#viktor x chronically ill reader

[doctorho]

i'm writing more viktor x chronically ill reader and -

it started as the reader feels insecure and viktor is so used to fighting against a world that wants to break him that he knows how to help.

and the reader sees viktor as this smart, confident, capable-and-disabled-guy, and it really is and and not but, he's had to fight tooth and nail to be where he is and he holds no illusions about what some people think about him, but now he's at the top, he's the best at what he does, he has one of those brilliant once-in-a-lifetime type of minds and the heart to go with it, the passion that comes from wanting to make things better-

and he's confident! he knows he's good! he knows he's smart! he had to fight twice as hard as the others in the academy just to get in but now he's running the whole show and he's deserved it, gods, he has a right to be there and he's not going to apologize to the people who don't like it, because they're not worth the time of day!

he knows he's good at what he does.

and he wants the reader to value themselves too. even just out of spite if it comes to that, because the world is hard enough for people like them already, other people are mean enough already, and it should be their given right to rise above that and say no, actually, i'm good and i deserve to be here. i deserve good things.

they've both seen enough cruelty already. they don't need more of it from inside their heads.

and he truly does believe that! he does. it feels like a truth running all through his bone marrow.

he knows he's good at what he does.

he knows he's smart.

and it's easy to tell the same things to someone else. because he believes them. he really, truly does.

but there's still that little kid somewhere at the back of his head, that too-little version of him that got left behind, and there's still that innate feeling of being not-quite-right, being weird and not fitting in and - yes, he's accepted it, that was just a thing about him, he was always going to be a little weird, but-

at the core of it is the feeling that he never really felt like people wanted him around. even after he climbed to the top of the business, the top of the stupid social circles, out of the undercity, and stood his ground there, he never really felt like he belonged there. like any of them really wanted him around. jayce was one of the few exceptions, but in the grand scheme of things, one exception didn't shake his beliefs much. jayce was an anomaly in the trend, and not a breakthrough.

so when the reader really does seem to want viktor around?

he doesn’t know what to do with that.

it's easy to tell other people they're worth it, but viktor still can't shake the feeling that it doesn’t apply to him.

except when you want him around for more than just his work? more than just as a solution to a problem? when you seem to want him, with his quiet humor and broken body and all, and then his heart is falling through his ribs as he tries to hold it together, because he didn't think that was possible. not for him. not this. nothing like this, and certainly not with someone that understands.

and suddenly he is a raw nerve, looking for lightning. he has no idea what to do with these feelings, because he's still not sure he trusts them, but he's not about to let the opportunity slide. so he has to push his trembling doubts aside and reach out, for the first time in his life let someone see his heart the way it truly is, soft and shivering and left-behind, because as afraid as he is he's also craving for the connection. even if he doesn’t really believe he deserves it, even if he doesn’t really believe in it, he still has to try. even with shaking hands, he has to try.

it's an off-beat dance on both parts, when neither of you really knows how to trust it. it's careful and tentative and sometimes just holding on to something feels like a lifeline, because neither of you really thought you'd have this. that anyone could want you like this.

and over the years, viktor's pushed his feelings so far aside, that when they snap right back into his chest it leaves him gasping for air. when you touch him he crumbles, all composure gone, and he grips your hand like it's keeping him anchored into his own body, like he might float away into the ether without it. and it's with shuddering breaths and gentle touches that he learns how to trust, slowly, finally, and it is delicate and messy and raw but it's honest, the truth of it warm and solid somewhere close to his chest, and he wants to keep it there. wants it to take root there and grow into his whole being until it surrounds him.

it's easy to tell other people that they're worth it. harder to believe it about yourself, especially when it feels like you're shouting alone into the dark while the whole world seems to quietly disagree.

it gets a lot easier if someone shows you that they think you're worth it, bruised heart and chipped corners and all, and fuck what the rest of the world thinks, you are good.

[bugzz-105]

Coming out on this account as a fanfic reader just to say we need more viktor x reader or even x oc that have mobility using readers like omg as a mobility aid user like I feel like it'd be such a good dynamic for him, to finally not be alone and idk even if it's platonic i just want my guy to feel a bit understood and I want comfort during flare ups so bad yall don't understand omg like I literally might have to write something atp 😭🙏

[telleroftime]

Viktor x Reader where the Reader is also slavic but hasn't been separated from their culture compared to what became of Viktor. At the end of his battle against Jayce, the Machine Herald is found by Reader and their people who were visiting Pilltover before the events of the second season occurred (I can only guess what will happen in the second season of the show. In LoL lore we trust).

Viktor wakes up in an unfamiliar place. Yes he shares the accent with Reader and their people but he does not understand their language. Reader would need to teach him it but the most he can do is speak a very broken form of it. He'd be able to read the simple words and although he's very smart and unsurprisingly keen to learn, he does not enjoy how long learning a language takes or how often he messes up. Or how the Reader teases him every single time. Well, he might enjoy it.

The air is clean, different from what Zaun was like. The homes were smaller and less grand to what Pilltover was. Smaller than what other kingdoms had to offer. It was a village much more tribe-like than what the rest of the world has grown to be, a fair distance from its capitol and its muscovite style architecture. It was rural. It was home.

[spatialwave]

"my ambition" - part one

pairing: jayvik x fem!reader word count: 1k tags: mdni! semi-nsfw, fluffy, poly relationship, reader has a chronic illness, no use of y/n, not beta’d. notes:no summary bc it’s very short n sweet and mostly just some fluff!! will probably write a part 2 to this or use this fic as a base for future one shots hehe. reminder that my ask box is open! 🩵 credits: art by @/shuploc & divider by @/cafekitsune on tumblr!

part 2. ->

“No, no, this doesn’t make sense.”

The flickering flame of several candles lit up the darkened apartment as Jayce sat over a scattering of papers. His back hunched, eyes tired, stubble unshaved and fingers tracing over the writings on the parchments. Forever studying and analyzing ways to work with the hextech, to improve upon it and use it to help others. To help you, and Viktor.

“Sleep is good for the brain.” A tired voice spoke from behind him.

There was a quiet groan that erupted from deep within his chest, a reprieve from the chaos in his mind, as he rested back against the wooden chair that creaked beneath his weight. Your hand, a delicate touch, trailed over his bare shoulders as he worked late in only his nice pair of trousers that were gifted by the Kiramman family.

He hadn’t taken a single moment of rest since a meeting with Viktor and Heimerdinger earlier that day to go over progress of the hextech research. They had hit a roadblock, having advanced so far, yet still struggling to find ways for it to help the people, rather than just Piltover.

Hextech was more than a tool to better run the city and improve upon its trades within Runeterra. If only he could find a way to stabilize the crystal.

“You’re overworking yourself, Jayce,” you continued, arms now wrapping around his shoulders. Your chest pressed against the back of his head, hands palming against his muscled chest.

“I’m this close to a breakthrough,” the man sighed, finding comfort in your touch as he leaned back and let his eyes flutter closed, sleep heavy in his head, “Progress Day is three months away, and what do we have to show for it? An unstabilized crystal?”

Jayce was worked up like this more often than not, the work with hextech had taken the forefront for years now. Recently it had begun to consume him, but you were the recipe to keeping him sane. 

You were his rock, as he said.

“Hexgates, airships, robots,” your posh accent chimed as your body moved and you’d managed to sneak your way onto Jayce’s lap — ultimately severing the line between him and his work. 

Your chests pressed together, faces only a few inches apart as you stared into those honey-coloured eyes.

“Why do you always get so down on yourself?” 

Jayce stared at you, strong calloused hands settling on your hips as you straddled him. He had no ambition to answer, knowing very well that he was his own worst critic and you were his biggest supporter. 

“You’ll get there,” you continued, head ducking as your lips pressed to his jaw. The roughage of his stubble prickly against your lips as you kissed, trailing from under his chin to underneath his ear, “now, I haven’t had a chance to have you in over a week. I think I’m rather deserving.”

That roused a chuckle from him, a toothy grin on his lips as he allowed himself to relax under your touch. 

“I want to do this for you,” he murmured, head lulling back as you kissed down his neck, “something to help.”

“I know,” you soothed, one hand palmed at his chest as you pulled back, a finger touching his chin and tilting his face back to you, “I’ve made it this far, haven’t I?”

Jayce’s eyes opened, and it was like seeing you for the first time all over again. Beautiful and glowing.

Your sickness was well-hidden, a struggle you dealt with behind closed doors. Pain that erupted through your veins, left your muscles weak and skin burning. It came in flares — aches so painful it left you bedridden for weeks.

Once an Academy all-star, now confined to your apartment. You were thankful for Jayce and Viktor, the two most important individuals in your life.

“Now come to bed. I can’t remember the last time you’d managed to stay up later than Viktor,” you smiled, shifting off of his lap. Two quick breaths blew out the candles, and you’d managed to pull Jayce along behind you like a lovesick puppy.

You dropped the robe that had covered your body, revealing your half-naked body save for the underwear that hugged the curves of your hips. The mattress dipped under your weight as you crawled in next to a sleeping Viktor, who had retired to bed with you a few hours earlier.

He rolled onto his side toward you, a slender arm wrapped over your waist and bony fingers pressing into the skin of your hip. You pressed yourself against his frail chest, face buried as you inhaled his scent and Jayce slipped under the blankets on the other side of him.

“Finally wrangled him?” Viktor hummed, half-asleep, as both yours and Jayce’s warmth kept him tired.

“You’ve let him beat you again. You’re losing your drive for all-nighters full of bright ideas,” you murmured, nuzzling against him.

“I’ve long lost that spark,” Viktor mumbled, burying his face in your hair and sighing as he felt Jayce’s hands slide along his bare skin, “I’m a tired old man now. I can live with that.”

Jayce snorted, “I do it for the both of us then,” he murmured into his lover’s ear, breath warm and tickling his skin. A shaky breath trembled out from Viktor’s lips, tensing his arms around you.

You were quick to join in on the fun, lips attached to the base of Viktor’s throat as you left a trail of feather light kisses along his skin. One hand reaching down between his legs and into the briefs he wore.

“Can’t a man get rest?” he breathed out, squirming between you two. 

“No,” Jayce huffed, lips pressed to Viktor’s shoulders as he assaulted him with a flurry of open-mouthed kisses to his skin, teeth and lips dragging against him.

