Viktor @zaunslittleinventor - Tumblr Blog

it’s early in the morning, around six or so, and the sound of pots and pans banging downstairs was muffled by the wooden flooring, seeping in through the cracks.

“kid! come down, breakfast’s ready!”

— @dogoftherevolution

viktor woke to the sound of pots and pans. at first, he was confused- not just by the noise, but the softness of the pillow under his head, and the fact that he no longer felt overwhelmed with cold. slowly, however, his memories returned, excitement lighting up his face.

not bothering to change out of the pajamas he’d been given, he hurried down the stairs, giving vander a hug the second he saw him. pulling away, he hoisted himself up onto the counter.

“what are you making? it smells good!”

“good morning,” vander chuckles, hugging the boy back with one arm. “it’s just leftovers, hoping it tastes as good as it smells.”

he dug into the meal, giving vander a thumbs up after the first bite. “it’s SO good!” he gushed. “you’re a good cook!”

once he was finished, he grabbed his cane, carrying his plate over to the sink. he poked vander’s leg, looking up at him. “want any help?”

with a fond smile as he takes a bite off his own plate, vander thanks the boy, mouth full. “i’m glad you like it.”

he wipes down a plate with an old rag, his eyebrows furrow, looking down at Viktor’s smaller form. he scoffs jokingly, signaling for him to come closer.

“can you reach the sink? okay, good,” he says, helping him up and closer to it. “wash the spoons and forks for me?”

once vander helped him up so he could have better access to the sink, he got to work washing, humming a little tune to himself. it was nice here— warm, and safe, and free of the chill that so often permeated the air. he felt loved, and it made him so excited he could burst.

well… he would, if it weren’t for the worry that lingered in his head. “is Mr. Silco ok?” he asked as he finished up the dishes, fidgeting with a loose gear in his pocket instead. “i hope i didn’t cause any trouble. i don’t want to get in between you guys.”

“he’s… going through a bit right now, really stressed,” vander’s tone is sullen, leaning against the sink and wiping his hands down with a rag as he watches the boy. “don’t worry about it, we’ll… we’ll make it through this.”

viktor frowned, reaching over to give him a hug. “i’m sorry. if there’s anything i can do to help, i will try. i know you two are.. eh… close.”

it’s early in the morning, around six or so, and the sound of pots and pans banging downstairs was muffled by the wooden flooring, seeping in through the cracks.

“kid! come down, breakfast’s ready!”

— @dogoftherevolution

viktor woke to the sound of pots and pans. at first, he was confused- not just by the noise, but the softness of the pillow under his head, and the fact that he no longer felt overwhelmed with cold. slowly, however, his memories returned, excitement lighting up his face.

not bothering to change out of the pajamas he’d been given, he hurried down the stairs, giving vander a hug the second he saw him. pulling away, he hoisted himself up onto the counter.

“what are you making? it smells good!”

“good morning,” vander chuckles, hugging the boy back with one arm. “it’s just leftovers, hoping it tastes as good as it smells.”

he dug into the meal, giving vander a thumbs up after the first bite. “it’s SO good!” he gushed. “you’re a good cook!”

once he was finished, he grabbed his cane, carrying his plate over to the sink. he poked vander’s leg, looking up at him. “want any help?”

with a fond smile as he takes a bite off his own plate, vander thanks the boy, mouth full. “i’m glad you like it.”

he wipes down a plate with an old rag, his eyebrows furrow, looking down at Viktor’s smaller form. he scoffs jokingly, signaling for him to come closer.

“can you reach the sink? okay, good,” he says, helping him up and closer to it. “wash the spoons and forks for me?”

