#and honestly I enjoyed writing Mel and giving a glimpse into her difficult stuff

[featherlumina]

Two Birds

Major Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Fix-It / 5.9k words / Viktor x Sky / SFW, Mild Blood, Allusions to Self-Harm

Sky, having faced rejection once, works up the courage to present her research project to Viktor again.

Viktor, having succeeded with the Hexcore once, decides to risk it all for a chance to live.

This time, Sky arrives a few seconds earlier. 

And that makes all the difference.

Breathe in, breathe out.

It was now or never.

She had to do this.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Sky squeezed her notebook to her chest, feeling the leather's comforting familiarity beneath her fingers.

Time was against her, against him...

She had to be bold.

Bold enough to believe in her research, her ideas, and herself.

"Viktor," Sky found herself rehearsing as she walked, "I've been working on a...private project for a couple of weeks now."

She paused briefly, mulling over her choice of words.

"...no," the young scientist shook her head with a sigh. Why was she underselling herself? A couple of weeks? Really? This had been knocking about in her mind and spilling into her research journals for months.

Besides, she'd already missed an opportunity a few nights prior. She couldn't mess this up again.

Maybe she had to lead in from a different angle. 'Walking home together' might've given Viktor the wrong idea, after all. Well. Okay. Maybe not wrong...but perhaps it prioritised her romantic feelings over her desire to share her discoveries. It might have put him off, particularly after seeing how frustrated he was with the Hexcore.

Honestly though, it didn't matter if his initial rejection was indicative of a lack of interest or not; Sky loved him, and even if this was unreciprocated, she knew she had to share her research.

If it could help him—and by extension, the undercity—then that was enough.

As she approached the lab's outer security door, Sky experimented with different phrasing.

"Viktor, I've been working on this for a year now, and..."

A sigh escaped her lips as she turned the key in the lock.

Viktor was dying.

Why should she be dumping any of this on him?

He was probably feverishly working on the Hexcore right now, desperately trying to decipher the device's mysteries before his biological clock ran out.

Days ago, when she had first seen it, Sky couldn't believe her eyes. Before her was this beautiful, adaptive mechanism that could tessellate runes in countless combinations—the perfect complement to her research on the history of arcane symbols and their uses.

And the next day, she'd seen the remains of Viktor's experimentation with the Hexcore on plants! After the prior night's rejection, she knew she had to try presenting her research again.

See, Jayce and Viktor, with engineering backgrounds, had focused on Hextech as both a power source and for mechanical enhancements.

But Sky?

Her background was in biology.

She was right in the middle of theorising how magic could improve food production, for heaven's sake!

With her personal research and scientific knowledge, maybe she could help him crack the Hexcore's code.

And maybe she could...figure out how to...save him.

"Viktor..." Sky murmured as the door panels receded.

She had to get this right.

"I was hoping you might take a look at something I've been working on."

Ugh. No. Still too wishy-washy.

She had to get to the heart of it.

Yes, her feelings towards him mattered.

And so did her research project.

But if there was just one thing she could tell him, it had to be how incredible she thought he was.

'Viktor, I was...inspired by your..."

His compassion for people in need. His love for the undercity. His confidence. His kindness. His-

Sky sighed.

Trying to summarise the wealth of her feelings was useless.

"...everything you do inspires me."

Breathe in, breathe out.

Poised at the threshold of Jayce and Viktor's lab, Sky took a moment to steady herself.

You know he's in there.

She hesitantly slid her key into the door.

Now or never, Sky.

She twisted the lock.

You've got this.

The doors hissed open, and purple tendrils of magical energy nearly blinded her.

"Viktor-!?"

In seconds, pages from Sky's rapidly discarded notebook littered the floor as adrenaline claimed her.

She barely processed anything about the situation other than Viktor's terrified yet determined expression and his hand, dripping with blood, beginning to reach for the Hexcore.

In a panic, she leapt forward and desperately grasped Viktor's other hand to drag him away from whatever madness he was trapped in.

Viktor, lost in the moment of resigning himself to unpredictably dangerous augmentation, was caught completely off guard. He startled with shock, gasping, and completely lost his balance as Sky lurched him backwards towards the doorway.

