#reader x viktor

--- The dim workshop buzzed with the sound of grinding metal and crackling electricity, Viktor's meticulous hands moving over a set of schematics spread across his cluttered desk. His golden eyes, sharp with focus, barely acknowledged your presence as you leaned against the doorway, watching him with a sly smile.

It wasn't the first time you'd crept into his space unannounced. Viktor tolerated it, even when your antics bordered on disruptive. Tonight, though, there was something in your gaze- something electric, like the sparks leaping from his machines.

"You've been at this for hours," you said, your voice sing-song as you pushed off the doorframe and sauntered closer. "Do you ever take a break, or do I need to force you?"

Viktor didn't look up. "Progress does not wait for comfort," he replied, his tone distracted but gentle. "And I thought you preferred chaos, not productivity."

"Oh, I do," you replied, sliding onto the edge of his desk. You reached out plucking a wrench from his hand and twirling it idly. "But I prefer you even more. "

That got his attention. Viktor finally glanced up, his expression somewhere between bemused and exasperated "You're impossible," he murmured though there was a hint of warmth in his voice

"And you're irresistible," you countered, leaning forward just enough for him to notice. The gleam in your eyes was unrestrained, a flicker of something wild that Viktor found both unnerving and captivating. "Don't you think it's unfair to keep me waiting?"

"For what, exactly?" he asked, his lips twitching into the barest hint of a smirk. He knew you too well by now to be entirely surprised.

"For this," you said, and before he could protest, you grabbed the collar of his coat and pulled him forward

The kiss was sudden, forceful, and completely unrelenting. For a moment, Viktor froze, caught between the instinct to pull away and the undeniable heat radiating from you. Then, tentatively, his hands found your waist steadying you as he leaned into the kiss.

Your hands tangled in his hair, tugging just enough to make him gasp against your lips. Viktor's usual restraint faltered, his sharp mind clouded by the sheer intensity of you. He broke away briefly, his breathing ragged as his golden eyes searched yours

"You are... relentless," he whispered, his voice low and hoarse. "And entirely too distracting."

"Good," you said with a grin, sliding into his lap and straddling him without hesitation. "Because I'm not done yet."

This time, Viktor didn't resist. His hands tightened on your hips as you captured his lips again, softer this time but no less intoxicating. The air around you felt electric, charged with a heat that rivaled the energy of his machines. His lips moved against yours with growing confidence, and when you nipped at his bottom lip, he groaned softly, sending a thrill down your spine.

"You're not as proper as you pretend to be," you teased between kisses, your voice breathless. "I like it.

And you," Viktor murmured, his lips brushing against yours as he spoke, "are far more dangerous than any experiment I've ever conducted."

You laughed, a wild and reckless sound, before pulling him back into another searing kiss. For once, the meticulous scientist let himself be consumed, his mind silenced by the chaotic, overwhelming presence of you.

---

The room felt hotter, the air charged with the intensity of your shared hunger. Viktor's hands, usually so precise and measured, roamed your body with growing urgency. His lips pressed against your neck, trailing heated kisses down to your collarbone the scrape of his teeth sending shivers through you.

Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as your breath came faster. "Viktor," you murmured, your voice trembling with desire. "I don't want you to hold back."

His golden eyes flicked up to yours, dark with longing. For a moment, he hesitated, his grip on your waist tightening as if anchoring himself. "Are you certain?" he asked softly, his voice thick, trembling with both restraint and want.

You cupped his face, brushing your thumb over his cheekbone as your lips hovered over his. "I've never been more certain of anything.

That was all he needed. He surged forward, capturing your lips in a searing kiss that left you breathless. His hands slid under your shirt, fingers brushing the bare skin of your back with a reverence that made you ache. You gasped at the contact, pressing closer to him, desperate for more.

His lips left yours, trailing down the curve of your throat as his hands explored every inch of you, memorizing the shape of your body. The way he touched you was intoxicating-both tender and possessive, as though he couldn't get enough. When his lips reached the sensitive spot just below your ear, you let out a soft moan, the sound spurring him on.

You tugged at his shirt, your fingers fumbling in your eagerness to feel his skin against yours. He chuckled lowly the sound vibrating against your throat as he helped you pull the fabric over his head. Your hands roamed his chest, tracing the lines of muscle and the faint scars that marked his skin. He shuddered under your touch, his breath hitching as your lips followed the path your fingers had taken.

"Do you always have to be so distracting?" he murmured, though the teasing note in his voice was laced with a raw edge. His hands moved to your thighs, pulling you closer until you were straddling him completely.

You grinned, your hands threading through his hair as you whispered "Only for you."

