly, in the end? That girl had saved him. There was no request so silly that he would not do it to see that genuine smile on her cheeks.
When the night was over, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a squeeze. She was surprised to see he had worn the ears through the entire party. But before she could say anything, Victor bit her ear and whispered, “You bribed the boss to get those, remember? Well, it’s time for you to pay up. Let’s go home.”
If the sun had shone for any length of time in the last week, it must have done it in secret. Storm clouds hung low and heavy but refused to release their load. Perhaps they felt as if they would somehow become less if they let go of the weight they carried.
Or perhaps that was simply Victor projecting his cares and troubles on the sky. If the sun shone, he did not see it. If his burden could be laid down, he refused to do so. The weight of his decisions sat heavily on his mind and could not be moved. He had not seen or spoken to the girl in nearly a week; it was for the best. Yet…he couldn’t help staring at the door, his heart jumping every time he heard footsteps in the hallway.
But it was never her.
No amount of ‘it’s better this way,’ or ‘she’ll be happier without me’ could ease the pain in Victor’s soul. Nor could it stop his mind from spinning. For perhaps the first time in his life, Victor began to wonder if he had made a mistake.
A knock at the door brought Victor's head to attention, only to see Goldman standing in the frame holding a cup of coffee. "Morning boss," he called, stepping inside and placing the cup on the desk. His eyes were drawn to Victor's sunken cheeks, pulling his lips down into a frown. Though the temptation to bring it up was strong, the assistant sighed inwardly and attempted to emulate Victor’s neutral expression. “The film company’s quarterly report comes due tomorrow. The director has offered to send Anna in her stead to give it.”
“Unnecessary. The director is still requested to give her own reports.” Victor’s face showed no sign of emotion, but his eyes flickered with a burst of emotion that a blink of the eye would miss. “What other meetings do I have tomorrow?”
Goldman ran his finger down the sheet of paper attached to the clipboard he carried, tilted his head slightly, and shook it. “Seems that is the only meeting. Does the CEO require the afternoon for something else tomorrow? I could move the quarterly review to the next day and give you a day off?”
“Also unnecessary. Just don’t schedule anything else for me tomorrow.” The boss tapped the stack of documents he held on the desk to straighten them and offered them to Goldman. “These need to be faxed over to Dubai and filed away. I also need you to create an itinerary for my trip to New York next week. I will be at the branch office for the rest of the week after tomorrow, so please ensure that the staff there are aware.”
“Of course, boss.” Goldman accepted the documents but did not turn to leave, hovering slightly as if he wanted to say something else. Victor’s clear eyes stared directly at the assistant and he seemed to lose his nerve. “If you need anything else, just let me know. And make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”
A small smirk pulled at the corners of Victor’s lips for a moment, but he brushed it off and gestured for Goldman to move along. He took a sip of the coffee and went back to work, intent on keeping his brain busy.
~~~
Sugar and cream rested on the counter of Victor’s kitchen, staring back at him as his eyes stared through them, unfocused. Making pudding always helped. Always. But today…he couldn’t seem to bring himself to do more than set the ingredients on the counter and will them to be a caramel dessert. But then again, who would eat it even if he did make it? Victor shook his head and put them back in the fridge. He instead picked up a cup of coffee and walked into the living room with his phone in the other hand.
Twenty minutes later the doorbell rang. Victor lifted himself from the couch and answered, returning to the couch with a greasy bag of delivery fast food. Over the next half hour he picked at the meal and watched some sappy film…which he absorbed even less of than the food. His mind would not stop going to the meeting tomorrow, which turned his stomach. How was he going to manage to remain professional with the girl before him again?
“The same way you always do,” he grumbled beneath his breath, throwing away the rest of the food and turning off the television. “It’s just another business meeting with a business partner. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Similar thoughts were rushing through the mind of the other party in this whole mess. The girl finished her text to Anna and put the phone down with a sigh. She had thought for sure that Victor would allow Anna to take her place; surely after the events of last week he wouldn’t want to see her. And yet…she couldn’t help feeling a little excited that he had turned down her suggestion. Perhaps things weren’t quite as hopeless as they had felt?