"Oh, gods, Viktor-" Sky stammered, struggling to support his unbalanced weight. "What's- what were you-"

Finally, Viktor's senses rushed back to him. Using Sky's hand, he awkwardly righted himself before releasing her fingers in irritated surprise. "...-Sky!?"

"What- what are you doing?" She exclaimed, her voice wavering with distressed confusion. Having interrupted whatever the hell he was attempting, Sky was left with a confronting sight. Viktor, in nothing but underwear and an elaborate back brace, was now running bloodied hands through his hair in frustration, contorting the crude shapes of runes etched into his own flesh as his arms moved.

Also- wait.

Viktor's right leg.

It was metal.

And purple.

Glowing purple metal.

Purple metal.

That was glowing.

What in the…

By now, Sky's gaze was transfixed on Viktor's augmented flesh, her expression a conflicting mix of fear, horror and amazement.

"You- you shouldn't be here," Viktor gasped, a series of coughs rattling his lungs. He quickly turned his head away and wiped the back of his clean hand across his nose, leaving a streak of red on his fingers.

As soon as Viktor spoke, the Hexcore twisted and turned on its own accord, hissing and trilling aggressively with strange, alien sounds.

"I- I did some research- I wanted to-" Sky stammered, her wide eyes darting between Viktor and the Hexcore with panic. The Hextech device gurgled again.

This time, it almost sounded like a growl.

And it looked...

...wrong.

So, so wrong.

The last she'd seen of it, the Hexcore was a beautiful, iridescent blue, accented with gold and carefully carved arcane runes, pulsating gently with pure, magical energy.

Now? It was a cracked, broken mess, contorted and distorted, swirling around with what could only be described as malevolence. Brilliant blue was now twisted purple, and the runes were barely visible.

What the hell was going on here!?

As Sky's thoughts raced, Viktor released an exhausted sigh and sagged his weight against the edge of his workbench.

"Please, Sky. Go home. You don't want to see this."

Sky froze, her expression aghast. "What- what don't I...?"

A twisted tendril of electrified energy suddenly pulsated from the Hexcore, snaking towards Viktor with intent.

"Viktor- look out!"

Sky reached to pull him away once again, but Viktor carefully raised a hand to stop her whilst stepping away from the Hexcore's magical pull. He gently shook his head and looked deliberately away from Sky, his heavy-lidded eyes narrowing in fatigue.

"Trust me. It's better this way."

Sky drew her arms around herself as a shiver of fear rippled through her. "You- you want this?"

Viktor turned towards her again, gesturing wildly to his augmented leg and the bloody rune cuts on his upper torso. "What, you think these happened by accident?”

Sky took a step backwards in horror-struck realisation. Her hazel eyes, wide and rimmed with tears, stared at him in terror. "Why?"

"I'm dying," Viktor spat, clenching his fists. As he did so, blood dripped through the fingers on his right hand. "What have I to lose?"

Sky swallowed nervously, seeing the Hexcore pulse, twirl and contort with intensity as Viktor's blood dribbled onto the floor. It almost seemed...hungry.

And then, with an unnatural, metallic clang, Viktor stepped forward, his augmented leg taking his full weight without burden. "I- I need to live, Sky!" He insisted, voice laden with desperation. "I need to...I have to help the undercity, I..."

Sky gingerly reached forward, steadying his trembling hand with her own. Then, she took a long, slow breath to calm herself. She had to get him away from that damn Hexcore. It wanted Viktor, she could feel it...and that very fact was alarming enough.

"I know," she whispered, squeezing his palm. Her voice began to waver. "But, I...we can't lose you. Not like this."

"I die now, trying to live, or I die next week," Viktor mumbled, looking at her with defeat. "What difference does it make?"

"Just... look at the Hexcore, Viktor. Really, look."

Viktor's golden gaze turned to the Hextech device. "What?"

"It's messed up!" Sky insisted, gesturing with her free hand. "I don't know why—it was perfect days ago—but the runes aren't even legible anymore. How did you think it could still work?"

"And what makes you an expert?" Viktor mumbled defensively, pulling away slightly. He didn't drop his hand from her grip, however.