He pulled you down into another kiss this one deeper, slower, as if savoring every moment. The world outside the workshop ceased to exist; there was only the heat of his body against yours the sound of your breaths mingling, and the undeniable pull between you.

When his hands slipped lower, gripping your hips and guiding you against him you couldn't hold back the soft gasp that escaped your lips. Viktor groaned in response, his control unraveling further with every movement. The intensity in his eyes was enough to steal your breath, his usual guarded expression replaced by something raw and vulnerable.

"Tell me if it's too much," he said, his voice hoarse but full of care, his forehead resting against yours.

"It won't be," you replied, your voice steady despite the storm raging inside you. "| trust you, Viktor."

For a moment, he froze, his gaze softening as he studied your face. Then he smiled-a rare, genuine smile that made your heart skip a beat.

'Then let me show you how much you mean to me," he murmured, his voice low and full of promise.

And as he pulled you closer, his touch and his kisses saying everything words couldn't, you knew this was a moment you would never forget

---

The door slammed open with such force that you both froze mid-movement. Jayce’s voice rang out, filled with urgency, yet faltering when his eyes landed on the scene before him. His gaze flicked from Viktor’s hands on your waist to the intensity between the two of you, his face blanching in shock.

"Viktor!" Jayce blurted, his voice filled with confusion and disbelief. "We need to—"

Jayce trailed off when he fully took in the situation. You and Viktor, so close, so entangled that it was impossible to ignore the tension, the heat in the room. Jayce stood frozen, his eyes wide and confused, his hand still gripping the doorframe as if he was unsure if he should step in or run.

Viktor, ever the composed one, was the first to break the silence, his voice tight but trying to maintain his usual calm. “Jayce, this is not a good time.”

Jayce blinked a few times, his face flushing as he tried to recover from the shock. “I… I can see that,” he mumbled, his voice awkward as he stepped back. “I’ll just… come back later, I—uh, didn’t mean to interrupt.”

But you couldn’t help yourself. You glanced over at Jayce, a wicked grin playing on your lips. “You sure you don’t want to stay and watch?” you teased, your voice dripping with mischief, clearly enjoying the discomfort you’d caused.

Jayce’s face went bright red, his hands fumbling at his side as he stammered out, “No! No, I—no! I’ll go now, I’ll go now.” Without another word, he practically sprinted out of the room, muttering to himself.

Viktor, ever the perfectionist, ran a hand through his hair, visibly irritated. He let out a sharp sigh, straightening himself as he tried to refocus. “Of course Jayce would have the worst timing.”

You chuckled softly, a teasing glint in your eyes as you leaned in closer to Viktor, your lips grazing his jaw. “Well, that was certainly an interesting interruption.”

Viktor smirked, but there was a flicker of frustration in his gaze. “This could have been… different,” he said, pulling back slightly. “We were so close.”

You met his gaze, a hint of mischief still in your eyes, but something else flickered behind your playful expression. You sighed, pushing yourself up from the desk, your fingers lingering on the edge as you met his eyes one last time.

“Maybe next time,” you said, your tone more serious than before. You took a step back, your smile slipping just slightly as you turned toward the door.

Viktor’s brow furrowed, his frustration turning into concern. “Wait… where are you going?”

You hesitated at the door, your hand on the handle. For a moment, it felt like the air between you both had shifted. Your heart pounded, your emotions a whirlwind of tension and uncertainty.

“I don’t know, Viktor,” you said quietly, not meeting his gaze. “Maybe I need to think. Maybe you need to, too.” Your voice softened, the words carrying a weight that had nothing to do with the physical distance between you. “I’ll leave you to your work.”

You turned, your fingers brushing the doorframe one last time before you stepped out of the room, the door closing softly behind you.

Inside, Viktor stood still for a long moment, staring at the spot where you had just been. His breath was still heavy, his mind racing, and despite the situation, a part of him felt that familiar longing to pull you back. But deep down, he knew the path forward wasn’t as simple as desire.

The room felt emptier now, the silence louder than before. He couldn't help but wonder if he had just missed something—something important.

But for now, the distance between you remained, unanswered, and Viktor was left to navigate the silence.

     Many outs were given to Viktor, but he was adamant on going along with your parents’ request in hopes that they would warm up to him in the future. He insisted once more that there was no issue and he was looking forward to seeing your childhood home. That prospect alone made you almost as anxious as having him around your parents. 

     Entresol was far from the lavish lifestyle you were brought up in. The fissures were toxic, a hazard to raise a child in, and most people were never given a choice about living there. You wondered what he would think of your wastefully large home and how stifling it was. Surely after all of those years together, he would know you were far removed from the mindset of your parents and the estate should not reflect who you had become away at the academy.