With this in mind, she pulled up Goldman’s contact and her fingers hovered over the virtual keyboard for a moment, considering what to say. “How was the boss doing today?” she finally typed. “Has he been eating? Sleeping?”
Goldman’s reply was quick, but not what she wanted to hear. “He’s lost weight and I doubt he’s even seen his bed. But maybe seeing you tomorrow will put him in better spirits.”
“We can only hope,” she replied, sighing. “We may not have been destined to stay together, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love him.” The girl tossed the phone onto the bed next to her and continued working on the report for tomorrow. It had to be absolutely perfect…the last thing she wanted was to make Victor angry.
~~~
“Have you eaten today, Boss?” Goldman set down today’s cup of coffee and frowned when Victor shook his head. “You need to eat, Sir. You’re going to waste away into nothing if you keep skipping meals.”
Victor scowled and set down the document he had been reading to make full eye contact with Goldman. “Don’t you have enough work to do? Obviously not since you have time to be in here bothering me. You’re starting to sound like-” His vocal cords froze, seemingly unwilling to finish the sentence. Goldman knew exactly what he had nearly said, however.
“Starting to sound like her? Good, someone needs to. You aren’t taking care of yourself! And anyone with eyes can see that you miss her.” Goldman’s bold words caught Victor by surprise, which made the assistant laugh softly. “What? Did you really think that nobody knows you well enough to see that you’re completely not Victor? You’ve been coming in late and leaving early. Your trash is filled with half-eaten fast food. Good grief, you have even been coming in from the other side of the building, which tells me you refuse to drive past her building. I doubt you even realize how obvious your change of schedule and behavior has become. You need to put aside your stubborn pride and call her.”
A look of irritation filled Victor’s face, but the more he thought about Goldman’s words, the more he realized that he was correct…a realization which only served to fill Victor with frustration. “Get back to work,” he growled, picking up the document and putting it in front of his face. “And I don’t want to hear any more about your perceived ‘changes in my behavior.’ Everything is perfectly fine.”
“Whatever you say, Boss,” Goldman replied, his voice filling with regret. “But at least consider changing your mind? I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s missing you as much as you’re missing her.” Victor made no reply and Goldman sighed, turning the door handle. “At least drink the coffee. She would want you to have at least that much in your stomach.” He left without another word, leaving Victor staring at the back of his office door.
~~~
Her palms were sweaty and her heart pounded in her ears as the girl stood outside the door to Victor's office. The entire floor was quiet; even Goldman's door was tightly shut. The proposal in her hand was as ready as it would ever be, but she couldn't help feeling nervous.
She raised her hand to knock, but paused with her knuckles millimeters from the wood. The breath in her lungs solidified and her forehead slowly lowered to rest against the door. "Please let this go smoothly," she whispered, eyes closed and begging anyone who may be listening. "Please don't let his eyes be filled with pain."
Knowing that tardiness would not help her case, she managed to take a deep breath and rapped on the door.
"Come in."
Victor's sunken eyes sought the familiar form that he had longed for as the door swung inward. The office was dark, lit only by the lamp and what sunlight could force its way through the cracks in the blinds. Bright light from the hallway spilled in and blinded him for a moment. He squinted as a dark figure stepped in and closed the door behind her. But he didn't need to see the girl to know she had finally stepped through his doorway. Her scent, her breathing, her aura…all of it was so intimately familiar. She said nothing as she stepped over to the desk and placed the proposal in front of Victor. Victor did not move, nor did his eyes meet the girl's.
They stared past each other with the tension growing moment by moment. When she could no longer take the pressure, the girl turned and opened the blinds. Sunlight filtered over Victor's face and she could see for the first time exactly how tired he looked. Her hand lifted slightly, seeking to comfort him, but she stopped short. Sadness filled her heart and made the corners of her eyes prickle, but she blinked furiously and cleared her throat to fend off the offending tears. She would show him that she deserved to keep her funding, despite their change in status.