#arcane rp #arcane #viktor #arcanerp #arcane roleplay #little viktor #viktor arcane #rp blog #arcane rp blog

once vander helped him up so he could have better access to the sink, he got to work washing, humming a little tune to himself. it was nice here— warm, and safe, and free of the chill that so often permeated the air. he felt loved, and it made him so excited he could burst.

well… he would, if it weren’t for the worry that lingered in his head. “is Mr. Silco ok?” he asked as he finished up the dishes, fidgeting with a loose gear in his pocket instead. “i hope i didn’t cause any trouble. i don’t want to get in between you guys.”

it’s early in the morning, around six or so, and the sound of pots and pans banging downstairs was muffled by the wooden flooring, seeping in through the cracks.

“kid! come down, breakfast’s ready!”

— @dogoftherevolution

viktor woke to the sound of pots and pans. at first, he was confused- not just by the noise, but the softness of the pillow under his head, and the fact that he no longer felt overwhelmed with cold. slowly, however, his memories returned, excitement lighting up his face.

not bothering to change out of the pajamas he’d been given, he hurried down the stairs, giving vander a hug the second he saw him. pulling away, he hoisted himself up onto the counter.

“what are you making? it smells good!”

“good morning,” vander chuckles, hugging the boy back with one arm. “it’s just leftovers, hoping it tastes as good as it smells.”

#arcane rp #arcane #viktor #arcanerp #arcane roleplay #little viktor #viktor arcane #rp blog #arcane rp blog #ask blog #asks

he dug into the meal, giving vander a thumbs up after the first bite. “it’s SO good!” he gushed. “you’re a good cook!”

once he was finished, he grabbed his cane, carrying his plate over to the sink. he poked vander’s leg, looking up at him. “want any help?”

it’s early in the morning, around six or so, and the sound of pots and pans banging downstairs was muffled by the wooden flooring, seeping in through the cracks.

“kid! come down, breakfast’s ready!”

— @dogoftherevolution

viktor woke to the sound of pots and pans. at first, he was confused- not just by the noise, but the softness of the pillow under his head, and the fact that he no longer felt overwhelmed with cold. slowly, however, his memories returned, excitement lighting up his face.

not bothering to change out of the pajamas he’d been given, he hurried down the stairs, giving vander a hug the second he saw him. pulling away, he hoisted himself up onto the counter.

“what are you making? it smells good!”

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”

eager to stray from the topic of his loneliness, he shifted his attention to the blueprints, taking a sip of his sweetmilk as he did.

“so, i have a few leftover generators at home, and some sea glass i’ve collected for the outer part. i need to make a mini filter inside, though, so it can clean out all the toxins in the air

“that for the brace too or something else?” he continues, leaning back a little to fill a glass of water for himself. “the filter, i mean.”

“well, it’s sort of for a mask i’m making… for when i work in the mines.” he scratched the back of his neck, etching a little doodle onto his blueprints.

“i’m dying. i have the gray, which… eh… means i won’t survive as long as everyone else. it’s caused by the gasses in the air down there, so i’ve been trying to find a way to filter them out.

“…what do you need the money for, Vik?” Vander mumbles, looking up at the boy with sad eyes and not even noticing when he uses a nickname.

There’s a pain behind his voice, a need to protect and help that goes beyond what he can keep quiet about. He’s going to do something for this boy, no matter how much he has to risk for his safety.

viktor shrugged, looking down at the floor. “i don’t really have a home, or a way to buy food, and i’d rather not steal it. that’s not right. besides, how else will i afford supplies?”

“kid, i…” he stutters a little, mind rushing and blaring sirens at him to do something. a hand runs through his hair anxiously, taking a deep breath before speaking. “where… ah, fuck it.”

walking over to the other side of the bar, he kneels by viktor, looking at him and nodding along to his words to hammer them down.

“how about you stay here, V? its dangerous out on the street all alone, especially for a kid like you…”

viktor stared at the man, gratitude pooling in his eyes. “really? you-uh- i could stay with you, mr vander?”

for the first time in years, he felt hope, and he was desperate to cling to it for as long as possible

“‘course, kid, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like,” he nods. “i’d be glad to have you around.”

viktor beamed, rushing forward to throw his arms around the man, tucking his head into his neck. “no more mines?”

holding the boy close to his chest, vander smiles.