     A car was waiting for you on the edge of campus which you did not request, only accepting your mother’s offer to have a driver sent as opposed to leaving an hour early to walk. Pistons fired as the vehicle bumbled down the lane on the way to the theater after your bags were loaded into the back seat by the driver. All of the pampering felt widely unnecessary.

     The crowds were large and the driver dropped you off at the front steps to the theater which was in a thrall over the spring program. Usually the Winterfest was the highlight of the year for the theater, but, from what you remembered growing up, spring concerts could attract a healthy sum of people on opening night. Obviously your parents wanted to attend on opening night despite the overwhelming number of people. 

     Your family’s wealth did not provide for a private box, but there were handsomely placed seats in the nosebleeds that allowed ample viewing of the stage unobstructed. There your parents were, waiting for you with drinks already ordered and seats saved for the four of you. There was a table for standing just behind the seats and you passed it before settling into the space next to your mother. 

     “I almost thought you were going to be late, it would have been a waste of ticket money,” your mother was charming as ever with the way her passive aggressive words edged on the line of cynical in tone and nature.

     After fruitlessly arguing with her to assure her you had plenty of time before the concert began, you listened to her drone on about work and home. Staff was getting more disagreeable by the day and she blamed it on them being from the undercity which you were quick to politely reprimand her on without sounding too upset. Apparently there was an accident at one of the manufacturing plants and protests ensued, leading your father to lay off over a dozen workers without a proper investigation. It was vile, and you felt your leg shake with agitation while trying to remain calm. 

     Beside you, Viktor’s knuckles were white from gripping the neck of his cane between his knees as he looked on at the empty stage, curtains still drawn in a red velvet wall, down below. He was attempting to go unnoticed and to not make a scene since he felt another trap brewing from your mother, egging him on by spitting on the undercity in such a benumbed manner. 

     There was no room for you to comfort him, even silently, since holding his hand or leaning on him around your parents would most likely result in a painstakingly grueling lecture about “public decency.” If you were with someone from Piltover, then the story would have been very different, but you chose Viktor and for that you would receive no grace. 

     “Let’s not talk about work,” you smiled at her as best you could, playing the role of loving daughter for her sake. 

     “One last thing,” she tapped your father on the arm, prompting him to hand her a small letter from the inner pocket of his suit, “this came a few weeks ago. We forwarded the message to you in a letter, but you never responded so I assume you never read it.”

     A broken seal told you exactly who it was from. The Galgaridon crest looked up at you in two torn pieces from the folded piece of paper. Just as the music was beginning from the orchestra pit, you unfolded it and began reading its contents; you read at an angle so Viktor could eye it if he wanted to.

     Caston Galgaridon wrote to your family home to explain his recent honorable discharge from the Noxian military after an injury sustained on the battlefield rendered him incapable of continuing his service. Part of you knew he must have put himself in harm's way on purpose after your last talk. Whatever the reason, be it accidental or intentional as suspected, he was informing your family of his new position in becoming the new head of the foundry your parents helped build all that time ago. Meaning they would be working directly through him for their Noxian transports and business ventures. 

     At least he had the decency to not write to you directly and respect your wishes for space. Little could be said for your parents as time crawled on. 

     “Why does this concern me?” you folded the letter with its familiar creases and reclined in your seat.

     “We thought you ought to know since you will be working with him once you’re done with schooling,” your father leaned forward to see past your mother who stared at the performance with feigned indifference, “and it’s important to maintain our partnerships.”

     “I don’t see how working in Noxus is relevant to my future career endeavors.”

     “No one ever said you had to relocate to Noxus,” his dry laughter said more than you needed to know, “regardless of your living arrangements, correspondence with the young master Galgaridon is still an important partnership.”

     Down on stage there were ballet dancers leaping across the polished wooden stage over fake prop pieces of florals and grasses moving in imaginary wind as violins encouraged them on. As chimes echoed in the background, you stole a glance at Viktor who turned just as you did, perfectly in sync with your movements without a word needing to pass between you. Honey colored eyes reflected the lights of the stage in the near darkness of the theater and they were full of a sweetened understanding that you could have melted into if you were back in your rooms with him. You were itching to feel him in any kind of embrace at that moment, but the desire to keep your parents’ feathers silky smooth kept you grounded in your nauseating discomfort.

     The past always had an ugly way of dredging itself up at the most inopportune time, but at least in that moment it was less of a real threat and more of an uncomfortable suggestion from your parents. It was a sour attempt to get you out of Piltover and away from Viktor, an obvious stabbing betrayal even if you were unsure it even counted as such when they had been so open with you about their disapproval already. 

     This is lovely, you had quietly remarked, pointing out the performance, leaning towards your parents. The little gestures were your only salvation it seemed.