Her mouth opened again and again to begin the proposal, but no sound came out. She was too lost in those dark, sunken eyes. To her surprise, Victor showed no impatience. He simply sat like a stone statue in his chair, legs crossed and his hands resting in his lap. That mask she knew so well now…He had put up those familiar walls. She took a deep breath and managed to speak. "Victor…I cannot give my proposal today. I'm not strong enough for this yet." Her voice startled even herself, causing her to step away from the desk and hang her head. "You should have let Anna come today. I'm too much of a dummy for this."
Victor stood silently and stepped past his desk, his breathing coming in sharp bursts. He stopped in front of the girl and looked down, meeting her eyes for the first time. "No. I am the dummy. I am the dummy for expecting you to pretend everything is fine. I am the dummy for thinking I could pretend everything is fine.” He reached out and brushed the hair from her face, his fingers running down her cheek to lift her chin gently.
“And mostly…I am the dummy for thinking I could let you go.”
His warm arms suddenly wrapped around her and pulled the girl to his chest, not even giving her a chance to react before she found her face buried in his shirt. His scent of sandalwood and caramel filled her nose, seeming to warm her clear through. The desperation and ferocity in his embrace brought her back to a sunny day in the woods when a desperately worried Victor had held her in much the same way. Despite her confusion and surprise, the girl melted into those familiar arms and allowed Victor to bury his face in her shoulder.
How long they stood there, neither party knew. Nor did they care. Time could have stood still for a millenia and neither would have been bothered by it. The girl at some point wrapped her arms around Victor’s waist and lifted her face to softly kiss his cheek. He pulled back and looked her deep in the eyes. “Does…that mean you’ve forgiven me?” he asked, his voice breathy and unstable.
“Of course, Victor. There was nothing to forgive.”
Before she could speak any more, her words were stolen away by Victor’s lips. He seemed intent on removing every last ounce of breath from her lungs and replacing it with his own. Again and again Victor pressed their lips together. Every missed moment since they had broken up was made up for as he bit at her lips and held her body to his own. All around them was nothing but heat. Heat from their lover’s lips. Heat from their faces. A fiery inferno raging in their hearts that only grew as their passion grew stronger.
Victor turned and lifted the girl onto his desk, his fingers wrapping themselves in her hair. “Letting you go…was the only thing…I’ve ever regretted,” he whispered, the words barely finding enough air to escape his throat. “I’m never…making…that mistake…again.”
“Me either,” the girl replied, biting Victor’s lip in return. “Me either.”
~~~
Goldman repeatedly peeked at Victor’s door, hoping that the long meeting was good news. The girl had been in there no less than an hour despite the quarterly report only usually lasting only fifteen minutes. There hadn’t been any shouting…surely that was a good sign?
The sound of the doorknob turning caused his heart to jump and the assistant poked his head around the corner. Victor and the girl emerged from the office hand-in-hand, their clothing slightly disheveled. Victor’s tie hung loosely around his neck and the top couple of buttons were open, revealing a bright red mark on his adam’s apple. Smudges of lipstick colored the corners of his lips and throat. Goldman pulled his head back into his office and punched the air excitedly.
It's been a long time since you wrote something for us we miss you♡
Aww, I appreciate you noticing! It has, indeed, been a while since I've had time to write. However! I have some ideas and there will soon be more to read, as soon as I have a few minutes to rub some words together <3
Can I have a cup of latte with some sweet cream and yes hcs of our CEO dealing with a pregnant wifey 🤧🤌🏻 Pregnancy reveal to labor that will be a thank you.
Firstborn
In his Victor way, he immediately sensed her presence and looked up from his work. Seeing the grin on her face, he immediately knew something was up. “What has gotten a dummy so riled up?” he asked, pausing as he glanced farther down and spotted the pregnancy test in her hand. He jumped up from the couch and hurried to her side, his large hand reaching for hers to grab the test. She relinquished it with no struggle and Victor stared at the little window. A laugh started deep in his chest and made its way to the surface, emerging as he wrapped his arms around his wife.