“no more mines.”

viktor sniffled, trying and failing to hold back tears. “thank you so much, Mr. Vander. this means a lot to me… thank you”

“you’re fine, kid, i’m glad i can help,” he replies, holding onto him gently and slowly running a hand over his back. “house’s yours.”

when he called down, he pulled away, reaching up to run a hand through his hair and giggling. “where do you want me to sleep. i’d be ok with anything really. i’m used to the floor.”

vander laughs, a low chuckle filled with fondness and nostalgia.

“you can take my bed until i get one of you, i think there’s a couch down there somewhere, too…”

“are you sure? i wouldn’t want to steal your bed! i wouldn’t mind taking the couch…” he smiled. he was genuinly just stunned he got to be here

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”

eager to stray from the topic of his loneliness, he shifted his attention to the blueprints, taking a sip of his sweetmilk as he did.

“so, i have a few leftover generators at home, and some sea glass i’ve collected for the outer part. i need to make a mini filter inside, though, so it can clean out all the toxins in the air

“that for the brace too or something else?” he continues, leaning back a little to fill a glass of water for himself. “the filter, i mean.”

“well, it’s sort of for a mask i’m making… for when i work in the mines.” he scratched the back of his neck, etching a little doodle onto his blueprints.

“i’m dying. i have the gray, which… eh… means i won’t survive as long as everyone else. it’s caused by the gasses in the air down there, so i’ve been trying to find a way to filter them out.

“…what do you need the money for, Vik?” Vander mumbles, looking up at the boy with sad eyes and not even noticing when he uses a nickname.

There’s a pain behind his voice, a need to protect and help that goes beyond what he can keep quiet about. He’s going to do something for this boy, no matter how much he has to risk for his safety.

viktor shrugged, looking down at the floor. “i don’t really have a home, or a way to buy food, and i’d rather not steal it. that’s not right. besides, how else will i afford supplies?”

“kid, i…” he stutters a little, mind rushing and blaring sirens at him to do something. a hand runs through his hair anxiously, taking a deep breath before speaking. “where… ah, fuck it.”

walking over to the other side of the bar, he kneels by viktor, looking at him and nodding along to his words to hammer them down.

“how about you stay here, V? its dangerous out on the street all alone, especially for a kid like you…”

viktor stared at the man, gratitude pooling in his eyes. “really? you-uh- i could stay with you, mr vander?”

for the first time in years, he felt hope, and he was desperate to cling to it for as long as possible

“‘course, kid, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like,” he nods. “i’d be glad to have you around.”

viktor beamed, rushing forward to throw his arms around the man, tucking his head into his neck. “no more mines?”

holding the boy close to his chest, vander smiles.

“no more mines.”

viktor sniffled, trying and failing to hold back tears. “thank you so much, Mr. Vander. this means a lot to me… thank you”

“you’re fine, kid, i’m glad i can help,” he replies, holding onto him gently and slowly running a hand over his back. “house’s yours.”

when he called down, he pulled away, reaching up to run a hand through his hair and giggling. “where do you want me to sleep. i’d be ok with anything really. i’m used to the floor.”

hi mr. silco!!! mr. vander told me i get to live with you guys! i can show you all my inventions now!!! i’m so excited!

- @zaunslittleinventor

he gives Viktor a polite smile, "He did? Well, I'm sorry buddy but I'm gonna be living at Benzo's for a little while."

viktor’s face fell, and he found himself shrinking, turning his head to the ground. “i’m sorry. is it because of me?”

"No no of course not. Me and Vander are just working a few things out." he shrugs.

almost immediately, he relaxed, fingers loosening around his cane. “oh, ok. i’m sorry about you and Vander. i hope things get better for you soon. do you need a hug?”