     Polite conversation was able to spark between the four of you once you managed to get the first few pleasant words out about anything other than responsibilities. Managing to make your parents smile at you and Viktor during comments and jests felt like pushing a rock up a steep hill, arduous, but greatly rewarding once you reached the top and were able to rest at its peak.

     By the end of the concert the choppy waters felt unusually calm, whatever storm that had been brewing was either passed or on hold. The cab that came around the front of the building, to collect the four of you, already had your belongings strapped to the rear of the large carriage. 

     The trip back to the estate was long, as the hours passed, you all dozed off at different times. All except Viktor who took to admiring the changing scenery through the window even if the night outside prevented him from seeing much past the vague silhouette every now and then once you were out of the inner city. Housing towards the edge would range from modest dwellings to smaller unkempt apartments and eventually largely spaced out manors. Wide gaps in wealth were evident even topside it seemed. 

     He couldn’t help but think those lackluster apartments were right up your combined alley when it came to affordability since you refused to use your family funds. Over the last half year, you both were more frugal with your finances. Accepting that the y/l/n family fortune could be pulled out from under you at any moment made you both carefully calculate your means of living and you made sure to stay within those boundaries.

     Viktor also knew this weekend trip was a performance at its core and he was determined to play his part as quietly as he could manage. Willing to seem invisible for your sake and to not stir your parents’ emotions into barring down on you with their unrelenting barrage of disapproving opinions. Difficult as it was, considering he was usually emboldened at the academy, more confident in his field and among his colleagues. 

     Thankfully he managed to speak to your parents about his work when they appeared to ask with a genuine interest, prodding him to reveal his plans. 

******

Lush green hedges surrounded the property, or at least the innermost part of the property that contained the main house and gardens; it did not include the long drive up through manicured rolling landscapes and trees spotted throughout the scene. Leaves and twigs were collected in muslin sacks for disposal after the annual pruning and new buds were well into blossoming in time for the season. Birds skirted across a pond, rippling through the glass surface with beautiful disturbance coupled with their cacophony of squawks and honks. 

     Home was back at the academy for you, but there would always be a bittersweet nostalgia in returning to the estate for visits and this time was no different. You stepped out of the motorized carriage first, followed by Viktor and your parents in succession. Moonlight and lanterns provided a glow that came off in a haze against the evening mist. Starlight dappled in the blanket of night overhead and you wished to spend more time outside with Viktor in the fresh air, but you were hurriedly rushed inside by your parents who were too eager to show off their abode to a newcomer. 

     Even if Viktor was not their ideal guest, they were desperately trying to save face. Most of their disdain of him had been private comments made directly to you, so they must have thought he was none the wiser regarding their opinions of him.

     Given the late hour, the tour was rather short. They only showed him where they would be dining for breakfast, should you both like to join them that early, and the parlor where they spent most of their free time. Free time did not come often for your parents, but you assumed this weekend they would be lounging for once since they insisted on your staying over.

     “Don’t be shy about exploring. I’m sure y/n will take you around at some point as well,” your father passed through the large double doors that opened into a corridor not too far from your room. “Your things have been brought to the bedroom already, so you may retire if you wish.”

     Bidding your parents goodnight, you accepted their offer to be excused and took Viktor with you. 

     “I wish they were this nice all of the time,” you mumbled over your shoulder to Viktor once you were a few turns and rooms away from them. “They were so polite to you, why can’t it be real?”

     “Don’t concern yourself over things you cannot control.” Viktor followed you through the doors to your room, pulling the handles closed behind him with a low snap of pins falling into place and the lock setting. “For now, let's just be happy we’ve made it this far.”

    He was right. Fretting over wishes and complaints were never going to amount to anything and you were feeling more at ease being alone with him in the privacy of your room.

     Something you could control was at your fingertips. It teased at your tongue as you were feeling too shy to openly ask for anything explicit. Sitting on the edge of your canopy bed proved more than enough for a hint when Viktor joined you without suggestion. Evening clothes began to feel suffocating as you lost yourselves in a tangle of limbs and pleading whispers.

******

Morning came with a vengeance. You were undisturbed by maids or your parents, left to rest at your own leisure with Viktor in your bed and the curtains were still pulled back from the night before. Neither of you thought to close them which let the blinding white reflection of the sun wake you since you were facing large glass doors across the room. Scenic lawns softened the blow of the harsh sunlight and you blinked against its glow as a few squirrels sprinted across the window sill in leaping bounds, cheeks full of their gathering spoils.

     Blankets tempted you to remain in bed, but the idea of any staff or your parents poking in to check on you prompted you to drag yourself from the plush den and get ready for the day. Pushing open the double doors and opening the remaining curtains to let in more light, you wake Viktor up in the process. 