“Sorry, love,” you whispered, licking a line on his neck before suckling on the skin, “I may have riled him up in the kitchen.”

“How awful,” he sighed, though, there was nothing Viktor enjoyed more than having two lips and two pairs of hands traversing his body. 

He melted into the touch as the three of you consumed each other. Hands traveling over skin, lips connected, tongues lapping at each other and clothes ripped from bodies.

The three of you were the embodiment of love. On the worst days, there were no thoughts of giving up. You were each other’s ambition.

[deathbxnny]

Currently in a cfs/me flare up after losing my mind over the Arcane finale (lmao), and it’s been making me think about the characters keeping company to an exhausted & feverish reader. You can choose if you want to make it chronic illness related or more general, I’m just interested how you’d write them in a situation like that 🐁💖 Would love to see Vi, Caitlyn, and Viktor (pre-robojesus) if that’s okay :)) Both platonic and romantic are fine to me too!

Just wanted to add to the end that I loved your Timekeeper fic so much <3 Thank you for writing my request, it actually made me roll around my bed in joy :”D I hope days start getting better for you soon, stay safe 💖💖

Arcane characters with a chronically ill s/o. | Viktor, Caitlyn, Vi x Gn!Reader

Hey there, Anon! Sorry that it took so long to get to your request, but I hope you're doing better now! Im so glad to hear that you liked my last post too!<3

Content: Vague chronical illness, slight angst, fluff, can be read as platonic or romantic tbh, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns.

((Not proofread))

》VIKTOR

He knows what it's like to deal with a chronical illness and, therefore, is the best prepared out of the three.

Viktor always has an eye on you and practically studied what makes your sickness get worse. He sees the patterns and tries his best to quickly get you out of situations that could provoke them.

Sometimes, he feels guilty that he isn't able to do more to help you, especially when he, too, is suffering. He appreciates your presence because of that, since you're a comfort to him and someone who understands how he feels. You spend a lot of time together, perhaps even cuddled up during darker days, just not to not feel alone.

He definitely makes your room extra comfortable whenever your flare-ups return. Viktor will get you your favorite food or drink and just sit by your bed until you feel a bit better.

Absolutely works in your room whilst you're laying sick in bed, as he's worried you may get worse in his absence. This indirectly also gets him out of the laboratory often, which does him way more good than he may realise.

All in all, he's the best person to have around when dealing with a difficult chronical illness.

》CAITLYN

She's hellbent on finding a cure one way or another. Cait is stubborn and doesn't take no for an answer. To her, even the impossible may become possible if she works hard enough. So expect the best doctors in Piltover to fuss over you at all times.

She might come off as overbearing at times, mainly because she's extremely worried about your health. Seeing you sick and exhausted all the time hurt her.

Definitely spoils you with anything and everything you want in hopes of distracting you from the pain you were in, even if it's just momentarily.

Tries taking walks with you at times, even if they are short and quick. She thinks that fresh air is good for your health and that you appreciate the time you spend together that way.

If you're feeling lonely, she'll lay in bed with you and speak with you about random topics, anything that comes to mind. She'll definitely also talk about work and the missions she went on.

She may not be able to relate to you, but she'll educate herself on everything regarding your health and illness in the hope of making life easier for you.

》VI

She feels helpless at times. She really does, and it hurts to see you hurt. Unable to really help or find a potential cure/doctor to make things easier, she becomes a little creative with the way she deals with it.

Vi is extremely overprotective and doesn't let you do much on your own. Expect her to do absolutely all the heavy lifting and some of the harder household chores, just so that you don't have to exhaust yourself even more.

Tries making your days better by thinking of fun and accessible things to do. She wants to distract you from the pain and give you a semi-normal life, as she believes you deserve at least that.

Longgg cuddle sessions in which you just talk and laugh. It's the best way to wind down during a flare-up. It also helps with any loneliness you may feel.

She tries using her connections with Cait and so on to get you some help when things get seriously bad. She's terrified of losing you and can't bear the thought of it. It keeps her up at night.

Every day may be a new challenge, but she'll never give up on you, that's for sure.

[v1sexual]

if u don't mind me asking, what are your current wips 👁👁

hi anon ! i’ve got a like 9 wips on the way 🌝 8 of them are vi fanfics (which shouldn’t be a surprise at this point) and one is a viktor fic hehe. the first and last wip were something i came up with and the rest are all reqs hehe. as a treat, here are my wips, their synopsis, and when will i post them :>

allie’s wips :

01 . casual ; vi (headcanons)

- headcanons of your casual situationship with vi ! this is one is self indulgent and heavily inspired by my current wlw situationship :/

will be posting this one in a couple of hours !

02. my lips, your lips ; vi (oneshot)

- requested by anon !

- bar night with pit fighter vi ends up with you two getting a bit frisky

will be posting tomorrow ! (hopefully)

03. i love you so ; vi (headcanon)

- requested by anon

- headcanons of vi comforting emotional/sensitive reader after a big incident!

will be posting probably around tomorrow as well !

04. mr. loverman ; vi (oneshot)

- requested by anon

- in which the reader and vi are childhood lovers that got separated after vander died and silco took over zaun. they reunite but the reader isn’t too thrilled with how close vi and their new enforcer friend are. as much as she wants to avoid them she can’t, her help was needed to fight jinx alongside them.

will be posting in two days!

05. save a horse, ride a cowgirl ; vi (oneshot)

- requested by anon

- cowgirl vi. no further comments.

will be posting in two days! (hopefully)

06. untitled ; vi (oneshot/headcanon)

- requested by anon

- actor au where they're filming s2 ep7 and the actor for teen! Vi keeps corpsing when she's trying to play dead

will be posting in two-three days

07. eternal sunshine ; vi (arcane)

- requested by anon

- in which vi and her girlfriend stumbles upon one of her exes, cait. despite being with vi, you can’t help but feel a little bit self conscious. luckily for you, vi is more than happy to give you reassurance.

will be posting in three to four days!

08. untitled; vi (headcanons)

- requested by anon

- headcanons of vi x fem reader with vitiligo !

will be posting soon (in a couple of hours maybe)

09. as the world caves in ; viktor (series)

- modern au ! chronically ill viktor x healthcare worker reader. angst. pure angst.

currently in the works ! idk when it’ll be posted

[thehouseofurmotha]

Hiya!

Welcome to my master-list! This is where all the fics I write can be found! As well as my request rules which are as follows <3

★¸.•☆•.¸★ 🅁🅄🄻🄴🅂 ★⡀.•☆•.★

Currently I will take requests for My Hero Academia, Yuri on Ice, and Harry Potter Marauders Era! This is very much subject to change depending on what fandoms I'm in at the time!

I will write mostly x reader but I'm also willing to do some character x character ships! I will also do poly relationships!

As of now I will not write smut, any yandere, or anything with extreme gore. This is also subject to change and I will do my best to write all requests but if something makes me uncomfortable or I feel I am not the right person to portray it I will not write it.

`✵•.¸,✵°✵.｡.✰ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖✰.｡.✵°✵,¸.•✵´

My Hero:

Bakugou Katsuki (platonic/romantic)

Aizawa Shouta (platonic/romantic)

Todoroki Shouto (platonic/romantic)

Hawks (platonic/romantic)

Todoroki Touya, Dabi (platonic/romantic)

Kaminari Denki (platonic/romantic)

Iida Tenya (platonic/romantic)

Iida Tensei (romantic/platonic)

Toshinori Yagi, Allmight (platonic)

Eri (platonic)

Togata Mirio (romantic/platonic)

Sir night eye (platonic)

Shigaraki Tomura (platonic/romantic)

Kurioguri (platonic)

Shinsou Hitoshi (platonic/romantic)

Toga Himiko (platonic/romantic)

Yuri On Ice:

Viktor Nikiforov (romantic/platonic)

Yuuri Katsuki (platonic/romantic)

Yuri Plisetsky (platonic/romantic)

Mauraders Harry Potter:

Sirius Black (platonic/romantic)

Remus Lupin (platonic/romantic)

James Potter (platonic/romantic)

Regulus Black (platonic/romantic)

¸.·✩·.¸¸.·¯⍣✩ Ⓕⓘⓒⓢ ✩⍣¯·.¸¸.·✩·.¸

My hero academia:

Bakugou Katsuki:

`✵•.¸,✵°✵.｡.✰ 𝕃𝕠𝕦𝕕 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕕𝕖 ✰.｡.✵°✵,¸.•✵´, pt. 2, pt.3

Dating bakugo head canons

Always hot Bakugou x reader head canons

Shinsou Hitoshi:

Dating him head canons

Shinsou dating Aizawa's daughter head canons

Shinso x reader soulmate au :)

Shouto Todoroki:

Shouto who likes to spend his money on you head canons

Shouta Aizawa:

Aizawa x chronically ill student reader head cannons

Yuri on Ice:

Mauraders:

[fairy-writes]

Okay okay, hear me out of this one please; a request, Viktor has a significant other that is also pretty ill and has been ill for a while, how would that go on about? I know just how hard it is on other people that have to "deal," with someone chronically ill so would he be more understanding of it because he's also chronically ill? Would they take care of eachother?

RETURNING THE FAVOR

Reblogs and Comments are greatly appreciated!!

__________________________________________________________________________

Fandom(s): Arcane: League of Legends

Pairing(s): Viktor x Reader

Word Count: 0.8k

Genre(s)/Tag(s): Gender Neutral!Reader, Reader has cystic fibrosis

Notes: I tried my best to research cystic fibrosis, but I am bound to get something wrong, so please be patient with me!

__________________________________________________________________________

Viktor came home to your coughing. 

Deep soul-wracking coughs that made you hunch over and gasp for breath. 

The kind that brings tears to your eyes. 

The kind that leaves you tired and achy, and your chest hurts, and there’s nothing you can do about it. 

He sets aside his work bag and carefully toes off his shoes before using his crutch to make his way down the hall toward your shared bedroom. You initially refused to share a bedroom with him when you both moved in together. Something about your coughing keeping him up at all hours of the night. But once you discovered that the coughing kept him up regardless because of his worry over you, you relented and moved your things into his bedroom. 