"sure" he smiled, giving Viktor a small side hug.

viktor hugged him back. “if you need to talk ever, i can listen, k?”

hi mr. silco!!! mr. vander told me i get to live with you guys! i can show you all my inventions now!!! i’m so excited!

- @zaunslittleinventor

he gives Viktor a polite smile, "He did? Well, I'm sorry buddy but I'm gonna be living at Benzo's for a little while."

viktor’s face fell, and he found himself shrinking, turning his head to the ground. “i’m sorry. is it because of me?”

"No no of course not. Me and Vander are just working a few things out." he shrugs.

almost immediately, he relaxed, fingers loosening around his cane. “oh, ok. i’m sorry about you and Vander. i hope things get better for you soon. do you need a hug?”

hi mr. silco!!! mr. vander told me i get to live with you guys! i can show you all my inventions now!!! i’m so excited!

- @zaunslittleinventor

he gives Viktor a polite smile, "He did? Well, I'm sorry buddy but I'm gonna be living at Benzo's for a little while."

viktor’s face fell, and he found himself shrinking, turning his head to the ground. “i’m sorry. is it because of me?”

#//yes he willl

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”

eager to stray from the topic of his loneliness, he shifted his attention to the blueprints, taking a sip of his sweetmilk as he did.

“so, i have a few leftover generators at home, and some sea glass i’ve collected for the outer part. i need to make a mini filter inside, though, so it can clean out all the toxins in the air

“that for the brace too or something else?” he continues, leaning back a little to fill a glass of water for himself. “the filter, i mean.”

“well, it’s sort of for a mask i’m making… for when i work in the mines.” he scratched the back of his neck, etching a little doodle onto his blueprints.

“i’m dying. i have the gray, which… eh… means i won’t survive as long as everyone else. it’s caused by the gasses in the air down there, so i’ve been trying to find a way to filter them out.

“…what do you need the money for, Vik?” Vander mumbles, looking up at the boy with sad eyes and not even noticing when he uses a nickname.

There’s a pain behind his voice, a need to protect and help that goes beyond what he can keep quiet about. He’s going to do something for this boy, no matter how much he has to risk for his safety.

viktor shrugged, looking down at the floor. “i don’t really have a home, or a way to buy food, and i’d rather not steal it. that’s not right. besides, how else will i afford supplies?”

“kid, i…” he stutters a little, mind rushing and blaring sirens at him to do something. a hand runs through his hair anxiously, taking a deep breath before speaking. “where… ah, fuck it.”

walking over to the other side of the bar, he kneels by viktor, looking at him and nodding along to his words to hammer them down.

“how about you stay here, V? its dangerous out on the street all alone, especially for a kid like you…”

viktor stared at the man, gratitude pooling in his eyes. “really? you-uh- i could stay with you, mr vander?”

for the first time in years, he felt hope, and he was desperate to cling to it for as long as possible

“‘course, kid, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like,” he nods. “i’d be glad to have you around.”

viktor beamed, rushing forward to throw his arms around the man, tucking his head into his neck. “no more mines?”

holding the boy close to his chest, vander smiles.

“no more mines.”

viktor sniffled, trying and failing to hold back tears. “thank you so much, Mr. Vander. this means a lot to me… thank you”

#//oh absolutely!

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”

eager to stray from the topic of his loneliness, he shifted his attention to the blueprints, taking a sip of his sweetmilk as he did.

“so, i have a few leftover generators at home, and some sea glass i’ve collected for the outer part. i need to make a mini filter inside, though, so it can clean out all the toxins in the air

“that for the brace too or something else?” he continues, leaning back a little to fill a glass of water for himself. “the filter, i mean.”

“well, it’s sort of for a mask i’m making… for when i work in the mines.” he scratched the back of his neck, etching a little doodle onto his blueprints.

“i’m dying. i have the gray, which… eh… means i won’t survive as long as everyone else. it’s caused by the gasses in the air down there, so i’ve been trying to find a way to filter them out.