“See? All that worry for nothing! I told you that we just had to be patient! We have to celebrate. What would you like for dinner? I’ll make you anything you want. And I’ll call up the doctor to make an appointment. This time everything will go smoothly.” Victor scooped the girl up into his arms and buried his face in her hair.
She squirmed a little and squeaked indignantly, but Victor only laughed louder and carried her out of the office and into the living room. “I can walk, you know,” she insisted, his joy soaking into her soul and making her laugh as well. “But really all I want for dinner is a nice butternut bisque. I’m a little too nauseous for much more than that…”
Victor immediately set her down at the dining room table and went to the cupboard where he kept the tea and coffee. Soon the scents of ginger and peppermint filled the air and a steaming cup of tea appeared in front of the girl. “Drink this first while I make dinner, then. But give it a few minutes to properly steep before you greedily gulp it down.”
“It’s too hot to gulp anyway,” the girl protested, but Victor merely shook his head and began his preparations. She watched his strong and slender form as he cut, cleaned, and drizzled olive oil over the resulting chunks of squash. The edges of her lips twitched in a pleased manner and her heart felt almost too big for her chest.
In this moment, she was the luckiest girl alive. She picked up the teacup and inhaled the fragrant steam before blowing a soft breath over the surface of the liquid. As long as she had the love of that man, she had the entire world in her palm.
His baby wasn’t a bad addition, either.
The cup of tea was gone long before the squash had finished steaming, but the girl was content to sit at the table and just watch Victor work. He often glanced over at her and his dark eyes glittered every time he caught her staring. She enjoyed watching his skillful hands transform the hard vegetable into a smooth and creamy soup which soon he ladled into a bowl and placed in front of her. It was followed by a thick slice of toasted sourdough and another cup of tea.
Only once she was served did Victor dish up his own meal and join her at the table. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked, dipping his spoon into the silky soup and blowing gently to cool it. The girl nodded and tore off a bit of the bread to dip into her soup. It was delicious, as was to be expected, and she didn’t even need to ask the ‘secret ingredient,’ because she already knew exactly what it was.
Joy.
~~~
Two months passed by as a moment and a lifetime simultaneously. The girl lost count of how many times she’d had to run out of a filming shoot, returning to the concerned looks of her coworkers.
Finally, Kiki pulled her aside. “Boss, we’ve all noticed that you’ve been ill a lot lately. Is everything okay?” She looked into the girl’s face with concerned eyes, seeming to seek the answer in her boss’s expression. The girl fought with herself for a long moment. Was it too early to make an announcement? She knew it would be another month before she was out of the most dangerous portion of the pregnancy, but if her coworkers were already getting worried…she knew she wouldn’t last another month without telling them.
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s just…don’t spread this around, okay? But I’m pregnant.”
A look of wild excitement filled Kiki’s face. “Oh my goodness! Congratulations, boss! How far along are you?! Has anyone planned a baby shower yet? Are you having a boy or a girl? How does Victor feel about it? This is so exciting!”
The girl slapped a hand over Kiki’s mouth, but that did little to quell the other woman’s excitement. “I’m only eight weeks along, but Victor and I are both very happy. We won’t know if we’re having a boy or a girl for quite a while.” She giggled and her other hand went instinctively to her stomach. “It definitely is exciting. But!! You have to swear not to go announcing it to the entire world, okay? I’ll tell the others after the shoot today, then you all can gossip to your hearts’ content with each other.” She shot Kiki a serious look, and Kiki straightened into a salute.
“You’ve got it, Boss! I won’t tell a soul!”
It was a promise which lasted approximately twenty minutes before the news was nearly enough to make Kiki explode. “But you have to act surprised when the boss tells everyone after the shoot, okay?” she whispered after spilling the beans to Willow.