     Despite how sleepy you both still felt, there was something in the air that you couldn’t explain. It was like the hotel room when you got a taste of domesticity away from the academy together, playing pretend for a little while before having to return to work and research all while feeling like teenagers in adult bodies. 

     “I could get used to this,” Viktor held your hand with a reverence that made you blush when you sat next to him on his side of the bed where he was still laying.

     “The nice house?”

     “No,” his eyes closed, still tired, “this feeling, in this room. It’s like we’re married.”

     “Would you want to?” You moved your two hands together further implying what he just said.

     “Eventually.”

******

Easels with abandoned paintings were pushed into a corner of glass and plaster, leaving room for a large open space of stone that made up the floor to the old studio. Days were once spent toiling away at those easels much to the behest of your family, pouring your soul into the pieces that could only be referenced from the windows beyond your enclosure and images you had seen elsewhere during excursions or from books. There were plenty of those to go around in your home, but taking your art supplies out of the estate and beyond the property grounds was restricted. Encouragement for your creative hobbies was nonexistent since it was only seen as just that, a hobby and nothing more. Cursed be the day you first asked your mother for your beginner set of paints and a canvas. Over time your parents softened to the idea of you pursuing a meaningful pastime, giving you a wide berth for creative study under the guise of it remaining a hobby and you played that part as well as you could for years.

     Windows made up a wall of glass, an old sunroom connected to your bedroom through a short hallway only accessible to you. It must have once been a modest sitting room before the estate grew too large for it and it was abandoned until you burrowed your way into it as a child while exploring. Ivy still grew on the back of the house unlike the front where it was completely cleared away for structural integrity. 

     You were not about to thew Viktor in the history of your home and meaning of all of the rooms. Bringing him to your old studio was more of a thing of boredom and meandering through the halls with him until you thought to visit the old room which felt so strange after all that time away. Dust dated the years you were away despite your infrequent visits to the estate, the studio went on abandoned. 

     Chatter about the room ranged from explaining what mysterious containers and cups contained, since you were awful at labeling things outside of a shared classroom setting, to shyly tucking away old lackluster art that once left you for want of improved talent. 

     “It’s a time capsule,” Viktor looked around with curiosity, pretending he didn’t notice you stuffing a large drawing between canvases to his side. Those small graces were everything to you even if you knew full well you couldn’t get much past him even if you tried.

     “You can say that.”

     “You’ve always been an artist. I find that inspiring, to have held onto a passion this long with the opposition you’ve received because of it.”

     Red creeped up your face, or at least that was how it felt when your heart hammered at his words. Inspiration was a dry well and your addled mind was unable to accept that Viktor found it in you in some way. How you had managed to keep the man before you in your life for so long would continue to elude you and you were just thankful he showed no signs of leaving anytime soon. 

     “Where do you see us,” it was too late to retract once the words fell out of your blabbering mouth, “in a year or so?” His comment from that morning was worming through your brain.

     His sudden stoic expression, deep in thought, did nothing for your nerves so you continued to drone on in the hopes of answering your own stupid question or forcing him to move on and not answer you at all. The latter would have been better.

     “I mean, nothing serious, I’m not talking about- um - future plans with you and me,” you rubbed your forehead aggressively trying to find the right words to not scare him away. After a minute or so of rambling you gave up trying to sound coherent. “Forget I said anything.”

     “I’m assuming you only want me to respond regarding our careers, though I’d be glad to entertain ideas of what we’ll be in the future together,” his confidence in your relationship was unclear in the way he answered you so you asked him to not elaborate and instead let him talk about what you both might be doing once schooling was over. 

     With academics nearing a close, you wondered where he would work and if you would both become so busy you would belong to your jobs and lose time to live in the real world. Both of your fields were demanding and not conducive of a healthy atmosphere for maintaining a proper relationship if you were not careful with time management. 

     Viktor knew not to lose himself in his work, but you hadn’t a clue what the future had in store and how he would change, how he could change if circumstances forced his hand. Just the thought of losing the man in front of you made your stomach turn as you chatted through these possibilities without sounding too desperate for all of your curiosities to be answered in confidence. 

     “What if I hold you back?” You lamented, leaning against the glass overlooking those grassy fields you memorized as a child. “I want you to be great and belong to your work however you see fit without worrying about…me.”

     Whether you wanted to admit it aloud or not, you were unsure if this blissful companionship with Viktor would outlast your school days once you were both free of the academy should you both get jobs away from its labs. No matter what you did, Viktor would most likely become a successful researcher and inventor which would take him to the workshop guilds while your mother had hinted you’d be traveling to Noxus once you joined the family business.

     The future didn’t look prime for you and Viktor. 