"What makes-?" Sky scoffed, glaring at him. She was so tired of being sidelined like this. She had ambition, a desire to change the world just like he did. "You think I came to the Academy just to be an assistant?"

Those words cut Viktor right in two.

In that moment, he saw himself reflected in Sky; a child of the fissures, fighting tooth and nail for recognition in a world that saw him as nothing.

"Sky- I'm sorry-"

"I've worked with you for years, Viktor. I've talked about my dreams, my ambitions. I've spent months on my own projects," Sky whispered harshly, her grip tightening. "I even came here tonight to share my work on arcane runes with you. So, please. Believe me about the Hexcore."

"...okay," Viktor breathed, nodding slowly. He weakly squeezed her hand to reinforce his trust. He really should've paid Sky more mind over the years. How many times had he brushed her off without realising it?

"Actually, Sky, about the other night-"

"No, it's okay," she breathed, reaching to grab the nearby stool. "I know you were frustrated. It was bad timing."

Sky deliberately positioned the stool further away from the workbench and motioned for him to sit down.

"Besides," she continued, kneeling on the floor beside him. "I didn't articulate myself properly. I wanted to share my work with you then, on the walk. Thought it might help, you know?"

Viktor shot her a quizzical look as he finally began applying pressure to his hand wound with a cloth. "Oh. You...erm, it sounded romantic, to be honest."

Sky laughed at herself. "Oh. It was. But that doesn't matter. Whether it's mutual or not, I don't care. I just want to help you solve this."

Viktor cleared his throat as he processed this information. He had his suspicions, he supposed.

He looked at her with regret. "It's not that I-"

"Don't," Sky dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "I know it's the last thing on your mind right now."

Promptly silenced, Viktor returned his focus to his hand, now having the clarity to not continue recklessly spilling his own blood for unpredictable magic endeavours.

For now.

"So," Sky murmured, rocking herself slightly as Viktor tended to his self-inflicted wounds. "What happened to the Hexcore?"

"My blood..." Viktor grit his teeth and sighed as he lowered his head,"...and shimmer."

Sky shot him an incredulous look, her eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline.

"I was desperate. Nothing else was working, and... I wanted to see if augmentation was even possible," Viktor said, his voice flat. "The Hexcore accelerated growth in plants, yes, but they died seconds later...so imagine what might happen to a person."

"I know, but...shimmer, in your body?" Sky winced, her concern evident.

"In my defence, it worked," Viktor grumbled, tapping his metallic foot with irritation.

"Also, wait-" Sky paused, raising a finger. "Okay. Shimmer. Sure. But blood? As in...blood magic? Haven't you read the terrible legends?"

Viktor shot her a dark look. "My lungs were bleeding. I didn't cough blood onto the desk by choice."

"...oh," Sky whispered. She stared at the floor with guilt. "I'm sorry. That's the night you went to hospital."

"The Hexcore...responded after that, and in my desperation, I saw it as a non-issue," Viktor continued. "If it meant not dying..."

Sky nodded slowly, her hand tracing rune shapes on the floor to calm herself.

"First, I tried my leg," Viktor whispered, flexing his purple, glowing toes. "Earlier tonight, I...ran for the first time."

"Oh, my god-" Sky whispered. She felt her heart squeeze with emotion. "That's..."

"It was indescribable," he breathed, "so... figured I'd try my chest, but I ran out of shimmer, and..."

"You were going to try it anyway," Sky mumbled. She gazed at him with fear in her eyes. "It probably would have killed you."

"Probably," Viktor replied, barely audible. He awkwardly shifted on the stool as he stifled another cough. "But I had to try."

"Gods, I'm so glad I reached you in time," Sky gently shook her head in disbelief, trying to accept Viktor's rash behaviour. "What if I hadn't?"

Viktor looked at her, his expression shifting from determined to one of disbelief.

Sky gulped in a breath as it dawned on her. "What if...what if it killed you in front of me?"

"I- I didn't-" Viktor faltered.

"Or what if it killed me? Or both of us?"

By now, horror had overtaken Viktor, his entire posture reeling backwards from Sky's words.