Viktor knocks quietly and opens the door after hearing your hoarse “come in” through coughs. 

Your lung infection must’ve come back if you’re coughing this much…

Maybe he could call your doctor and get you checked out later this week.

You’re hunched over the master bathroom toilet on your knees, spitting phlegm and holding your head in your hands as your chest heaves. He can hear you gasping from where he stands in the doorframe.

“I’m home.” He says, and you wave half-heartedly but don’t look up as another bout of coughing hits you. His already present frown deepens, and he leaves your side for a moment to get your medication and various other things to try and help loosen the mucus in your chest. 

He comes back with your breathing apparatus and medication. By then, you’re leaning against the wall, head tilted back, chest inhaling as deeply as your condition would allow. You open your eyes when you hear his crutch thumping against the floor of your apartment. A weak smile crosses your lips when you see what he’s holding. 

Viktor sets his crutch aside and carefully lowers himself to the ground, stretching his bad leg out in front of him. He can see you sag in relief as he carefully administers the medication via breathing apparatus. And that makes him sag in relief. 

“Feeling better?” He asks more than an hour later as you stand over a steaming, bubbling pot of water. The steam is supposed to help thin the mucus building in your chest and allow you to cough it up more easily. It was something your doctor recommended that you figured you’d try. You shrug,

“As good as I can be, I suppose.” You say weakly and smile at him when he puts a mug of tea next to you on the counter.

Taking a break from the steam, you press a kiss to his cheek. His brain stalls, and he stares. Seeing this, you elaborate. 

“You’re too good to me.” You wheeze, and he rolls his eyes but smiles nonetheless. 

“You do the same for me. I’m just returning the favor.”

You wake up to Viktor’s deep wheezing. 

It was one of the upsides to sharing a bedroom with your lover. You would always know when he was having issues. Because you knew he would never bother you otherwise. 

Dreamland slowly dissipates, and you are brought to the world of the living. Viktor is hunched over the side of the bed; hands fisted in the bedsheets as he tries to take a deep breath. So far, all he can manage is pathetic little gasps. 

So you slip out of bed silently and leave for the kitchen before coming around to his side of the bed. He jumps when you put a hand on his shoulder and sit at his side. You press a warm washcloth to his mouth for him to breathe in the moisture. It had worked marginally for you, so you hoped it would work better for him. 

He accepts the rag gratefully and breathes in the moisture and steam. 

“Look at us. We’re a bunch of sorry messes, aren’t we?” You say, and he lets out a raspy chuckle. He isn’t wearing a shirt, so you retrieve the chest rub from the bathroom and start massaging it into his back and chest. It sometimes helps you, but it helps him more often than not. 

As soon as his breathing eases, he lies back in bed with you and holds your hand. You would typically sleep with your head on his chest, but seeing as you just put chest rub on it, you didn’t want it on your face. So, holding his hand, it was. 

“Why do you put up with me?” He asks as you are slowly dozing off to sleep. You give him a look but answer nonetheless.

“Why do you put up with me?” You retort, and he looks over from where he had been watching the stars out the window.

“Because I love you.” He says easily, and you grin,

“There’s your answer.” 

[exhaustedrebel05]

Whatever the weather

Arcane Viktor x Fem! Reader

a/n: Hi, so this is the first time I post something that I wrote, I hope you like it.

I do not own anything here except the product of my creativity.

⚠️Warnings⚠️: mentioned feelings of despair, chronic illness, fluff, new fanfic writer who wrote this on a whim, and possible bad punctuation.

Tell me if I forgot something pls

Summary: You bring food to Viktor in the lab and end up having a moment.

Definitions: Zaya means "little bunny" in Russian. At least, that is what Google told me.

And here we go...

The hallways of the Academy echoed with your footsteps as you made your way to Viktor and Jayce's lab. Well, more Viktor's than Joyce's now that he was more involved in the political side of progress.

Viktor tried to act like the absence of his friend and fellow Hex tech founder didn't bother him, but you knew that deep down it did. You could see it in the way he was returning to old habits of believing he had to do everything on his own.

Even though he did not, and was not on his own. Especially with his declining health. It is not the best idea to leave him alone for hours on end.

You all understood that it was better if they had a say in the decisions regarding Hex tech's future. In order to ensure that it is safe from ending up in the wrong hands. Hands that would use it to destroy lives instead of improving them.

Nonetheless, it left much of the work for Viktor to go through alone, but he never complained. Your beloved is a man racing against time and fate.

Trying to complete and discover as much as his delicate body allows him to. Powering through all of the equations and push backs that came his way.

However, he could only do so much running on maybe four hours of sleep and the academy's cafeteria food. Which is why you were here, at his lab's door, fully expecting to see him hunched over his current project. Fully focused. Tuning out all of the world in order to improve it.

Knowing this, you don't even bother knocking on the large ancient doors; entering the lab filled with papers and project pieces scattered in a sort of organized chaos throughout the room. And in the back of said chaos is Viktor, sitting at his desk exactly as you imagined.

As you walk towards him, you decide to stand beside him and attempt to make your presence known without giving him a heart attack.

Like you had nearly done that one time.

You swear that man nearly jumped six feet from his chair when you placed a kiss on his cheek. Thinking that he had heard you come in.

No response...

With a gentle sigh, you lean down towards him and call his name in a sing-song voice. Hoping to bring him back to your plane of existence.

You reach out slowly, twinkling your fingers in front of him. He takes notice, chuckling as your fingers gently tap on the side of his face - then his nose.

"Hello love," He says, looking up to you with those golden orbs that make your knees weak. He sets down his work and kisses your hand.

"Hi, care for a break?" You ask, showing him the container of home cooked food you had brought him. He turns his chair to face you completely. His focus filled expression turned into delight.

"Hmmm, I suppose I could indulge." He answers, raising a mischievous eyebrow reaching out to take the food.

You move the container slightly out of his reach. Eyes trained on his expression of confusion that turns into acceptance of your challenge.

"Oh, that's how it is?" He asks, amusement apparent in his voice and expression.

"How what is?" You reply nonchalantly as possible, trying to keep a smile from spreading across your face.

The amusement filled amber eyes became daring as a beat of energy filled silence passed between you both. You were not protected from what came next.

Slender hands find their way to your waist and tickle you with no mercy. You squeal and try to move away, but you are held in place.

"Nah ah ah! Zaya, you are not getting away from me that easily!" He states as he attacks you with another wave of tickles.

"I surrender…I surrender!" You gasp, breathless from your laughter.

He hums satisfied with his victory and pulls you close, looking up into your eyes from his seated position.

Your cheeks are flushed from his little attack, and your eyes are bright from your laughter. The moment eases his mind and body. He wishes the two of you could stay here, like this, forever.

His life is not easy. At times, the pain is too much for his body, and he wants nothing more than for it to stop. To find peace and freedom from his all too delicate state.

But then who will finish all the work?

Understand all of his notes and research?

Progress doesn't happen on its own, and Jayce has his hands full with his new role.

Then there was you…

He never expected anyone to have a romantic interest in him, much less knowing that his time may no- would be limited. That in the end, you would be left all alone...

That is what troubled him the most.

You told him you would cross that bridge when you get there. That you understood what it meant to love him; and he was loved nonetheless.

It wasn't always easy, but that is what it means to love someone. It is standing beside them when times are at their worst. When they are at their worst.

Being there to help them back on their feet and facing the challenge together. He also knew how fortunate he was to have what so many others only dreamed about.

You place a hand on his cheek and brush the wild tousled hair out of his face with the other. Bringing him back from his thoughts, grounding him to the present.

"Hey, come back to me." Your voice is as soft as your expression. Eyes gazing lovingly into his own, which were equally enamored.

He gently tugs your arms, signaling for you to come closer.

"I am here."

His eyes never leave yours as he brings you in for a passionate kiss. He doesn't know what the future holds, but he knows you both will cross that bridge when you get there.

[doctorho]

actually i'm not done. yeah, the other people you work around are nice, they're supportive, they don't tell you to just try yoga and they don't make weird comments about all the little things you sometimes let them see. the appointments, the medications, the side effects - you mention some of it to your friends sometimes and you know they'd be supportive but what they see is still just the tip of the iceberg, while you're out there carrying the entire weight of the whole thing.

and it's just - yes, they'd be supportive, but they don't get it. there's so much that they don't know, because they don't see you when you're at your worst, and if they knew the full honest truth of the things you're dealing with they'd be scared. because the things you deal with on a regular basis would send a healthy person to the hospital, and you're still showing up to work because it's just another friday. and it's not that bad if you're still conscious, and it's fine, it's just another symptom, just another side effect, just another friday, so you just...deal with it quietly. sugar-coat it a little, only show them the tip of the iceberg. you don't want to scare the others, you don't want them to worry when this is just...normal for you. because they would be, they would be scared and they would be worried, any generally healthy person would be, because this wasn't how their world worked. they're not in the water under the iceberg with you.

but viktor is.

he gets it, he sees the weight of it all, he's right down there with you.

talking to him about these things is like speaking the same language, fluently, without having to stumble through translations like you sometimes did with other people.

and it's freeing, not having to filter yourself through the scope of what can i let show because he's already seen it all and worse. he won't flinch at the pain or the blood or the tears or the bruises, the messy honest truth of it all. he knows what it's like. and he doesn’t judge - because he knows what it's like. the knowledge of that sits somewhere right around your heart, that he knows and he understands and you don't have to hide it.

you can just...be.

thinking about viktor with a chronically ill reader. you know? we see the vision, right?

it just works.

the thing with chronic pain, illnesses, disabilities, all of that - is that you can't always see them. sometimes you can, sure, you can see the mobility aids and the not-standing-up-for-too-long and the bruising from blood draws and sometimes you can see the compression garments, the pills and inhalers and the i'm fine, i just need a moment-

but most people just don't pay attention to that. or if they do, they don't put the pieces together fast enough to figure out what's really going on under the surface. viktor does, though; he's been there, and most of the time he's way beyond hiding it. or, well, he's way beyond hiding some of it.

walking with a cane was like carrying a neon sign that said yes there is something different here. yes i can't walk the way you can. no it's not going to get better. that last part wasn't directly evident just from him using a cane, sure, but with the way his cane looked, it should've been pretty clear. He had used one practically forever and it had evolved with him, he'd made it as comfortable to use as it could be, had even made it match his uniform.