“Oh, obviously,” Willow insisted. “And we’re also obviously going to plan a surprise party.” Kiki agreed wholeheartedly and the pair went back to the shoot. The day seemed to drag by even slower than usual as the secret burned a hole in their mental pockets. They did their best to look innocent every time the girl was nearby, but the moment she turned her back, the pair could barely contain their excitement.
By the time the shoot wrapped up, everyone was completely exhausted except Kiki and Willow. They were still hyped up on the high of their secret and practically vibrated with excitement when their little crew was called together.
The girl looked at each one of her friends and smiled. “I have a bit of an announcement. I was going to wait a little longer, but I have no doubt the cat would get out of the bag sooner rather than later. So here it is: Victor and I are expecting our first child.”
Cheers of congratulations filled and echoed around the mostly-empty set, making it feel as if the girl were surrounded by an army of well-wishers.
~~~
“But the casual white shirts go on the blue hangers, and the formal ones go on the black ones!”
The girl began pulling all of the clothes that Victor had hung up off their hangers and tossed them on the bed, her arms moving in far more exaggerated circles than was entirely necessary. Victor watched with exasperation, his arms crossed over his chest and his brows furrowed. “Why does it matter? Besides, they are my shirts. Shouldn’t it be my opinion that counts when it comes to putting them away?”
He may as well have declared the instigation of World War 3. The girl looked at Victor incredulously and threw the hanger she was holding to the ground. “Fine! If you’re so opinionated about it, I’ll just let you put them away yourself! And the closet can be a mess.”
“I already put them away myself once, and you pulled them all back out. That seems like you caused the problem, not me.” Victor’s exasperated tone only earned him a look that could kill a nation before his wife stomped out of the room and disappeared into the darkness of the rest of the house.
Victor took a moment to breathe. Why was everything a fight lately?! Good grief, it was the color of hanger for crying out loud. He’d thought putting away the laundry would make her happy, not cause yet another argument. He glanced over the pile of shirts on the bed and wondered where exactly he’d gone wrong.
A cloud settled over his heart as he picked up the shirts and ensured they were on the ‘proper’ hangers before putting them back in the closet. Every now and then he glanced at the bedroom door, half expecting to find her standing there watching. However, she never appeared. It didn’t take too long to fix the shirts and make the bed for good measure; only after that did he dare go seeking his wife.
Perhaps ‘seeking’ was the incorrect word. Victor was pretty sure he knew exactly where he’d find her. He easily crossed the dark house and opened the nursery door, standing in the doorway. Moonlight filtered across the carpeted floor and landed on the chair on the opposite side of the room, highlighting the small amount of dust which drifted back and forth as sand in the ocean.
Sure enough, the girl was curled up in the rocking chair, clutching a shiba plush. Even in the moonlight he could see the glisten of tears on her cheeks and he sighed. “Dummy,” he whispered, crossing the room in three long strides. She looked away, hiding her face behind the golden fur of the shiba. But Victor pushed it gently away and lifted her chin. He wiped away one of the tears with his thumb and kissed her forehead. “I love you, my little dummy.”
While the words were simple, they seemed to be the magic words which unlocked the door. A torrent of tears ran down the girl’s cheeks and she flung herself into Victor’s arms. “I didn’t mean to yell at you,” she sobbed, burying her face in his shoulder. “I don’t know why I’m like this! It’s like I can’t even control myself and I hate it!”
Victor ran his fingers tenderly through her hair and held her close. “It’s just the pregnancy. You’ll feel better soon. Only six weeks left, hm? I’m not going anywhere, no matter how moody you get. So stop beating yourself up and come to bed.” He slid one arm under the girl’s legs and scooped her up. “You need your rest if our little one is going to be healthy.”
~~~
It was dark when the girl waddled into the office. She groaned a little and shifted on her feet, trying to find a position that didn’t hurt. Unfortunately, there was no such thing at this point in the pregnancy. Her hand went for the lightswitch and she wondered idly how she was the first one there for the meeting. Anna had seemed quite insistent that it was incredibly important, and even Victor had seemed keen to get her here on time.