     Arms encircled you, secure and warm in the room of glass. 

     “I am yours,” his face was set and calm in the effort to assure you without having to give you any grand speeches, “entirely and unconditionally.”

******

Entirely and unconditionally swam around your mind sweetly for the rest of the day and gave you some reprieve as you entertained your parents even though you and Viktor were supposed to be the guests. Instead of feeling as if it were the other way around, you were the one up in front of the couches by the grand fireplace telling them stories about school and from books much to your parent’s delight. 

     Animated gestures and vocal cues made their faces lighten up with a childish glee even when Viktor would chime in on your stories from where he sat in the overly ornate armchair. Despite having your parents there, it was nice to relive your memories from the academy with Viktor. 

     “Do you have any stories from the Kiraman labs?” Your mother leaned forward on her elbows as you turned the events of your lab over, organizing your thoughts to see if there were any comical stories. 

     “Not many involving me, but there have been a few explosions here and there from the other researchers,” your eyes glued to an ugly wall decoration across the room as you thought over it. “Well I was working on a project recently and the whole thing fell over into a mess of parts and gears.”

     You went on to tell them how that day had been an inventor’s disaster and you were at your wits end with the way your projects had been going and you detailed the whirlwind that was your office. It got to the part where you bumped into an old classmate that kindly assisted you with repairing your project, helping you progress with it further than you had before if ever fell.

     “So you do have friends,” your father jested. 

     For some reason it made you uncomfortable to think of it that way especially when you kept Jayce’s name out of it, “no we were just classmates a long time ago.”

     “But they remembered you anyways, must’ve been a memorable class,” your father let out a blubbering chuckle. “Who was it anyways?”

     Your neck felt cool from sweat and you regretted finishing the story, wishing you had left it after the part where you stormed away from the fallen project, “It doesn’t matter. No one important.”

     “Oh come now,” he leaned back in his seat and blew out a thick cloud from his pipe. “Worried I might know their parents like when you were a child?”

     “No it’s just he-”

     “A gentleman!” Your mother chimed in like you were all playing a guessing game.

     “And he works at the Kiraman labs, dear,” your father chattered away with guesses with your mother as you rolled your eyes, grinning uncomfortably at Viktor, “must be from a prominent family.”

     “Wrong again,” you teased knowing full well Jayce was from a lower house like you, but it was not as full of grandeur and prestige as your father was imagining.

     “Well play fair then, give us some decent clues,” your mother was all smiles and you managed to mirror her enthusiasm even if it was much calmer in comparison. 

     You stopped the makeshift game before it really took off, throwing yourself into another story that featured you and Viktor having lunch with Sky during the school trip so long ago. It seemed to satisfy their cravings for drama when part of the story was about a conversation the three of you unwillingly heard from a table over at the restaurant. 

     Throughout the rest of your social time with your parents, you’d occasionally catch Viktor looking at you with knit brows. It was unusual for him to stare at you like that and you knew it was because you refused to give up Jayce’s name during the storytelling. You hadn’t really told him about that day in the lab aside from having a hard time and he didn’t know who Jayce was at all, as far as you knew, since it seemed their paths had never crossed. 

     Inevitability gave you fair warning that he was going to ask you about who the mystery classmate was that night when you were back in your room trying to sleep. 

     Dinner time was easier since your parents had their friends join all of you that evening. This time you weren’t the only one telling stories; now it was your parent’s turn to peacock and entertain. Whether their friends actually cared was another matter since a few of them continued to mutter about business if the room would grow too quiet. 

     When it was loud with laughter, you had some semblance of privacy being able to talk with Viktor where you were both tucked away at the edge of the crowd. There you could talk about what you were going to do once you were free of this place and back at the academy. 

     Viktor seemed different, not upset, but tired of being around people who must have been weighing him down from how loud they were. The mystery classmate was in the back of his mind even if he knew it was irrational to worry. Keeping secrets was something he never did to you besides the occasional white lie that he wasn’t tired, he wasn’t in pain, or a new dish you worked hard to make was definitely not burnt. But this felt different in the way you held his hand in reassurance and gave him your full attention when he so much as cleared his throat. 

     “Relax,” he whispered after you asked him if anything was wrong for the fifth time that evening. It wasn’t a command and more of a sweetly delivered suggestion which put you in some ease, or at least stopped you from asking again. 

******

It was left unsaid, all of your shared thoughts over Jayce. You didn’t want to tell him who it was and part of him didn’t really want to know despite the curiosity. 

     “You know you can be honest with me,” Viktor said more so to the cloth above then directly to you, staring at the velvet canopy of your bed in the near darkness. 

     You were reading by your dimly warm bedside light when he broke the quiet. Closing the book carefully, you set it aside, “you’re talking about the story… from the lab.”