He'd only ever wanted to risk himself.

Never for a second did he consider his recklessness would hurt someone else.

He could have killed someone.

Sky. Jayce. Heimerdinger.

Any one of them could have walked in to check on him tonight.

"I- I...no..."

Viktor's golden eyes brimmed with tears as these bitter truths stabbed through his heart.

"We agreed Hextech was to improve lives...not- not to take them!"

"We may not have a choice!"

"There is always a choice."

Oh gods. What had he chosen?

What made his life any more important than the next person's!?

"Viktor, look at me."

He felt a cloth being pushed against his right palm again.

Oh.

He'd forgotten about that.

Sky carefully cupped his palm and used her other hand to re-apply pressure.

"I'm sorry," he wept, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean...I..."

"It's okay," Sky whispered, trying to reassure him. "Let it out."

As sobs wracked Viktor's exhausted body, Sky gently manoeuvred his left hand to hold the cloth again. "Give me a second; I'll bind it with something."

Moments later, Sky returned with an unused cleaning rag and firmly bound his palm, securing the fabric with one of the many pins from her hair.

"Thank you," he whispered, fruitlessly trying to wipe the tear stains from his cheeks.

Sky offered a sad smile in return. Then, she stood back slightly and opened her arms in a hug gesture. Viktor, from his position on the stool, looked up at her in tearful confusion.

"You look like you need one," she whispered, her voice wavering.

For a moment, amber eyes met hazel, and then Sky found herself squished against his chest. With the hug clearly accepted, she held him tightly, tracing gentle circles around his shoulder blades to soothe him as the tears fell.

A minute or so passed, with only Viktor's laboured breathing and the Hexcore's rippling trills breaking the silence.

"Now," Sky murmured, "did you use a clean knife for those cuts?"

Viktor nodded into her shoulder. "Sterile."

"Good. How's your hand?"

"Still bleeding a little."

"Well..." Sky trailed off, slowly pulling back, "while we wait a bit, would you like to review my research? It might help with a future Hexcore build."

"...yes, of course," Viktor said, his voice softening slightly. He gingerly sat back down, applied some extra pressure to his palm, and nodded at her.

"Thank you," she breathed, unable to stop a giddy smile from flashing across her features. "After that, we should clean those wounds. Just in case. Your immune system is probably...not great."

Viktor released a sad chuckle in response. He watched as Sky recovered her notes from the floor, wincing as he noticed her crisp, clean jacket was now smudged with red in several places. Meanwhile, Sky grabbed an extra chair and positioned herself next to Viktor, her faithful journal open on her lap.

"I'm sorry about your clothes," he mumbled sheepishly, shifting in place.

"Don't worry," Sky chastised, touching his arm gently. "You are way more important than some Piltovan uniform."

Viktor made a small noise of agreement. "Okay. Impress me, Sky. What have you got?"

Nervousness rippled throughout Sky's chest at this statement.

Okay. It was finally happening. Under very strange circumstances, but still.

"Alright. I've been researching and compiling every arcane rune mentioned in as many sources as possible, including some very dusty tomes in the Academy's restricted archives, and cataloguing how they were used."

Sky carefully leafed through a few pages before pausing at the beginning of a very, very long hand-drawn table of symbols.

"Now, you've got four of the main 'parent' runes on the Hexcore you designed," she continued, pulling out a copy of the Hexcore's initial blueprints. "But there's actually a fifth 'parent' rune - and the sources say it represents and channels inspiration."

"Oh?" Viktor raised an eyebrow at this. The only runes and their derivatives he'd seen came from four distinct categories—not five. "How did you discover this?"

"I only found papers on it after begging Heimerdinger to give me access to the restricted archives. Obviously, in the past, the Academy wanted to destroy or lock away any arcane-related research, you know? He's the only one who remembered they existed..."

For the next half an hour, Sky poured out her research to him, her passion and enthusiasm lifting the heavy emotional weight from earlier. Viktor watched her, studying the way her eyes lit up whenever she explained a particularly exciting find, and felt something stir inside him. How had he completely missed her brilliance all this time?