so yeah. viktor knew what it was like. he'd been the disabled kid forever, even if some of the others were never going to say it out loud. that was just a thing about him, and he knew how hard it could be to navigate something like that in an academic environment. it was hard to admit you couldn't do something, that you had to sit down, that you needed a moment. that sometimes your body was just falling apart for no particular reason and it was just another tuesday.

sometimes it was easier to sit with the pain than take medication in the middle of a meeting, knowing that someone would make a bigger deal out of it than it had to be, even if it was just raising their eyebrows meaningfully. they'd think about you differently afterwards.

he could see you push through it, and he didn't blame you, really, he did that himself, too, but - he didn't want you to hurt yourself. you hadn't been in the lab as long as he had, so he could understand you being a little cautious with how you acted and what you told people, but he didn't want you to feel like you had to put on a show for him. he was, after all, walking around with the equivalent of a light-up sign of i'm disabled, too, and he liked to think of himself as someone who wouldn't come off as judgemental about stuff like that. other stuff, sure, stupid stuff, but not that.

so when he sees you dealing with the telltale signs of being in pain, he conveniently sends jayce and the others to pick up some parts that would take a while to collect and that they wouldn't actually need until the next day. but better prepared, right? what's the harm.

and then he comes to sit next to you and sighs deeply. leans back. relaxes to the best of his abilities. asks if you're alright, and sounds like he already knows the answer.

you sigh too, shift your position, and answer with it's fine. and viktor recognizes the strain in your voice, in your posture, and he knows there's a key difference between this and i'm fine, but he'll take it. it's not what he'd like, but he'll take it.

he leans over to dig around his belongings, and then offers you a bag of candied almonds.

"if you're going to take pain killers, it's better if you eat something first," he says, and you just stare at him. "i assume you haven't taken anything yet. nothing strong enough, at least," he continues, casually, and you take a deep breath and accept the almonds.

he smiles. continues like this is totally normal. "jayce made me start carrying around some food so i could do that. for myself, i mean. but it doesn't hurt to have some snacks around either way, i suppose."

he knows he's skirting around the real topic of the conversation, but he also knows that sometimes people get uncomfortable around his bluntness, and you hadn't exactly told him you were in pain, so he'd understand it if you were a little weirded out. after all, most people didn't notice this stuff. but you haven't run away from him, and you're eating, and then you're digging around your own bag to take your medication, so he'll count this as a win.

thanks, you exhale, handing back the almonds, and he takes a handful of them himself.

"i'm fine, really," you continue, not really looking at him, "it's just hard sometimes."

he nods. it was - even if he didn't know the specifics, he knew that it was true. especially since you had been hiding it from the others. and with something like that, something the others couldn't see, the invisible step to let them see it would grow bigger and bigger with time, when they expected you to be able to do everything they did without a second thought.

he also knows you didn't mean fine in the dictionary definition sense of the word, but more in the this is normal and you don't need to worry -sense. and that's fine. he was used to functioning on different parameters than most people, so this version of fine was good enough.

my body just isn't always very reliable, you explain with a sigh, and that he knows better than well.

he hmms in answer and nods. he knows.

you exhale a small laugh at that.

and he's glad you're relaxing, wants you to be as comfortable here as possible.

"these people are alright," he says casually, "as far as healthy people go."

viktor smiles a little.

another win for him.

and then he sits with you, talking and not talking and enjoying the quiet comfort if it all. and then he makes up some excuse so you don't have to keep working yet. he was well aware what it was like trying to work through the pain, waiting for the medication to kick in, and he wouldn't exactly recommend it. besides, as a rule, you were more likely to make mistakes if you were thinking through a layer of pain, and that was just plain bad planning. it made much more sense to just take a break and continue when you felt better. in fact, he was in dire need of a caramel latte and a pastry right now, do you want anything?

and after that it just... sort of falls into place. you're more relaxed around him. and the others, too, but he's the only one that really gets it. doesn’t make a whole thing out of it when you need to sit down for a moment or take a break while your pain killers kick in. he's just there.

he knows what it's like, and that feels like an invisble curtain lifted from between you and him, and it's just easy. you don't have to pretend you're doing better than you actually are and he doesn’t hide it when he's in pain, either.

most people don't see it, but there's a mutual understanding there; yeah, sometimes life sucks and sometimes you're in pain and no it's not fair that sometimes your body is falling apart and life just keeps going. you can't do all the things you want to do but you still have to show up for the other life-stuff and if you took a day off every time you felt bad you would never get anything done and it just never stops.

but sometimes there's someone who'll sit through it with you without judgement. offer a warm drink and a snack and some understanding.

[viktorybell]

Sick Days

Viktor x GN!Reader

Word Count: 1.5k

A/N: this is an extreme niche i’ve written myself into here. i wrote this with a chronically ill reader in mind, but it could honestly be for any kind of reoccurring pain like cramps, etc. it’s all fluff, don’t worry.

“And how is it going in here?” Viktor asks, poking his head into your dorm room, far past the point of needing to knock before coming in.

You groaned obnoxiously, rolling over and turning your back to the door, taking the massive mountain of blankets along with you.

“That good, eh?” Viktor hummed from somewhere behind you as he came further into the room, his cane making muffled taps against the worn down carpet from a hundred students before you. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Hurry up on you and wonder boy’s magical breakthrough in there and figure out a way to use it for curing cramps,” You mumbled into your pillow, wiggling over a smidge as Viktor sat down on the edge of your bed. 

“Ah, yes. Unfortunately no groundbreaking discoveries as of the last hour I’ve been in the lab,” Viktor mock sighs, leaning back against you. “I do hope you’ll forgive me.”

“No, it’s fine, Viktor. Just leave me here to suffer!” You sigh, dramatically draping and arm over your eyes. “Ancient glowing gemstones that can power a whole city and you two can’t even conjure up a magical heating pad, for crying outl-ow!” Lowering your arm, you glare at Viktor who was rolling his eyes after he had reached down to flick your nose.

“Brat.”

“And you? How are you doing today?” You muttered, finally rolling back over to face Viktor, stomach twinging in pain as you do.

Viktor took the topic change in stride, as he always did. It was one of the reasons the two of you connected in the way you did as quickly as you did, he was observant. Observant enough to notice you wince in pain. He reached out to brush a few errant locks of hair from your eyes, a furrow in his brow.

“Luckily for me, it’s a good day,” He hummed, raising his cane a bit for you to see. “I know you were mostly joking about the…magical heating pad, as it were, but would you like me to go get the one you already own?”

Lifting the edge of the blankets up with an arm, you reveal the exact electric blanket he’d been speaking of, already cranked up and laid out across your midsection.

“One step ahead of you, doll,” you hum, keeping the blankets lifted with one arm while you pat the empty space beside you with the other. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Maybe you should come back to bed, just in case.”

Viktor rolled his eyes, yet again, at your antics, but nonetheless started toeing his shoes off. As much as the man was a workaholic, he could tell by now when you were struggling. You’d slept alone in your dorm last night, for one. Something that rarely ever happens nowadays. Even if Viktor was off working in the lab until the sun rose, you found yourself sneaking into his room to wrap yourself in blankets that smell like him. Last night though, you had sequestered yourself away in your much smaller dorm, staggering different pain meds and trying to ignore the alternating dull aches and sharp pains stabbing through your body. It made it near impossible to get comfortable. Hence the veritable mountain of pillows and blankets stacked on top of your bed.

He set his cane to rest against your bedside table, rattling the pill bottles lined up within arms reach, and slipped under the covers beside you. It was an instant rush of comfort, getting to wrap an arm around his waist and tug him in close, your face burying in his neck as he shifts to get comfortable. Viktor wraps an arm around your shoulders, drawing circles on your back as he lets you wriggle in as close as you can.

“I’m sorry there isn’t more I can do for you, love,” Viktor mumbles into the top of your head, reaching up to gently trace along the back of your neck.

“It’s fine, Viktor, I know you go through so much worse even on good days, I’m sorry I-”

“Quiet. There’s no sense in comparing,” Viktor chides quietly as he guides your face from his neck so he can look you in the eye. It was something he did when he was trying to drive a point home, and his intense gaze never failed to make you squirm. “You don’t have to be in complete, world-ending agony to deserve comfort, you know that, right?”

You sigh, knowing if the roles were reversed you’d agree wholeheartedly. It was much easier said than done, accepting that you’re allowed to be vulnerable in front of other people. Viktor certainly made it easier, the longer you’d known him the more walls you let down. Just a couple months ago you would have played it off. Pasting on a grin and forcing yourself into the lab to manage what you could before coming up with some lame excuse, that neither Jayce or Viktor believed, and disappearing for the rest of the day. The pain was bad enough on its own, but the isolation only added another layer of awful.

It hadn’t taken long for Viktor to catch on, though. Again, he was incredibly observant. Forever a scientist at heart. Besides, he’d recognized the signs of your pain easily, no matter how hard you tried to hide it. He hadn’t mentioned it directly, but he’d taken to recognizing when you were in the middle of a flare up and got in the habit of ushering you out of the lab, insisting he and Jayce were more than capable. That, and a few lighthearted comments on how you hardly got any work done anyways when you were too focused on keeping a straight face.

You concede, “I know. You’re right.”

“Aren’t I always?” Viktor jokes back, making you roll your eyes and the rest of your body roll over with them.

“Nevermind, I feel fine. Get out of my bed,” You huff as Viktor chuckles from behind you. 

Viktor sinks down further into the bed, ignoring your half-hearted protests. His chest flush to your back and his hand gently pressing the electric blanket into your stomach. You hum happily and wiggle back further into his embrace, completely forgetting you were supposed to be ‘mad’ at him. Surrounded by soft blankets and a comforting warmth, combined with the pain killers that were finally starting to kick in, you could feel yourself starting to nod off.