The lights caused her to go momentarily blind and she squinted as they adjusted. A jubilant shout of ‘SURPRISE!’ caused her to jump, but once she was able to open her eyes again, she was met with a room full of pink and blue balloons and streamers. Everyone she loved sat in chairs around the room with bright grins. Cupcakes decorated with pastel frosting and baby bottle sprinkles made up a large centerpiece, surrounded by various other snacks, while another table was absolutely loaded with brightly wrapped gifts.
A hand softly on her back propelled the surprised mother-to-be into the room; it was connected to a smirking Victor. “Come on, get in there. Your friends didn’t organize this just for you to stand in the doorway with your mouth hanging open.”
She broke out of her stupor and joined her loved ones for an evening of ridiculous games, eating, and opening of gifts. The sheer amount of love she felt from everyone in the room was a warm blanket which encircled her heart with tender softness. Each hug, each gift, and each kind word helped erase just a little bit more of the pain and discomfort of being eight and a half months pregnant.
And when Victor noticed that she was beginning to tire, he took her hand in his big, warm palm and addressed the room. “Thank you, everyone, for the party and the gifts. We very much appreciate it, but my wife is going to fall asleep in her chair if I don’t get her home soon.” She gave his hand a squeeze and with those they loved trailing behind them with arms full of gifts to load into the car, the happy pair returned home with far more than just a new mountain of belongings.
~~~
Of course it would be the middle of the night. The girl got up for what felt like the fifteenth time that night to use the bathroom, only to feel warmth running down her leg. “Too slow…” she muttered as she waddled into the other room.
However, it soon became apparent that this wasn’t a middle-of-the-night bladder leak. An intense pain gripped the girl’s stomach and she curled up on herself, letting out a strangled squeak of pain and surprise. It wasn’t incredibly loud, but loud enough to cause Victor to rocket up from the bed. His sleep had been poor for the last week already, just in case this exact thing happened.
“Is it time?!” he exclaimed, looking quite silly with his dark hair tousled upwards and his boxers slightly twisted. All it took was a single nod for him to spring into action, tossing on the clothes he’d specifically kept on the chair next to the bed for easy access and grabbing the hospital bag they’d lovingly packed together.
Minutes later the girl was dressed as well and Victor helped her into the car. His hands trembled as he buckled her belt, though out of fear or excitement was up for debate. Probably both. He hustled around the front of the car and into his seat, turned the key, and soon the pair were speeding down the road toward the hospital.
Each time a new contraction hit, the girl fumbled for Victor’s hand. “I’m right here. Just breathe,” he soothed, running his thumb over the back of her hand. “We’ll be there soon. I’m right here.” As Victor was wont to do in situations involving his wife, he drove with a reckless abandon in regards to the speed limit. They soon walked into labor and delivery, where the girl was whisked away while Victor paced the waiting room.
Luckily for everyone in the hospital, Victor was only made to wait until his wife was dressed and put in her delivery bed before he was allowed to go back with her. “It will probably still be a little while, Mr. Li. The contractions are still ten minutes or so apart, and she’s only at an eight. We’ll check in often, but why don’t you try to get a little rest while you can? When the contractions are two minutes apart or less, we’ll get the doctor in here.”
Victor nodded, though he knew there would be absolutely no rest for him tonight. Not until those sweet cries filled his ears, and that sweet bundle filled his arms. He sat at his wife’s bedside and held her hand as she did her best to remain calm through round after round of contractions. “I’m positive we’re having a boy,” she murmured. “I regretted deciding to wait to find out for sure, but now that it’s time…I think it’s even more exciting this way.”
“I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl, as long as we get a healthy baby.” Victor placed his hand on his wife’s belly and was rewarded with a solid kick. “They’ve definitely got your attitude…”
The hours passed by painfully slowly. Painfully being the key word. By morning, the girl was convinced this labor thing was never going to end. That was, until she was hit with contractions five minutes apart. Then two minutes apart. Victor pressed the call button repeatedly and the nurses soon arrived, the room filling with motion and excitement. The epidural went in and warm, blissful numbness took the place of the hot pain which had been filling her existence.