"So, from what I can tell, the new Hexcore will need all five parent runes, as well as the capability to utilise all of their derivatives, to harness the arcane's power correctly," Sky summarised. She then leafed to the back of her notebook and shyly revealed an updated blueprint she'd sketched. "I'm sorry it's so rough, I'm sure you could do a better job, you're the inventor-"

"Sky," Viktor breathed, carefully grasping the revised design. His golden eyes slowly absorbed Sky's work, a look of wonder capturing his features. "This is incredible."

Sky felt her cheeks flush with heat, and she ducked her head out of self-consciousness. "Oh, wow...that means a lot, coming from you."

"Well, your work warrants it," he replied simply, a tired smile softening his face.

"Oh, another thing," Sky continued, flipping through her notes with fervour. "According to my research, one's emotions, mental state, and intention...or simply 'inspiration', channels the arcane most effectively. So, no need for...blood. Or, um, shimmer. That gets dangerous."

"So we've seen," Viktor grimaced. He couldn't believe Heimerdinger had failed to mention this other side to arcane research. Perhaps he thought it was a safety precaution to limit the power magic could have if discovered and used in Piltover. Bury the knowledge, and limit Hextech's potential—yet also keep it safer.

But then again, Heimerdinger did give Sky access eventually. Maybe he was just trying to help her catch her big break? As recompense for being so reluctant with Jayce initially? Who knew.

"Anyway," Sky murmured, "I've also got a collection of notes on how rune combinations have been used historically...some are associated with healing...why are you looking at me like that?"

Viktor blinked rapidly and shook his head, embarrassment flooding him. "Like what?"

Sky gave him a curious smile and gently closed her notes, trying to slow her heartbeat after feeling the intensity of his amber gaze. "Oh, never mind," she chuckled, tapping her fingers on the cover nervously. "You should probably clean those wounds."

"Ah," Viktor mumbled self-consciously. He gingerly made his way over to the lab's basin and began slowly unwrapping his right palm.

"I'll get the lab's first aid kit," Sky called to him, hurrying off to another cupboard. A short while later, she was assisting Viktor with dressing both his right hand and the carved runes on his arms and torso.

"I apologise you had to see me like this," Viktor whispered, leaning into Sky's touch as she carefully applied antiseptic cream around a series of cuts on one of his shoulders. "Very unprofessional."

"I think we're well past that being a problem," Sky laughed, finishing up with the final gauze strip. Once done, she paused briefly, her brows creasing with concern as she examined his spinal brace. "You have...screws in your spine."

"Back surgery," Viktor replied nonchalantly. "One of them also helps me align my brace. That's what you get from a poor leg and years of incorrect cane use."

"I had no idea," Sky murmured, shyly packing away the remains of the first aid kit. "I'm sorry."

"Well, no one in the undercity knew any better," Viktor sighed. With a groan, he awkwardly stood up again and moved to begin gathering his clothes.

Meanwhile, Sky had begun writing up replacement notes for used medical supplies. An audible hiss of pain from Viktor made her pen slip on the paper in surprise.

"How's your hand?" She called over her shoulder as she corrected her work. "Would you, um...like my help or anything?"

Wait no I can't ask to dress him what the hell are you thinking, Sky-

"Buttons," was all Viktor managed to say, flinching again as he struggled with his work shirt. It was only a simple cut to the hand—why did it hurt so much?

"Oh, okay," Sky mumbled, hastily scribbling the last few items down. "One second!"

After returning the first aid kit, she quickly made her way back to Viktor, who faced her with a look of frustration and a depressed gesture to his torso. She gave him an awkward smile and rapidly did up each button, her fingers trembling from self-conscious nerves.

"Thank you," he replied softly, smoothing out the shirt fabric with his uninjured hand.

Sky waved a hand to say 'no problem', and busied herself with tidying her research notes until he was completely dressed again. Well. Save for his necktie, which he adamantly refused to bother with as it was pointless this late at night.

"So," Sky announced, clapping her hands together. "What are our next steps?"

Viktor released a drawn-out breath, a sense of trepidation rippling through him again. "We need to destroy the first Hexcore. It's too unstable and dangerous to be of any use now."