It was after about twenty minutes of comfortable silence when Viktor spoke up again. Softly, like he didn’t want to shatter the bubble of momentary peace that the two of you had found yourselves in, “I’m afraid I’ll have to return to the lab soon…”

You couldn’t necessarily say you were surprised, honestly touched that he’d managed to drag himself away from his work for the half an hour that he had, but it was still depressing news. Covering his arm with yours, you intertwined your fingers with the hand covering your stomach. He had inventor’s hands, you thought to yourself. With long, delicate fingers suitable for something graceful like playing piano. Or something with finesse like piecing together and pulling apart intricate HexTech, like he often spent his days doing. You were reluctant to let those hands go.

“Can’t the future just wait for another hour?” You mutter softly, only half joking.

Viktor gently noses at the back of your neck, leaving a trail of light kisses, “Well, maybe the future can wait. At least until you fall asleep.”

Grinning sleepily, you turn just enough to meet Viktor’s lips in a sweet kiss before burrowing back into your pillow.

It took mere minutes for you to fall asleep, and it felt like just a few minutes later you were waking back up. Your electric blanket had long since fallen asleep, the timer automatically shutting off so you didn’t set yourself on fire. It was almost cold, despite all the blankets, what with the heat off and Viktor long gone. You sighed as a sharp cramp made you twitch, it’s probably what had woken you up, it was probably time to take more meds. 

You rolled over, reaching to swipe the bottle of motrin off your bedside table, when you caught sight of the time. It’d been about two hours, not bad. Next to the alarm clock was a glass of water, the last of the ice in it melting down, a sleeve of crackers, and a note.

Grinning almost giddily, you momentarily ditched your current task to swipe the note off the nightstand, rolling on your back to read it.

The future calls, my dearest. I’ll be back later with dinner. Get some rest and feel better soon.

-Viktor

You reread the note about three more times while you got yourself upright, leaned back against your headboard as you washed down pain killers with the water Viktor had thought to bring you before returning to work. It was a small gesture, but one greatly appreciated, seeing as walking occasionally wasn’t an option during flare-ups.

After your nap, though, you weren’t feeling too awful beyond a persistent dull ache. Glancing mischievously down at Viktor’s note, you wondered to yourself.

There was a couch in Viktor and Jayce’s lab, wasn’t there? His note didn’t specify exactly where you had to rest…

[mediocrewallflow3r]

SFW Headcanons for Readers w/ Chronic Pain - Viktor/Reader

♥ On particularly high-level pain days, Vik will lay on his back with you on your shared bed- bouncing ideas back and forth with you about the arcane ♥ You both have a heating pad that stays permanently in the middle of your shared bed ♥ Yes, you have in fact fought over the last painkillers before at 2 am on a Tuesday ♥ Scorching hot baths are a must ♥ Muscle-relaxing salts are a common item in your home ♥ Vik despises lavender- he’s allergic to it (Ironic, right?) and finds it infuriating that he’s allergic to the common relaxing agent. ♥ Every morning, before Vik leaves to the lab- he puts on a kettle of rose tea for you both ♥ Mostly savory food is eaten in your household (other than sweet milk) because of the fact that sugar increases pain ♥ On the nights you can’t stay still due to joint pain, Viktor gently lays on top of you to still your muscle tremors and massages your scalp into you drift off ♥ Vik is always yelling at you to put shoes on in the house ♥ “It’s simply a fact! If you continue walking around barefoot on hardwood floors, you’re going to develop even more joint problems!” ♥ Near the end of your shared evening routine, you and Vik gently massage medicinal cream onto each other’s joints

[la-vide]

My chronically ill self is so obsessed with this, that I can’t even put it into words ❤️

Impulsivity

Modern Viktor x Fem! Reader

Your chronic pain has you at the end of your rope as you hopelessly search for something to relieve your pain. Help comes from the most unexpected of places: a walgreens at 9:45 pm.

Reader is mentioned to be an art/theater kid and is also disabled like Viktor and suffers from chronic pain. No use of y/n. Also not proofread we die like redacted

High key inspired by @meownotgood and @gaybybirth because reading their writing made me want to write again. This is the most self-indulgent thing I've ever written and I'm terrified to post it. But I'm being brave! likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated! I may make a part 2 depending on how this does. I hope you enjoy!

Pain makes it incredibly hard to think. Even though you're used to it and it's something you feel every day of your life, the burden is still quite heavy. But there is no pity for Atlas, and his shoulders will ache for the rest of time as he holds up the sky without the relief of Tylenol.

So now, you're standing in a Walgreens at 9:42 pm in the pain management aisle, shifting your weight from foot to foot to try and relieve the pain radiating from your hips to your ankles, trying to pick a topical pain relief gel that will actually work. You've tried most of them here; Bengay, Aspercreme, Biofreeze, Icy Hot, and nothing. Sure, they work for a few weeks but your fucking mutated joke of a body adapts and grows accustomed to whatever you use. The brace you wear on your left knee is itchy and pokes into you through your fleece-lined tights and it's not helping matters.

Giving up on reading the box of Voltaren you're holding, you crouch down to put it back and pick up something else. Your pain-addled brain is poor at making decisions it seems, as the moment you bend, your knee cracks in such a way that a painful heat spreads through your entire body. It was loud too, you know it was. Eyes are staring at you, burning a hole in your head as you wince and grit your teeth against the waves of pain.

You feel the urge to collapse, just sit on the floor, and read the labels and boxes there without having to stand, despite how utterly ridiculous you'd look.

"Are you alright?" Your right knee hits the floor as you shift into a kneeling position to look up at the person speaking to you. A long tweed overcoat, a thick red scarf, a cane, nice Oxford shoes, pale skin, worried amber eyes, and tousled brown hair meet your gaze. A man, a very beautiful man is standing a mere three feet from you, eyebrows pinched in concern. You blink a few times, willing yourself to remember how to act like a normal person and not a gobsmacked fool.

"Oh, yeah I uh…" You swallow and gesture wildly to the wall of products, and then visibly deflate "…no there's no way to make a joke out of this. " A laugh slips out, pitiful. You look back up at the man and the corners of his mouth are quirked up at the sides. Thank god, maybe he finds your misfortune endearing.

"They do tend to keep the best products just out of reach, don't they? Nothing at eye level ever seems to be worth your time. Just another cruel joke the health industry plays on the less abled." He looks between the wall of lotions and pills and you, his smile widening.

You smile too, less self-deprecative and more understanding, "Ah, a fellow health industry hater, amazing. Damn straight, they bleed us dry and expect us to thank them. Greedy schmucks." With one hand on the metal shelf and the strength of your good (better?) knee, you manage to pull yourself into an upright position, even with every nerve in your body screaming at you and the feeling that your left hip simply wants to cease to exist.

"Just trying to find something that doesn't stop working after a few weeks and also not develop an opioid addiction." Ah, maybe you could make a few cute jokes that this cuter man will appreciate.

"As one does." He leans both hands on his cane and nods his head conspiratorially. You giggle, you can't help it. Maybe it's the pain-induced delirium or maybe it's because you find the man in front of you incredibly attractive. But who's to say?

"Might I make a recommendation?" His accent is lilting and thick and it feels like every word out of his mouth is wrapped in a velvetine cloth. That metaphor makes no sense, your brain thinks. Shut up, chimes your heart.

"Please. I was just about to start considering just chopping off my leg." He laughs out loud at that.

"Ah, we've all been there." His attention is pulled back to the shelves and his fingers twitch as he looks for something. He's focused, insanely so, and it makes you feel important, seen. This random stranger, looking for something that will help you with such fervor.

God, it's been a while.

He bends at the waist to grab something off of the second shelf from the bottom and you definitely don't fixate on the way his long fingers curl around a box.

"This is Arnicare. The main ingredient was only legalized here a mere decade ago, it's never failed me thus far." He hands it over to you with a smile. You take it, a little awestruck and make a sincere effort to not freak out over the fact that your fingers brush his own. They're warm, good god.

"Thank you. This is invaluable insider information." You hold the box to your chest in gratitude.

"Of course. Tiger Balm is my favorite but they don't typically sell it in-store due to popular demand. I usually, unfortunately, turn to Amazon to buy it when it's in stock." he continues, putting one hand in his pocket and leaning onto his cane. You nod, making mental notes as you go.

"You are saving my life and my sanity right now. Truly." You pause, and then, with bravery that you didn't know you had-

"I'm (name)." You stick out your right hand, so that way if he chooses to take it, it won't be with the hand using his cane. He stalls for a moment and you fear you've made a horrible fool of yourself, but then he laughs and shakes your hand gently. You can't get over how warm his hand is, skin soft save for the callouses on his palm and fingertips.

"Viktor. It is nice to meet you." His eyes crinkle as the gentle smile he wears widens.

There's a charged beat where your hands linger a moment longer than what is expected and you laugh before letting go. "Sorry, I uh…have been running on far less than the recommended amount of sleep and meals that do not classify as full meals."

"I don't think I have ever gotten the recommended hours of sleep a day in my life."

Your eyebrows shoot up, "Really?"

"Really. I think my blood is 60% espresso at this point. Such is the life of academia." He shrugs as if to say, what can you do?

You look down at the product in your hands, and then back up to him, mind racing in a thousand different directions that all leave you terrified but at the same decision.

"You know, there's a really nice late-night coffee shop in this same shopping complex. Their coffee is the only coffee I confidently drink after 4 pm. Which, is arguably not healthy but, what can you do?" You blurt out, rather impulsively. He's a little shocked, it's clear on his face, but there is still a smile there.

"Are you asking me if I'd like to accompany you to grab coffee at…9:45 pm?" He tilts his head quizzically after checking his watch.

You nod a few times, "Absolutely I am. And maybe it's the fact that my hip hurts so bad and it's prohibiting me from feeling fear but…yeah. Wanna get coffee at 9:45 pm?" He's staring at you incredulously, but it's sweet and amused.

He laughs again, and it's a low, rumbling sound, "I was already planning on getting some kind of caffeine. Sure. I would love to." He's looking at you so intensely, almost like he's studying you. Self-consciousness washes over you suddenly as you realize you've sort of completely derailed whatever he'd been doing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your shopping or your night…"

He shakes his head as if it were impossible to interrupt, "Interrupt my night? My night full of no plans other than grading papers until my eyes bleed? Alone and without the company of a pretty girl? Ah yes, how dare you come between me and those plans." his tone is playful, sarcastic and the nervousness fades from you as quickly as it came. Your eyes narrow.