     His silence was your answer.

     “He was just an old classmate,” you leaned back, “I didn’t like my parents prying.”

     “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to do the same,” he sighed, “but I know he wasn’t just a classmate.”

     Hammering in your chest did nothing for your nerves and you tried to keep your breathing level once you remembered nothing got past Viktor. 

     “I didn’t-”

     “I know you didn’t cheat,” he laughed a little which put you at ease, “but you have history with him-” you covered his mouth, but he easily freed himself, “and that’s ok. I was just curious.”

     Talking helped. From gasps of surprise to laughing about things that were once very painful, Viktor told you about a night years ago where he came to see you late at night before you shared a dorm and before you ever began seeing each other exclusively. You listened wide eyed realizing he never brought it up with you before because he knew it was none of his business. He’d even forgotten about it until the mysterious classmate was brought up and he connected the dots since he knew you never really slept around back then either. There was no room to do so since you used to be attached at the hip even as friends. 

     “I’m so embarrassed,” you laughed at yourself thinking of that night you had answered the door as a disheveled mess, knowing Jayce had been hiding in the blankets.

     Viktor caught his breath after his own bout of laughter at something you said. It felt good to finally let go of the guilt even if he still didn’t ask you who the man was and you were content with keeping it that way. 

     We should get married, you could’ve sworn you heard him whisper as you were in and out of sleep after what felt like hours of joking around fighting it off. 

     Rational thought told you marriage was not in your future and you didn’t care much for the idea anyways. The tradition and pressure was an uninviting thought and you itched at the image of your parents weeping for the loss of your status by marrying down. It wasn’t like marriage would make much of a difference in your shared lives anyways.

     In the morning you both got up early and left when the fog was still thick across the grass fields and trees. It was a long drive back to the academy and you were ready to return to the dorms and close the curtains on this whole affair of entertaining your parents. 

Jayce heaves a sigh, “Nevermind…Look, do you think this was all for jokes that she said yes?” He threw his hands around him dramatically, waving them wildly. “Both of you like each other and it’s so noticeable to everyone around you.”

When he had calmed slightly, Jayce placed a warm hand on his assistant’s shoulder, a look of sympathy. “And did you see the way she was looking at you at lunch? It’s so obvious she has the hots for you.”

The heat rushed once more to Viktor’s chiselled cheeks, his accent heavy like lead. “It was?”

“Yeah, it was. Enjoy your evening, please, and don’t forget to relax.” Jayce had imitated his stance, shoulders tense and posture hunched. With little effort, he pretended to loosen his shoulders, concentrating on his breathing as his posture regained some height.

Viktor copied to the best of his abilities, a little more rigid than what he had imagined, but he got the message clear, already feeling some resemblance of calming beginning to take over his body.

Jayce straightened his new tie, smiling earnestly. “Now, you go out there and be yourself. Be the same Viktor that she likes.”

-

He was early, unsettlingly early.

If Viktor had remembered any of the many words of advice from Jayce, it was to never leave a woman waiting, no matter if it was the first or twentieth meet-up.

Luckily, Viktor had to get from one side of the city to the next, and walking with a cane had thrown in some disadvantages of leaving extra, extra early. No matter what, The Marquis was the best establishment (from the councillors he heard were usual regulars) that had the best meals in all of Piltover and perhaps of Runeterra. He just hoped he had enough money and the hopes of impressing you with such a grandiose restaurant.

He had been waiting for over half an hour, nerves consuming him whole.

C’mon, Viktor. Remember what Jayce says. Be yourself—shit, what if she finds me boring outside of work? No—do you think she would’ve gone this far with you to pretend it was all for nothing? Get a hold of yourself! But what if she doesn’t show up? What then? That sends a clear message she was not wanting to show up at all-

“I hope I wasn’t keeping you waiting for too long?”

His breath got lodged in his throat, embarrassment rising like heat to his chest for being caught in his rambling thoughts, darting his head up to meet your figure walking towards him.

Oh, mighty Piltover. Swallow me whole.

He could’ve been resuscitated in that very moment, taking in the sight of your slender legs, noticeable curves he had missed from your uniform, now on full show in the off-the-shoulder dress you wore, a light jacket, keeping your skin warm from the light breeze.

Your hair was carefully tied up, showing your slender neck with a gold necklace wrapped around your throat, his mind running short of circuits and malfunctioning.

His mouth was opening and closing, eyes drinking you in like you were his life supply, blinking owlishly when he realised you had spoken and he had yet answered.

“Me? No, no—I just got here… I, uh, you look-”

“Bland?” You could only chuckle dryly. “I didn’t have much in my wardrobe, I’m afraid. I don’t go out that often.”