At this, the misshapen Hextech device trembled violently, releasing plumes of corrupted arcane energy.

Sky's eyes narrowed in suspicion at the Hexcore's response to this. "Yes. I agree."

Viktor raised an eyebrow at her. "You aren't...going to insist on me sleeping?"

The other scientist let out a defeated sigh and offered him a rueful smile. "No. Tonight's an exception. We've got arcane mysteries to solve and lives to save, don't we?"

A flame of hope fluttered within Viktor's chest at this. He couldn't blame time poor Jayce for his conflicting priorities, no—he was just thankful to have another likeminded individual to share this burden with now.

However, as soon as this feeling ignited, it was extinguished—replaced by a primal roil of adrenaline-fuelled fear rising inside him. As his emotions lurched, so did the Hexcore—it pulsated and trilled violently in disturbing harmony.

"Viktor? Are you okay?"

The lanky scientist gasped in pain as an electric surge rippled through his augmented leg.

Was that...a warning?

"Sky...I'm so sorry," he hissed as the pain continued. "I think...I think you need to do it."

Sky's gaze was fixed on his right leg. Despite being hidden by trousers, she could see the pulsating purple glow of energy behind the fabric. "Is the Hexcore doing that to you?"

Golden eyes, filled with pain, met hers. "Yes."

"But-" Sky stammered, "if it's hurting you because we threatened it- what'll happen when we...?"

Viktor clumsily reached for the stool again to take the weight off his leg. "I- I don't know," he gasped, clutching his thigh. "I don't know. But we need to try."

"Okay," she replied, bouncing in place. "Okay. I've got this.”

"You can't get too close," Viktor warned, squeezing his eyes shut. "The Hexcore...whatever consciousness it has, it's furious and afraid. It- it'll kill you."

"Oh, great!" Sky exclaimed, looking at him pointedly. "Destroy it, but don't touch it. Sounds easy."

"I'm sorry," he winced, beads of sweat rolling down his neck.

Sky huffed in frustration. She had to think of something, and quick—she hated seeing Viktor in pain like this. She scanned the room in a panic, desperately searching for anything that might work.

Wait.

Was that a bomb on Jayce's workbench?

Dismantled and disarmed, yes—but that was definitely a bomb.

Sky quickly made her way over to the absent scientist's desk and gestured to the device. "Is this an explosive?"

Viktor's eyes went wide with realisation. "Yes, yes—if I could rearm it, perhaps we could-"

"No, no, I take it back. Too unpredictable." Sky shook her head, squeezing the bridge of her nose. That was crazy. There was no telling how violent the reaction would be. They'd destroy the Hexcore, certainly—but probably themselves and half the building at the same time.

Suddenly, Viktor gasped. "The Hexclaw."

Sky crinkled her nose in confusion briefly. "Oh! You mean that remotely-controlled Hextech arm, right?"

Viktor nodded through another wince, but his expression quickly turned doubtful. "Eh, actually, the light ray might still be too dangerous...oh, wait."

Sky squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists with desperation. "Please tell me you've got another idea, Viktor."

"It might not come close to Jayce's gauntlets in terms of crushing power, but I still designed the Hexclaw with grip strength well beyond the average human. The force alone might be enough to shatter the gemstone inside."

Sky glanced at the Hexcore nervously. "I know the gemstones are far more stable, but... can't they still explode under rare circumstances?"

"From extreme heat, there's a slim chance. But under physical force, we designed them to break into shards, disrupting the arcane current inside and rendering them useless- urgh."

Sky was by his side in seconds as Viktor lurched in agony. "Hey, hey! Are you alright?"

"The- the Hexcore didn't-" he coughed, blood marring his lips, "it didn't- like that- must be- a good- idea-"

Sky set her jaw with determination. "I'm on it."

As Viktor waited, enduring the agony of his leg and supressing his urge to cough, Sky turned into a one-woman tornado. In minutes, she had the Hexclaw in position, and quickly hurried Viktor outside the lab's reinforced doors.

"Sky-" he wheezed as she readied the remote Hexclaw glove, "if this- fails- you need to know- how... thankful I..."

"Ssh," she chastised, turning the gemstone dial on the back of her hand. "Just concentrate on staying alive, okay?"