“…what do you need the money for, Vik?” Vander mumbles, looking up at the boy with sad eyes and not even noticing when he uses a nickname.

There’s a pain behind his voice, a need to protect and help that goes beyond what he can keep quiet about. He’s going to do something for this boy, no matter how much he has to risk for his safety.

viktor shrugged, looking down at the floor. “i don’t really have a home, or a way to buy food, and i’d rather not steal it. that’s not right. besides, how else will i afford supplies?”

“kid, i…” he stutters a little, mind rushing and blaring sirens at him to do something. a hand runs through his hair anxiously, taking a deep breath before speaking. “where… ah, fuck it.”

walking over to the other side of the bar, he kneels by viktor, looking at him and nodding along to his words to hammer them down.

“how about you stay here, V? its dangerous out on the street all alone, especially for a kid like you…”

viktor stared at the man, gratitude pooling in his eyes. “really? you-uh- i could stay with you, mr vander?”

for the first time in years, he felt hope, and he was desperate to cling to it for as long as possible

“‘course, kid, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like,” he nods. “i’d be glad to have you around.”

#// no worries! i was on a flight today anyway!!

viktor beamed, rushing forward to throw his arms around the man, tucking his head into his neck. “no more mines?”

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”

eager to stray from the topic of his loneliness, he shifted his attention to the blueprints, taking a sip of his sweetmilk as he did.

“so, i have a few leftover generators at home, and some sea glass i’ve collected for the outer part. i need to make a mini filter inside, though, so it can clean out all the toxins in the air

“that for the brace too or something else?” he continues, leaning back a little to fill a glass of water for himself. “the filter, i mean.”

“well, it’s sort of for a mask i’m making… for when i work in the mines.” he scratched the back of his neck, etching a little doodle onto his blueprints.

“i’m dying. i have the gray, which… eh… means i won’t survive as long as everyone else. it’s caused by the gasses in the air down there, so i’ve been trying to find a way to filter them out.

“…what do you need the money for, Vik?” Vander mumbles, looking up at the boy with sad eyes and not even noticing when he uses a nickname.

There’s a pain behind his voice, a need to protect and help that goes beyond what he can keep quiet about. He’s going to do something for this boy, no matter how much he has to risk for his safety.

viktor shrugged, looking down at the floor. “i don’t really have a home, or a way to buy food, and i’d rather not steal it. that’s not right. besides, how else will i afford supplies?”

“kid, i…” he stutters a little, mind rushing and blaring sirens at him to do something. a hand runs through his hair anxiously, taking a deep breath before speaking. “where… ah, fuck it.”

walking over to the other side of the bar, he kneels by viktor, looking at him and nodding along to his words to hammer them down.

“how about you stay here, V? its dangerous out on the street all alone, especially for a kid like you…”

viktor stared at the man, gratitude pooling in his eyes. “really? you-uh- i could stay with you, mr vander?”

for the first time in years, he felt hope, and he was desperate to cling to it for as long as possible

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”

eager to stray from the topic of his loneliness, he shifted his attention to the blueprints, taking a sip of his sweetmilk as he did.

“so, i have a few leftover generators at home, and some sea glass i’ve collected for the outer part. i need to make a mini filter inside, though, so it can clean out all the toxins in the air

“that for the brace too or something else?” he continues, leaning back a little to fill a glass of water for himself. “the filter, i mean.”

“well, it’s sort of for a mask i’m making… for when i work in the mines.” he scratched the back of his neck, etching a little doodle onto his blueprints.

“i’m dying. i have the gray, which… eh… means i won’t survive as long as everyone else. it’s caused by the gasses in the air down there, so i’ve been trying to find a way to filter them out.

“…what do you need the money for, Vik?” Vander mumbles, looking up at the boy with sad eyes and not even noticing when he uses a nickname.

There’s a pain behind his voice, a need to protect and help that goes beyond what he can keep quiet about. He’s going to do something for this boy, no matter how much he has to risk for his safety.

viktor shrugged, looking down at the floor. “i don’t really have a home, or a way to buy food, and i’d rather not steal it. that’s not right. besides, how else will i afford supplies?”