“Oh, well, me neither.” Viktor adjusted his already straightened tie that he found whilst rummaging in his apartment. “But, no. You look really beautiful.”

It was your turn to blush at his compliment, averting your gaze to the floor. The sight made his chest swell, staring at you with fondness. “Ah, uh, shall we go in? I don’t think staying out here for long would benefit either of us.”

“No, I don’t think so.” You giggled, taking the initiative and linking your arm with his. Viktor could feel everything in those beating seconds, quickly aware of everything he was doing and the closeness of your bodies to one another. Another reason for Viktor to have needed cold water thrown on him was to calm his scalding body down.

With a heave of the door, Viktor let you in first, smiling as you thanked him, passing through into the warmth and friendliness of the restaurant. “I’ve heard many good things about this place.”

-

It had… gone way better than he had imagined.

Not only had he learnt a lot more about you and your private life, but there were small pieces of his life he had uncovered, something he usually kept within the confines of his mind. He learnt about your upbringing: how you came to Piltover with your aunt; a previous student of Professor Heimerdinger and how she had been an inspiration as a child to return and make a living in the City of Progress.

Everything about you that he learnt, the more Viktor wanted to stay closer to you. It was as if you were holding the strings above him, guiding him like an angel to become more human than a machine; straying slowly away from the life he thought he could only choose.

A cripple has no time for love. He had remembered the very words that held its authority over his life, but now, he could only hope he could break free from it.

And the very thought both relieved and terrified him so.

The meal was exceptional, way too much food but it was worth the money, all paid for even when you tried to add in the two of you could split the bill. But he was insistent, telling you how often you would bring in lunches for both him and Jayce and that it was both a treat for yourself and him.

Once you had paid, you explored the city together in its darkness; a different side to everything than what you saw when it was light. Enforcers patrolled the streets, giving both of you some layer of safety as you traversed over to the docks, sitting down and looking over the water and millions of stars.

That was where the two of you could feel most comfortable, exploring the gradually touches of one another, finding yourselves in each other’s arms, keeping one another warm from the harsh air.

“You know,” he began, brown-copper eyes drifting from the sky to your face. “I cannot remember how long it has been since I’ve had this much fun.”

“You enjoyed tonight?” Your breath was shallow, warmth spreading as your hands grew clammy within his timid hold. Viktor gave a warm chuckle, light and airy. “I think I can admit that any time I spend with you means a lot to me.”

Your fingers were firm when you squeezed them out of fondness, your head instinctively leaning closer into his bubble. “I had a great evening with you, Viktor.”

This was everything for him, no other feeling he could describe how to say how he was feeling, but it was strong and swelled his heart whenever he even looked over at you, let alone be in your arms. He couldn’t imagine how life would be without you beside him, guiding him like a light down a path he thought was not destined for him.

This was everything he had ever dreamt of.

He shifted his weight to face you properly- closer than before, his hands tracing your jawline, startling you with the sudden affection. “Y/N… I find it difficult to speak of these feelings I’m having at this moment. I’ve never felt them ever, but when I’m with you, I feel so alive that I have to remind myself that I’m breathing through it all.”

He enjoyed how you leant closer into his touch, batting your eyelashes at him with such adoration that he gasped softly. “Viktor-”

“-I love you, Y/N.” He confessed sweetly, the sound of a boat passing within the night, drifting past. “I have loved you for a while now, and it will never stop even when I cease to exist.”

You responded by taking his other hand to rest around your waist, leaning until wisps of his hair trailed along your forehead, tender and sweet. “I love you too, Viktor. So, very much.”

He could imagine your first kiss, leaning into you and taking your lips with passion, but even with the proximity and the chance to lean ever-so- closely more into you, Viktor found himself frozen, only his eyes could dart from your eyes to your lips.

He needed that extra push, and you would happily oblige.

You didn’t hesitate to caress the side of his neck, tracing his jawline as you captured his lips. Slowly, hesitantly, his lips took some time to remember the outline of yours against his, before he let you take control, slipping your tongue to swipe against his bottom lip.

Your mouths moved slowly together, growing more passionate as you would pull away and change angle before delving back to one another again; warm and beckoning. It had plucked his heart out and laid it bare for you to witness.

When you pulled away to catch your breath, he was flushed to the cheeks, eyes lidded and mouth formed to the perfect ‘o’ shape.

You leant into him, resting your head in the crook of his neck, nose grazing his sharp jawline as the two of you relaxed in comfortable silence. He fell into your arms, resting into you as well, closing his eyes with happiness and a broad smile on his thin lips.

When he felt you shift, hands trailing to his hands once more, you spoke to him with clear playfulness in your tone. “Did you know you talked in your sleep?”