"Oh, so he thinks I'm pretty?" You grab your purse from off the ground and start to move backward toward the register, and he follows, adjusting his cane and bag sheepishly.

"He does."

"Good because she thinks he's pretty too." You venture quickly before your brain can catch up with your mouth. It only takes a second for him to catch up with you, strolling through the aisles of a near-desolate Walgreens.

"Lucky him."

The cashier at the counter looks as though they'll fall asleep as they bag your items: the Arnicare and a bottle of dark green nail polish. "I swear I'm not typically this impulsive." You call over your shoulder as the cashier hands you your receipt and you stuff your things into your purse. Viktor walks up and puts his items on the counter - allergy medication and a pack of multicolored pens, presumably for grading - and turns to you while fishing out his wallet.

"Somehow, I highly doubt that." He pauses, thinking over his next words, "Not that being impulsive is a bad thing. I could stand to be more impulsive." It's an apology where there doesn't need to be one.

You shrug, "No offense taken, because you're right. I was just trying to save face."

"Why?"

"Well…" Why were you trying to save face? "I feel, maybe a professor wouldn't be so inclined to hang out with someone so uninhibited? Some people call me childish." As he takes the small bag from the cashier, you find his eyes again, and they are full of mirth.

"Firstly, not a professor. I'm a PhD student at the University not far from here. We, as TA's, usually get saddled with grading assignments and papers." He walks forward with you, letting you walk through the automated doors first, probably also so you can lead the way to the coffee shop.

"Secondly, I disagree. Impulsivity does not automatically equate to childishness. Some people say impulsive, I say driven, or passionate. Spontaneity is life." You stare at him unabashedly as you walk. This man, Viktor, waxing poetic about the benefits of impulsivity on your behalf. He's smart, obviously, but not in a haughty I'm Better Than You way. It's refreshing. And while you may not be a traditional academic, you understand to some level.

The cold bites at your skin, and you regret your decision to forgo a jacket, so you shiver when you tell him, "You're incredibly good at making me feel better about myself. I bet your students love you." He laughs at that - you're noticing that you seem to be quite good at making him laugh - and shakes his head disapprovingly

Then, guilty, "Not when I'm assigning pop quizzes after returning from winter break and calling them out for using AI."

"Ok the AI thing I completely understand, but assigning a pop quiz after a break is just cold on so many levels." College wasn't that cruel to you, but there had been many a quiz that you bombed simply because you hadn't been prepared for them. One or two that immediately followed a break.

The coffee shop comes up quickly and you move to open the door, but he's faster, shifting his bag to his elbow and grabbing the door for you as he quips, "Ah, so I see you would've been one of the students who failed that quiz." He's teasing you, and it's working.

"I can neither confirm nor deny. Although don't look at my freshman year grades. They force the art kids to take two semesters of stats and…it was just a fucking torpedo into my GPA."

"Fair enough." His laugh is starting to become one of your favorite sounds.

The warmth of the dimly lit shop is nice, especially after just being out in the cold. It seeps into your bones and mercifully leeches out some of the pain in your hip.

The shop is small, quaint, and its setup reminds you of a library. Secluded booths and tables with individual lamps on them, bookshelves lining the walls, and everything made out of dark wood. Viktor looks around in awe for a moment, then, "How have I never stumbled onto this place before?"

You mentally pat yourself on the back. It had been a few years ago that you'd found this place. After a bit of an insane night out cut short by a friend getting you kicked out of the bar, you frantically searched for food places open late. This place immediately popped up leading you and your friends to feast on pastries and sandwiches washed down by the most delicious coffee you'd ever had.

"I was just lucky. When you're drunk and hungry, you can find anything." You walk towards the back of the shop, picking out a booth in the corner, "Is this ok?"

Viktor nods, hanging his cane off the table and shrugging out of his jacket. There is a moment where you feel you might keel over right there, but it is through sheer power of will that you remain standing, because holy hell this man is attractive. He's wearing a three-quarter sleeve black turtleneck that clings to his body in a way that's not loose, nor is it skin-tight. You can see the barest hint of something underneath, perhaps a back brace to help with stability. Sitting down in the booth, you try to avert your eyes to no avail, as they roam over the dark brown slacks sitting high on his waist. It's a miracle you're not drooling. Staring down at the red, long sleeve sweater you'd paired with a deep brown skirt, you can't help but think we match.

He sits down slowly, and you recognize the strategy to minimize pain, then folds his hands in front of him. "So, freshman year statistics? I believe you called it a 'fucking torpedo'?"

"Of course you picked up on that."

"Well, you were rather emphatic about it." The smugness is radiating off of him in waves and it stokes the fire in your gut.

Huffing, "Not everyone can be a whiz at math and science. I mean, what are you getting your PhD in?"

It looks like he's biting back a shit eating grin, "Biomedical engineering."

"Oh fuck off."

He releases the hold over the grin he was hiding and you're blinded by it. It absolutely makes sense, in retrospect. His analytical gaze, as if taking things apart in his mind and putting them back together, even just the way he talks speaks, so sure and confident. Your mouth opens to say something but a waitress decides that moment is prime opportunity to get your drink orders.

Viktor orders a Turkish coffee and you order a french vanilla iced latte with cinnamon. As the waitress leaves, he wrinkles his nose.

"You call that coffee? It is just sugar. And iced? It's freezing out."

"Oh so first you critique my grade in stats, and now you attack my coffee order? You hate me and want me dead." Your arms fold in front of your chest as you stare at him in mock challenge. His hands shift to rest on his biceps, fingers spreading over the evidently lean muscle there and you fight to keep your breathing steady.

"I retract my statement, I bare you no ill will."

"Yeah you better, me and my sugar coffee will beat the shit out of your boiled coffee grounds." Now it's his turn to raise his eyebrows.

"You mock my drink, a traditional drink from my home country? Now you hate me and want me dead."

A warmth pours over your cheeks and you feel it heat the tips of your ears, all the way down to your shoulders. Something flashes in his gaze that tells you he definitely noticed.

"Touche." It's only a minute more before the waitress returns with your orders, said minute filled with meaningful glances and sitting adjustments on your part, your hip still aches slightly, but it's easier to ignore at this point.

You're mid sip when he fixes you with a stare, hands wrapped around his own drink, and asks, "So I can rule out anything to do with statistics, but what do you do, miss (name)? I believe you referred to yourself as an 'art kid'?"

Ah, the tricky part of explaining what you do to an academic. Not to say you weren't an academic yourself, just…a very different flavor of it.

"Yeah. In college I dual majored in Psychology and Theatre Arts. So I feel like I play both sides of the court, despite how many of the other scientists refuse to recognize psychology as a science." You spit the word as if it were a dagger, still holding a vendetta against your 11th grade physics teacher who called it a pseudo science.

"But my real love is Theatre. Whether it be Musicals or Shakespeare, it's my passion. I dialect coach on the side to make extra money, but mostly I love performing." There it was, out in the open. Would he call you foolish? Tell you to get a real career? Get up and leave? Probably not, but anxiety can lead you to places you wouldn't dare venture with a gun.

Pensive, he sits, staring at you with renewed interest, "Your impulsivity must suit you well in that career path, always having to think on ones feet and remain immersed in the moment." You instantly smile again.

"Exactly! There have been so many times when people have forgotten their lines and I've had to come up with something on the fly. It's…exhilarating." There's a certain sparkle that lights up your face whenever you talk about theatre, it's your passion, you can't help it. You only hope it translates.

"I know it must seem silly, pursuing the arts. Hell you're probably going to go on to change the world in a field like 'biomedical engineering'." You muse, leaning your cheek into your hand as you meet his eyes. It flatters him, you can tell, as he shifts in his seat, puffing his chest out slightly in pride.

"While I thank you for your vote of enthusiasm, I do not find it silly to pursue the arts at all."

"You don't?"

"No. I find it inspiring that you are pursuing your dream. I am pursuing mine. We should all chase after what interests us." His eyes are thoughtful, kind, and you want to swim in them forever.

A beat, then, "A lot of people have called me stupid. But I can't see myself doing anything else. I know it's cheesy to say, but it feels fated. Like, I'm supposed to be doing this. It's what my atoms traveled billions of years to do." Staring into your cup, you're hit with the intensity of this confession. It's not something you tell to most people.

"And…" he clears his throat, "I think it is the most admirable thing one can do, to follow what you believe your destiny to be." Good god you like this man, you like Viktor. Not just as an infatuation or a crush, you want to get to know him.

"Thank you Viktor." Another sip of your drink and the sugar spurs you onwards, "Do you happen to like theatre? I'm sure an English lit class somewhere forced you to read at least on Shakespeare play. They did always seem to make the STEM kids suffer through classic literature as some sort of revenge for putting us art kids through math." His gaze fixes you to your spot and you find that even if you wanted to, you wouldn't be able to pull away from it. It's hypnotizing and has you pinned with the sheer intensity of it. You were learning that above all else, Viktor had a quiet intensity to him.

"I have read my fair share of Shakespeare as well as a few greek plays, but I admit, I read them mostly from an analytical standpoint, and not for mere enjoyment or to marvel in the artistry. My favorite would probably have to be Macbeth, though." He takes another sip of his coffee that still has steam curling off the top of it.

You nod approvingly, "A splendid choice. Your aesthetic certainly fits the more tragic, macabre, dramatic plays. Though I could see you enjoying Much Ado About Nothing."

"I…thank you?" Eyebrows pinched in confusion, he laughs.

"No, no it's a compliment! You just have a very…dark acedmia, gothic vibe to you. it…it tracks."

He leans back in his seat, "Gothic?"

"Yeah. it's incredibly attractive don't worry."

…

Wait-

"Incredibly attractive you say?" And he's sipping on his coffee again, watching as that all too familiar flush spreads over your skin again. Damn your mouth.

"You…I…hell-" You sip your coffee in an effort to keep yourself quiet. He's making you bolder, making you feel comfortable, loosening your tongue, beckoning you into the sea like a siren and you're not sure if you'll be able to tread water.

"Hey," his voice is soft, coaxing, "for what it is worth, I too find you incredibly attractive. I'm sorry, I did not mean to make you so flustered." The sincerity in his voice has you reeling. Placing your coffee down, you rubs at your cheeks with your hands.