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”

eager to stray from the topic of his loneliness, he shifted his attention to the blueprints, taking a sip of his sweetmilk as he did.

“so, i have a few leftover generators at home, and some sea glass i’ve collected for the outer part. i need to make a mini filter inside, though, so it can clean out all the toxins in the air

“that for the brace too or something else?” he continues, leaning back a little to fill a glass of water for himself. “the filter, i mean.”

“well, it’s sort of for a mask i’m making… for when i work in the mines.” he scratched the back of his neck, etching a little doodle onto his blueprints.

“i’m dying. i have the gray, which… eh… means i won’t survive as long as everyone else. it’s caused by the gasses in the air down there, so i’ve been trying to find a way to filter them out.

Be careful of running, little one. I know that excitement can often cloud judgment, but I would hate to see you suffer so needlessly.

- @infinitesimal-certainties

oh, yeah, that’s probably a good idea. it hurts pretty bad when i fall.

sometimes, i hate my body. it’s not fair that everyone else can run when i can’t…

viktor walked through the door of the last drop. he’d just been allowed out of work, and was eager to see Vander and the others.

“hey mr vander!” he exclaimed, weaving through the crowd and trying to climb onto one of the seats at the bar. “i brought my boat to show you!”

- @zaunslittleinventor

“hey, kiddo!” Vander waves at him, already turning around to grab a mug to fill for him. “take a seat, i want a full tour of that boat of yours.”

he giggled excitedly, taking a seat and setting his boat out on the table. he beckoned vander closer, showing him the ins and outs of his contraption.

“i finally got it to swim on its own, too! you should see how fast it goes!”

He finishes pouring a glass of sweetmilk for the boy, resting it in front of him and leaning closer to see the boat clearer.

“that’s great! you’re a proper little genius, aren’t you?” Vander fluffs his hair lightly with a hand, affectionately patting the boy’s head afterwards. “gonna change the world one of these days.”

a beaming smile crossed his face at the praise, unused to such kind words. “that’s what my parents used to say,” he said, taking a drink of the sweetmilk and giving vander a thumbs up at the taste.

“do you really think my inventions could change the world? that’s all i want… to help people!”

at Viktor’s mention of his parents, he offers him a small nostalgic smile, fuzzy memories of his own childhood running across his mind.

“i think that with that brain of yours, you can do anything you set your mind to, however big or small it is,” Vander leans over the counter, eye to eye with the small boy. “Now, keep telling me about your inventions, maybe you can teach me a thing or two about how to make them.”

there was nothing viktor loved more than talking about his inventions, so the second vander asked, he began to talk, rattling off all sorts of intricate details on each of his many projects.

“i’m working on a brace right now,” he told him. “for my leg. i want to be able to walk faster, so the other kids will want to play with me.”

he slid paper over to him. “these are my blueprints.”

Vander suddenly stops dead in his tracks, mouth half filled with a piece of bread he’d been snacking on. he turns to the boy with furrowed brows, eyes scanning over the blueprints before looking up at him again.

“don’t they play with you already? you’re perfectly capable of playing, aren’t you?“ he sounds genuinely confused; Viktor’s leg shouldn’t be a limiting factor on if he could or couldn’t play, the kid was a genius and could move around with enough ease to get all the way here from the mines on his own.

viktor paused for a second, letting vander speak before shaking his head. “i’ve asked, but they don’t want to.” he shrugged. “i guess they don’t want to… eh… catch my sickness.”

he turned back to his blueprints, making some notes in the margins. “it’s ok. i’m ok.”

vander watches him with furrowed brows, sighing and shaking his head. his eyes drift from the boys face to the blueprints as he writes, thinking about what to say next.

“mhm,” he hums, quickly changing the subject. “this looks complicated… what materials are you gonna use?”