Before she could begin, a trembling hand grasped her free wrist. Viktor locked eyes with her, his gaze the same intensity as when she shared her research. "Sky- I mean it."

Sky felt her heart skip at this.

And then, in the heat of the moment, she dropped a peck on his lips.

"There," she gasped, chest fluttering, "in case we don't make it." Then, in one fluid motion, she entered the room, arched the Hexclaw and plunged it deep into the Hexcore's centre, crushing it with all her might.

An ungodly screech, mixed with Viktor's agonized screams, penetrated her eardrums. Furious tendrils of twisted arcane energy swirled violently from the Hexcore, flailing with intent to consume, but Sky was relentless.

Crystal cracked. She was going to stop this.

Blood-bonds broke. She was going to save Viktor.

Shimmer screamed. She was going to help the undercity.

Sky felt her skin burning.

Blinding purple light engulfed the room.

Dying eldritch rage shattered the windows.

Silence fell.

Surrounded by glimmering powder, Viktor let out a quiet, painful groan, his eardrums buzzing. Slowly, painfully, he raised his body off the floor, his thoughts distorted and unclear.

"...Sky?" He whispered as his vision refocused. On the lab's floor, he could make out an indistinct shape obscured by dust. Panic erupted within him and he lurched forward on his stomach, his augmented leg dragging him down like dead weight. "Sky!? No!"

The moment he reached what he thought was Sky, panic seized him as he frantically brushed his hands through the dust, fearing the worst.

And then, he heard a soft, quiet moan, followed by loud, dry coughing. The glimmering fragments shifted and there she was, haphazardly trying clear her eyes and lungs.

"Oh, Sky," Viktor's voice cracked, and before she finished coughing, he collected her into a tight hug.

"Hang on- let- let me breathe," she wheezed, sending plumes of gold-purple dust past Viktor's head.

Airways clear, Sky froze as she realised the position she was in.

On the floor, covered in what looked like corrupted Hexcore dust, and Viktor embracing her with all his might.

She wasn't going to lie; this was not how she predicted this night would go.

Was she complaining?

Well, no, but-

"You did it," Viktor whispered into her shoulder, squeezing her again.

"Well. The two of you certainly did something."

"Councillor Medarda!?" Sky lurched backwards from Viktor in shock, struggling to her feet. Sure enough, Mel was leaning against the doorway with a bemused expression on her face.

Viktor rolled onto his back, pinning Mel with a mock-irritated stare. "Wait a minute- this isn't your bedroom! What are you doing here?"

"Viktor!" Sky exclaimed, glaring at him with heated embarrassment.

Mel merely raised an eyebrow at them both, a sly smirk tugging her lips. "Well, whatever happened here, it was quite...explosive. There'll be enforcers on both of you in minutes. Care to explain?"

Stifling another cough, Viktor's expression turned serious. He groaned as he dragged himself into a kneeling position. "We were carrying out one of Professor Heimerdinger's final requests before he was relieved of duty. One of our Hextech experiments went wrong, and we promised to destroy it."

"Hm. A passable story," Mel considered, tapping a finger to her chin. She nodded. "I think it'll hold. Don't worry. I won't breathe a word to Jayce."

"But, it wasn't- that isn't-" Sky stumbled, gesturing desperately to Viktor. "He's telling the truth, Councillor!"

"I'm not here to judge, Miss Young," Mel replied, raising a hand in surrender. "Besides, I owe Viktor a favour. I'll even throw in a window repair request for tomorrow. That won't surprise anyone; it's not the first time he's shattered the glass."

Awash with embarrassment, Sky found herself lost for words. She couldn't decide what was worse - a councillor walking in on them and getting the wrong idea, or having to explain themselves to enforcers.

"Sky-" Viktor mumbled quietly, "could you pass me my crutch?"

Thankful for the practical request, Sky immediately claimed it from where it rested against the workbench.

"Oh, and Viktor?"

Mel's voice, now laced with quiet seriousness, made them both pause.

"Do you know Jayce's whereabouts, by any chance? I planned on coming here later to ask, but your commotion rearranged my priorities."