"Somehow, I find it hard to believe you're that sorry when you seem so pleased with yourself watching me flush." You accuse, somewhat parroting what he said about you denying your impulsivity. Now it's his turn to flush, his pale cheeks turning rosey at having being caught.

A comfortable silence washes over the both of you momentarily as you sit with the confessions that have just been made. Well…it's nice to know that the attraction is mutual. Both of your coffee's were near finished by this point, and there was a part of you that regretted how fast you drank it.

"How is your leg?" He breaks the silence after the waitress returns to take away your empty glasses. You roll your hips slightly, testing the tension in your hip and how far the pain radiates.

"Mm, better. Could be worse, it's starting to ebb finally, but I'm still planning on slathering that Arnicare you recommended all over my leg and laying in my bed until the pain finally goes away." You conclude, hoping to God that the Arnicare works as well as he's hyping it up. "Maybe go crazy and light a lavender candle."

He's digging something out of his bag as he responds, "I'm glad it is feeling slightly better. I fully endorse the Arnicare, it has helped me immensely over the years and I trust it will help you too." The waitress returns to drop off the check and it's too late that you realize Viktor had been looking for his wallet as he places money in the little booklet and hands it back to her with a soft, "Keep the change."

You stare at him in mock offense.

"What?"

"Don't what me, you didn't even let me attempt-"

"There was no universe in which I was going to let you pay, so why even entertain it?"

"Let me pay? You are evil." But you're smiling as you slide out of the booth.

"Maybe so." Is all he says as he stands up, readjusting his shirt and grabbing for his coat. Checking your watch, you realize it's 10:45 and you've spent nearly an hour with this man, and yet it feels as though it's only been minutes. Bidding goodnight to the workers, you bothexit the shop and are hit with a blast of cold air.

"Why are you…you did not bring a jacket?" Viktor stares at you as if you've grown another head. "Are you…it is below freezing out!"

You pause, and breathe in the crisp cold air, "I like the cold, it's not so bad, I promise I'm ok." But he's already moving to grab the scarf from around his neck and balance his cane on his arm.

"Viktor-"

"Shush." Your mouth shuts and you let him wind the red scarf around your neck. It smells like him, woody and warm and you know you'll be breathing it in later.

"Bláznivá žena." He murmurs in what you can only assume is his mother tongue.

"Well that didn't sound very nice." His hands still on the edges of the scarf as he finishes securing it. Whatever he was about to say dies on his lips as he stares down at you. Despite the freezing air swirling around you, everything suddenly feels warm. And you know how cliche it sounds, but truly, it feels as though the world melts away and you are stuck in this little circle of warmth.

He looks from your eyes to your lips, "Can I-"

"Absolutely." You answer far too quickly. He laughs again, and its lighter than the others, as if a weight has been taken off of his chest and the laugh had been filled with air, just waiting to escape.

He wastes no time in bringing his hands up to your wind bitten cheeks and pulling your lips to his. They're slightly chapped, but warm and sure and soft as he kisses you. Your breath is gone and you realize every cheesy thing you've ever read about kisses is true. It is all encompassing and earth-shattering. If you knew anything about physics you would say that it feels like atoms colliding.

Seconds, minutes, hours, you don't know how long it is before you finally detach. You leave your eyes closed for a few seconds more, basking in the feeling.

"Wow." It's barely a whisper when you finally speak, opening your eyes to find him staring down at you, smiling unabashedly.

"My thoughts, exactly." His hands slips down your shoulders before one of them finds your hand, the other taking his cane as he leads you back to the parking lot. It's nice, just walking hand in hand with him to your cars.

"This is me." You murmur sadly as you come upon your car, parked in the handicapped parking spot. He stops and looks at you in disbelief, and you furrow your brows in confusion. His hand detaches from yours, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his car keys, clicking the unlock button. The car parked directly next to your beeps and unlocks. You'd parked right next to one another and you absolutely lose it, doubling over in laughter.

"Oh my god that is crazy."

"Well, given the fact that we both have handicapped stickers-"

"Nope, shush, let me have this." You turn back to him after catching your breath and hold out your hand, "Let me see your phone."

He obliges, even unlocking it for you before dropping it into your waiting hand. With half numb fingers, you input your phone number and contact info before returning it to him.

"To let you know how well your recommendation works." You smile as you head toward your drivers side door, unlocking it and sliding into the seat so quickly, you leave Viktor stunned. He shakes his head in mock annoyance and walks over to your window, tapping on it until you roll it down.

"Yes?" But he's leaning in and kissing you again, stealing the breath right out of your lungs. When he pulls away, you're left just as stunned as he was.

"Nothing, just wanted to say Goodnight." He walks off, gets into his own car, right next to you, and drives off, all while you're sitting in your car, window still down, and processing what just happened as the cold blasts you.

Wordlessly, you roll up your window and smile uncontrollably.

For the first time in your life, you are thankful for your chronic pain.

[spatialwave]

"my ambition" - part three | the prequel

➸ pairing: jayvik x fem!reader ➸ word count: 4.5k ➸ tags: mdni! minimal nsfw, fluffly, poly relationship, relationship beginnings, blossoming love, s1 act 1, no mention of y/n, alcohol use. ➸ notes: so excited to get this out! had a fun time giving this relationship history and i spent way too much time overthinking whether the ending was too rushed or if it was too self-indulgent... and then i realized its a fic so i get to do what i want LOL! pls let me know if you would like more parts, or if you want some drabbles about this specific trio. i would really appreciate it.🥹

<- part 2

You had always been academically gifted. Rising to the top of your classes each semester, pushing aside anyone in your way. Especially for a young woman, who had been accepted into the Academy before you had even finished your secondary schooling – a gifted student with the proudest of parents and professors.

Born with an influx of ambition flowing through your veins, knowing from a young age your duties to the world. It took more than wordy false promises to make a difference to Runeterra, it took action. That’s why you vowed to help Zaun.

What better way to take action, than to help those who had been long forgotten about. You were smart enough to see the way the city had been tossed aside, forgotten about, while Piltover only continued to grow and thrive. There was sickness festering underneath, people dying because of the less-than living conditions and poverty that swallowed it whole.

There were many days when you wondered if it was too much, if you, as a topsider, could actually make a difference. Would anyone want your help? The bigger question being – how were you going to help?

Then, you met Viktor. 

That was when your ambition rose higher than ever. A smart, young man a handful of years older than you – a man from Zaun himself. The youngest assistant to the dean, a title that was hard to come by, and rather jealousy inducing.

You’d weaseled your way into his life quite easily, finding him in the halls and striking conversation whenever you could. He was polite, and good at slipping away when your attention became overbearing. You couldn’t help your over-excitement for a scholar from the undercity. Someone who matched your levels of ambition. Someone who was able to teach you about the place that had been nothing more than whispers and off-hand comments by your peers.

You fell in love. Quickly, and hard.

Viktor, too. It was your smile, your innate excitement, the genuine intrigue you had of him and how he was able to share the experiences of chronic illness with someone who wasn’t just a damned doctor – someone who understood the pain. How could he not fall in love?

Viktor found himself appreciating you more and more with each passing day, wondering when you’d sneak through the halls to find him to share your newest revelation.

Wondering when he could be expected to be pulled into a broom closet so you could ravage his lips with your own. He hadn’t been so experienced with romance until you appeared in his life, content with focusing on his studies at the academy. You changed the trajectory of his life—and so had Jayce.

-

”Hextech?” You raised an eyebrow, sitting on a stone bench within the academy courtyard and holding a half-eaten apple in your hand, “I don’t know. Sounds… unstable,” you murmured honestly, looking between Viktor’s eyes as he stood in front of you. You took another bite, the sweet flavour calming you.

You had to admit, as much as you were uncomfortable with this new scientific breakthrough, so to speak, you had never seen Viktor quite this excited about anything.

“Precisely,” Viktor said, eyes practically shimmering as he spoke to you, “that’s why you’re going to help.”

“No way,” you huffed, standing on your feet and waving him away, “you just told me that all the work got confiscated, how the hell would I even help?” You spoke in a hushed whisper, as if Heimerdinger himself was listening in to the conversation.

“Eh, confiscated is a loose term,” he said, taking a step toward you, a gentle hand on your shoulder. You tensed at the touch, turning your head from his gaze and shaking your head adamantly.

You had morals, and perhaps you listened to the dean a bit too much at times. Science was incredible, but ethics were important, and the explosion was proof that it was an unpredictable type of magic. If Heimerdinger made the call that hextech was unsafe, a yordle with decades over your own experiences, then you should listen, no?

“It has the capabilities of helping more than just the city,” he urged, fingers tightening on your shoulder, “Please. Let us show you.”

Those words tugged at your heartstrings, leaving you conflicted as your heart yearned to know more. You took a deep breath, closing your eyes momentarily as your mind reeled at all the possibilities.

The first image to pop in your mind was the proper union of Zaun and Piltover, an incredible feat that no one could ever pull off. No more distinction between the two – just one beautiful place to live. Your dream.

Could hextech really be the key?

“Fine,” you sighed, crinkling your nose and opening your eyes, “but I’m under no obligation to like this Jayce guy, he sounds like he doesn’t know how to properly take care of his research.” You looked up at Viktor through your lashes, watching the way the corners of his lips curved into a small smile, “Why are you smiling like that?”

—

“Crank it!” Jayce exclaimed from his chair, eyes full of childlike wonder, as Viktor stood at the chalkboard, crossing through equations and murmuring about the research he was still properly acquainting himself with.

You, however, stood next to Jayce, chewing hard on your bottom lip as your partner agreed with his words.

It all seemed fine, plausible, even. Yet, you remained apprehensive.

“And it if it doesn’t stabilize, what then? Part two of the great blue explosion that destroyed your apartment?” You asked, eyes focusing on the man sitting, his honey-coloured eyes shining as they watched you. Your stomach twisted tight, hating the way he made you fill with butterflies.

You knew him for less than twenty-four hours, and he already had you twisted around his fingers. Gods.

It was completely unfair to be caught between them both.

“It’s worth a test,” he was adamant, then a sigh left his lips, “but we don’t have access to my equipment.”

“Which is being destroyed tomorrow,” Viktor murmured, eyes back on the chalkboard and fingers touching his chin as he was lost deep in thought.