The doctor arrived and, after a brief examination, smiled. “Alright, love. It’s time to push, okay? Three breaths and push for me on three. One, two, push. One, two, push.”
Time felt like it stood still as Victor watched his sweet wife’s face flush, and her hand crushed his with each straining push. The doctor kept checking repeatedly, his voice encouraging. “You’re doing great, mama. I see a head! Keep pushing for me. Not too much longer now.”
And he was right. Two pushes later, the shrill sound of a baby’s first cry pierced the air. The nurses rushed forward with a towel and a clamp for the cord, while the doctor checked over the new life for signs of health. “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Li, it seems you have an absolutely perfect little boy.”
Victor wasn’t even embarrassed about the tears that ran down his cheeks as the doctor wrapped the still-mucky little boy in a towel and handed him to his father. He was a chunky little man…and the most beautiful thing Victor had ever seen.
Your new follower here 🙋🏻♀️I saw victor fluff headcanons on your page which I was craving for….wanna get some comfort 🥂📜
I hope you both are alright with me combining these requests. And also that I changed the premise juuuuust a little bit for personal comfort reasons. But here's what I've got!
A Hard Question
Leftover pudding?
Such a thing was an obvious flag which Victor tucked away for now. When coupled with the droopy shoulders, the lack of eye contact, and the loss of luster in her eyes, the pudding with merely one bite taken out was not simply the result of an overindulgence at dinner time.
“So, how was work today?” Victor set down his own spoon and stared at his beloved over the slightly jiggling dessert before him. The girl didn’t really look up; instead, her dimmed eyes stared off into middle space without actually seeking any sight. Yet Victor waited patiently, his own dark pools glittering with warmth which he would gladly share if only she would gaze inside.
But she eventually just shrugged and poked the pudding with her spoon. “It was fine.”
“Good. I think I’m going to save the rest of my pudding for later and take a bath. When you’re finished, come join me.” He picked up his plate and carefully transferred the untouched dessert into a small container with a lid before placing it in the fridge and turning back to look at his girl.
She hadn’t moved, or really even reacted to his declaration. Whatever train of thought had carried her away from him still had not returned to the station, it seemed. But rather than pry, Victor returned to the table long enough to give the girl a kiss on the forehead then turned toward the bedroom. His hands gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head in a single motion, revealing the well-toned muscles beneath. They rippled pleasingly as he dropped the dirty shirt in the hamper and disappeared into the bedroom.
Victor glanced out to see if his show had elicited any reaction, only for his eyebrows to furrow when it seemed she hadn’t even looked. Extra difficult crowd tonight, hm? Well, he had not come even close to the bottom of his bag of tricks yet.
He slipped out of his pants and placed them on the bedroom chair, then proceeded into the bathroom in socks and boxers. His long fingers considered the many bottles of salts, oils, and bubble solutions that had accumulated in the corner cupboard, each one bringing back a memory of a smiling girl and her bright eyes. They finally settled on a delicate peach and rose bath oil. Victor brought the bottle to his nose and took a soft breath. This one reminded him of a peaceful summer day amidst the blooming fields of Austria where the couple had lain in the green grass and watched the clouds drift by.
Soon the joyful sound of the water filling the tub mingled with the warmth of the steam it produced and the sweetness of the bath oil to create an atmosphere of peace and serenity. Victor watched the water level until it reached his liking before turning to see if the girl had joined him yet.
A soft huff slipped from his lips to see an empty doorway. “I guess I’ll have to get her myself, then.”
Victor exited the bedroom to find the girl exactly where he had left her. While the pudding had a few more wounds from the spoon’s edge piercing its outer surface, she hadn’t eaten any more nor had she returned to the world around her.