A dark, melancholy look passed over Viktor's features as he steadied himself with his crutch. "Have you checked the forge?"

Mel almost scoffed. "Yes. Of course I did."

Viktor stared at the floor, his voice flat. "Did you notice any recent use?"

This statement made Mel's eyes narrow in suspicion. She turned on her heel and paced for a moment. 

Then, as the memory of the forge solidified, she froze, a look of horror in her eyes. "He decided, didn't he."

"I can't say for sure where he's gone, but..." Viktor mumbled, "...he's a councillor. He'll be back by tomorrow."

Mel cursed under her breath and briefly clenched a fist, trying to supress the emotional war raging inside her. "...alright. Thank you anyway."

As she turned to leave, Mel caught sight of Sky, who was looking between her and Viktor with confused anxiety.

"Fear not, Miss Young," she reassured. "I know both of you were truthful. I merely wanted to lighten the mood, if only for a moment, in these...difficult times. I will handle any enforcer enquiries on my way out."

And with that, Councillor Medarda left as suddenly as she came, the only sign of her turbulent mind being the run her fading footsteps turned into down the hallway.

"Thank you," Sky mouthed, relief blossoming in her chest as she slid to the floor in exhaustion.

She looked up to see Viktor staring at her with open concern. "Are you alright?"

Sky shook her head briefly and clenched her fingers in the dust to ground herself. "I think so. What about you?"

"Eh, like I used to be," he lamented, shifting his crutch under his armpit for emphasis. "Heavier, though. Still metal."

"Not dead, though," Sky replied with a small, wobbly smile. She gradually stood again, using a nearby desk for stability. "Can't say the same for the Hexclaw, unfortunately."

Viktor's expression darkened as he observed the twisted metal that remained. "Probably for the best."

Sky titled her head in confusion. "But...I remember you working on it for months-"

"Wait. Wait," Viktor interrupted, a tragic look of betrayal in his eyes. "The gauntlets. Did you see them when you retrieved the Hexclaw?"

The other scientist narrowed her eyes as she thought.

"...no," she mumbled, moving to examine where they should've been. All that remained on the trolley were fist-shaped silhouettes set against a fine layer of dust. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Oh…we truly lost ourselves..." Viktor whispered, hiding his face in his hands briefly. He took a long, slow breath through his slender fingers to calm himself.

"Viktor, please. Tell me what's wrong." Sky returned to his side, her expression begging for answers.

"The Council asked us to go against our morals—to build Hextech weapons," Viktor spat, his disgust evident. "I...I never thought Jayce would actually agree to it, but now..."

Sky winced audibly at this.

She knew how passionate Viktor was about using Hextech for helping people, not harming them...

Suddenly, Viktor's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Mel could've died tonight too, you know."

"...what?"

"It could've been her, you, or Jayce..." Viktor stammered, staring at his trembling fingers. "My decision was no different to his."

He felt Sky gently steady his hands with her own.

"We can only move forward," she whispered, her gaze hopeful. She delicately removed the Hextech gemstone from the Hexclaw glove and rested it in his palms. "We have a second chance—let's not waste it."

Viktor managed a weak nod in response, closing his fingers around the brilliant orb.

"Well, we destroyed the Hexcore, Mark I," Sky said with finality, clapping her hands together. She stepped over to Viktor's workbench, wiped the dust off his safety goggles, and handed them to him with a wry smile. "Are we ready to build Mark II?"

Finally, Viktor managed a half smile, looping the goggles around his wrist. Building illegal devices in the dead of night with another brilliant mind...such nostalgic familiarity gave him courage to believe this insanity might just save his life.

And, maybe, just maybe...countless others.

"Yes...yes," he murmured, the fires of hope daring to burn inside him again. "I think we are."

Sky beamed at him, squeezed him with an impulsive hug, and made for the doorway.

"All great discoveries are fuelled by coffee," she grinned. "I'll be right back!"

As he watched Sky disappear down the corridor, Viktor felt his stomach flip at the sight.

Huh.

Funny what a bit of hope could do.

Maybe, if this somehow worked out...

...he'd have time to entertain romance after all.

~ Fin ~