“Apparently you’re just going to keep abusing your pudding rather than eating it, so I’m going to put it away.” Victor’s tone was stern and he picked up the plate, expecting at least a giggle. Or a twitch of her lips? Anything? Unfortunately his efforts were rewarded with exactly nothing. His own lips curled downward into a frown while he put away the pudding. While he usually preferred to allow his girl to open up in her own time, it was rare that she reached such a level of catatonic state as this.
There was only one solution.
Victor returned to the table and scooped the girl right out of her chair. He held her tightly against his warm, bare chest and carried her toward the bedroom. “I told you to join me in the bath when you were done with your dessert, and I meant it. You weren’t eating any more, so that means you are done. Get in here, dummy.”
The girl tucked her cheek into the hollow of Victor’s shoulder and closed her eyes, at least seemingly content to take in the heat of his embrace. It was a start. He brought her to the bed and gently set her down, crouching at the bedside so he could look her in the eyes. “Are you going to undress yourself, or am I going to do it for you?” A bit of a staring contest ensued, with the girl finally cracking a bit of a smile and holding up her arms.
“Childish,” Victor murmured, but willingly pulled the hem of her shirt over her head and unclasped her bra. The rest of her clothing met the same fate and soon Victor was stepping into the hot bath with the world in his arms. He lowered both of them into the water and extended his legs on either side of the girl. “Get over here.”
He wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her back against his chest, burying his face in her hair as the water pulled away any chill which might have been lingering on their skin. “Relax,” he whispered directly in her ear. Victor’s fingers began working their way into the girl’s collar, slow circles removing the tension from her neck and shoulders as the strong yet delicate hands explored her form. Little by little she relaxed into Victor until she was little more than a rag doll propped up by his body. “That’s better,” he again whispered, moving his hands up to massage her earlobes and tangle in her hair.
“Sit up a little.” Victor shifted his weight and cupped his hands, dipped them in the water, and poured it carefully over the girl’s head. She instinctively lifted her chin and the water ran down over her hair. “There’s a good girl.” He repeated the process a few times until all her hair was wet, then reached for a bottle of shampoo placed on the edge of the tub. He poured a good amount of the shampoo into his palm, rubbed his hands together, and began working the foamy gel into her hair.
She leaned into his hands when they reached and began to massage her scalp. Neither of them spoke; only the sound of the water splashing with their movements broke the comfortable silence. When the head massage was finished, Victor turned the girl around and lowered her to her back so he could more easily rinse the shampoo out of her hair. Her eyes remained closed as her dark hair floated around that face he so desperately loved.
“Victor?”
“Hm?”
“What would you say if I told you I didn’t want to have children?”
The question came from so far in left field that it took a few moments for Victor to process it. After another few moments of thinking, he shrugged. “I suppose I would say that I was surprised and that I was disappointed. But I would also say that I want you to be happy. Why?”
“I figured that would be your response.” The girl fell silent for a few more moments, reaching out for Victor’s hands while her eyes again closed. “There have just been some very negative comments going around about women who don’t want to have children, and while I was pretty sure I knew what you would say, I still wanted to know for sure.”
Victor sighed and pulled the girl up from the water. He wrapped his arms around her and she clung to him like an octopus. “Such comments don’t deserve a moment of your time,” he murmured, running his fingers through her hair. “Having children or not is the business of the couple and no one else. If you were to decide that you don’t want to have my babies, I would say that we definitely would need to be more careful…and that it doesn’t make you any more or less of a woman. It’s a stance which could end relationships because children are very important to some people, but I did not spend ten thousand years at the Space Time Bureau just to leave you over one difference in goals. And nobody else’s opinion of my dummy should matter, anyway.” He lifted the girl’s chin and firmly stole a kiss, drinking in her breath until the edges of his vision began to darken.
She melted easily into his embrace as all the worries she carried dissolved into the bathwater. It was much easier to forget the negativity when the entire world was shut out by all that really mattered: Victor.
Hi, hello, I'm not dead! However, I'm a bit short on ideas at the moment. This is a call for angsty requests! If you have an idea for an angsty fic that you would like to see, please drop me an ask! Those of you who have already dropped asks, don't worry. I'm definitely working on those, too.