You jumped when Jayce stood quickly, the chair he sat on nearly toppling over.

“What?” he asked, panic rising in his throat.

“Oh, yeah,” Viktor cringed, looking over his shoulder at Jayce, “Sorry. I meant to tell you.”

You could sense the way Jayce was teetering on the edge of a breakdown, his breath hitching in his throat as he rambled on about how it was his life work, how they could show the council the equations to show them the proof. There had to be something!

But Viktor was right, proof wasn’t reliable on paper. They needed physical proof. A real test.

“We can’t do it without the crystals. The enforcers took them all, they’re gone,” Jayce ran his hands over his face as he collapsed onto the chair once more, deflated from the situation.

Your hand rested atop his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze, much like Viktor did with you when you were overworked. Jayce flickered his gaze to you, those puppy-like eyes offering a silent ‘thank-you’.

“Mhm,” Viktor hummed, “locked away in Heimerdinger’s lab,” he continued, eyes settling on you.

“No,” you were quick to know where he was going with this, “Count me out, we are not breaking in.”

“She’s right,” Jayce said, eyes widening, “you heard the council, if we’re wrong–”

“Better be right then,” Viktor interrupted, and Jayce’s eyes sparkled with possibility.

You felt a tightness in your chest, shaking your head as you took a step back. The two of them spoke back and forth, but you hadn’t been listening. Just as you reached the boiling point, you turned on your heels and took a step away, but Jayce was quick to turn his attention back to you. He stepped forward, hand grabbing your wrist, and you felt your heart jump up into your throat.

“Stay,” he pleaded, hand tightening.

You huffed a loud sigh through your nostrils, brows creasing together and lifting. Gods, why did he have to be so goddamned charming? You hardly noticed the curious look that Viktor gave you two before rolling his eyes and turning back to the chalkboard. The smirk on his lips well hidden.

“Fine!” You snapped, pulling your arm from his grip, “but if we get caught I’m telling everyone that you two made me do it. I am not taking the fall for this.”

Jayce grinned, a toothy smile that lit your cheeks aflame, “Deal.”

You stayed a few feet behind the two men, arms crossed over your chest, as you careened through the halls quietly. You were hardly a rule breaker, in fact, usually a stickler for keeping peace. It was in your nature, like many topsiders.

When the three of you reached the door, you felt panic rising as footsteps echoed down the hall from where you had just come from.

“Shit,” Jayce whispered, “hurry.”

Viktor was fiddling with the keys, fingers filtering through them until he found the one for Heimerdinger’s lab. With practiced ease, he slipped the key into the door lock, twisting back and forth until it clicked.

Both you and Jayce were standing side-by-side, watching a flashlight in the distance, pointing in your direction, but too far to pick up on the three figures breaking in.

Viktor opened the door, and they stepped inside, but you were frozen. Unable to tear your gaze away from the enforcer that had been doing patrols and walking right toward you.

“Ah!” You gasped when there was a harsh tug on your arm, stumbling into the laboratory and crashing against Jayce’s chest. Viktor closed the door behind you without even the slightest creaking – a perfectly silent entrance.

“You've never broken a rule in your life, have you?” Jayce smiled, eyes watching you with curiosity as you pulled away from him yet again. You opened your mouth to answer but Viktor cut you off.

“She is a law-abiding citizen,” he answered, supporting himself on his cane as he walked further into the lab, looking around for the confiscated equipment.

“Can you guys keep it down? They’ll hear us.” You whispered, pushing past Jayce. Annoyed, and thankful the redness on your cheeks wasn’t visible in the darkened room.

“Huh,” Jayce grinned in response to Viktor, walking behind you as he looked around the lab, “you’re not kidding.”

“Shut up.” You hissed.

Settling in the lab, you stood off to the side, peering at some of Heimerdinger’s books as Jayce scrambled to find the pieces of his work. You listened to the sounds of the electrical whirring as he welded the parts back together, lost in thought as your fingers traced over the spine of a book.

A hand lifted to the small of your back, startling you for a moment.

“Sorry,” Viktor murmured, eyes watching you.

“It’s okay,” you chuckled, smiling as you leaned against him. Silence grew between you two as you slowly dropped your hand from the bookcase. You glanced at Viktor, biting down on the inside of your lip in habit, “Do you think hextech really has the strength to help people? Like us?”

Those honey-eyes softened as they flickered over your nervous expression, and he nodded, “I do.”

With a deep inhale, you tried to let go of your apprehension to the situation. This was for the best. If you wanted to reach your dreams, you had to run over a few toes, right?

“It’s all here,” Jayce called from his spot at the table, pulling the goggles off of his face and turning to look over at you two.

Viktor held up a blue hextech crystal to you, one from the handful that was confiscated, and when you offered him a questionable look, he insisted with the forward movement of his hand. Slowly, you reached out and took it in your fingers, feeling the rigid orb press against your skin.

This was it.

You pressed a kiss to his cheek before making your way to Jayce, who had been looking at you two with a small smile.

“Here,” you said, offering the crystal with an open palm as you stood next to him, Viktor coming up beside you.

Jayce reached out, taking the crystal, but not without a lingering touch to your hand. Viktor took notice, a sparkle in his eyes that you hadn’t noticed as you watched in curiosity as the hextech crystal was placed into the machinery.

It glowed a bright blue hue, sparks from the crystal illuminating the room. You had never seen anything so beautiful.

“It’s time to crank it!” Viktor said excitedly as he snapped close one of Jayce’s notebooks he had spent time looking through the past few days, looking in front of you and toward Jayce.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” He asked, growing uncertain as Viktor sucked back a breath and shook his head.

“Do it,” you interjected, eyes wide as you stared at the beauty of the hextech. The inner scientist in you couldn’t be tamed any longer, you needed to see what this could do. It was almost addicting, and you couldn’t look away. It had sucked you in completely, “you have to try.”

They shared a look between each other, swallowing lumps down their throats. Viktor leaned forward, pressing the button of the machine, and it began to spin. It gained enough speed that it created a constant blow of wind that pushed your hair back wildly – electric currents flying wildly.

“I don’t think it’s going to hold!” Jayce said loudly, the electrical crackling of the machine deafening all other noses, “look at the buildup!”

“The resonance will stabilize it, trust me,” Viktor returned, sharing a thoughtful look with Jayce, an attempt to calm him.

You, however, were unable to look away. You stared at the wild glows of blue, a smile on your face, and blissfully unaware of the enforcers that were making their way up to the laboratory after seeing the blue light shining from the windows of the lab.

Moments later, the chaos settled, and you gasped with a big smile, hands slamming on the tabletop, “this is incredible!” You exclaimed in awe, watching as it stabilized.

Viktor smiled to himself, his hand finding your back yet again, “told you it would work,” he said encouragingly, eyes flickering to Jayce, “all yours.”

“It’s never done that before,” he murmured to himself, unable to tear his gaze from the slowly spinning crystal that sent waves of electricity to the surrounding runes, “...alright. Here we go.”

Hesitantly, he reached to the button Viktor had pressed, twisting the knob several times, so the surrounding runes began to spin and orbit the crystal.

You watched expectantly as Jayce twisted it over and over, creating different pathways for the crystal to spark energy. You couldn’t help but lean closer, even when the out flowing electricity stung your cheeks.

What the three of you hadn’t expected was a surge of energy to blast out, nearly toppling you all and breaking the lab’s windows. Within the impact, you fell right into Jayce with a yelp. Strong arms wrapped around you as he reached for the knob, and you clung to him, face buried into his chest.

The energy was strong, and for a moment you prepared for the untimely death of three scientists who just wanted to change lives. How fitting.

Then, the glass from the window flew back into place, as though time around you reversed, causing a brief moment of respite and enough time for Jayce to push forward and slam his hand on the button. The crystal fell back into place, and you were all able to breathe.

Slowly, you peeled yourself away from Jayce, feeling around your face and body to make sure your body was still completely intact.

“Incredible,” Viktor beamed, smiling, “we need to try again.”

You and Jayce shared a look, silently agreeing that it was now or never. And for you, there was no more backing out.

This time, you took a few steps back, not wanting to be caught up in the aftermath of a worse explosion, but still curious enough to peek over their shoulders. As you settled back, you swore you heard sounds coming from the hallway, but it was hard to tell over the crackling sounds of the hextech.

Pressing your ear against the door, you closed your eyes to focus, and you gasped.

“Someone’s coming,” you told them, hands holding the doorknob tight, “you better hurry.”

Viktor took a few steps to the door, sliding his cane through the handles of the door so it was snug, “better than nothing.”

The two of you shared a startled gasp, the rattling of the door loud when the enforcers reached the door and began to hit it with force, kicking and yelling for you to open up. Heimerdinger was with them.

“Stop this lunacy at once!” He called from beyond the door, and your gut twisted in guilt.

A few more heavy kicks and the door creaked.

“They’re almost through,” Viktor said, turning around back to Jayce’s side, “no pressure.”

“That sounds like pressure!” Jayce yelled, working hard to synchronize the runes with the knob. He looked over his shoulder at you, who was now pressing against the door with your weight. With each kick of the door, you huffed, doing your best to keep them from pushing it in.

A rather heavy kick caused you to stumble, but you got right back to it, watching over your shoulder as Jayce closed his eyes and focused on the hextech. 

Your attention was pulled back to the door when the cane cracked, and you tried to push against the door, but it was no use. One more kick and you’d be goners.

But the hextech won.

The sound of another surge pushed you against the door, and you panicked at the intensity that felt like it was going to crush you, and then suddenly… you were weightless. You turned to Jayce and Viktor, eyes wide, as you all had begun to float up into the air.

After one more kick, they broke inside, but the surge reached them, too. They stumbled back, while you had started laughing.

It was incredible, absolutely incredible.

“Excuse me, underfoot,” Heimerdinger spoke, pushing past the enforcer and stepping inside his lab, gasping when his eyes landed on you three.

You were nearly touching the ceiling, floating with your belly to the ground and caught slowly spinning between Jayce and Viktor. Your giggles erupted into a fit of laughter, unable to control it as you twisted around in the air. 

Jayce flicked a piece of metal, where it floated through a glowing blue orb that was just above you, and it shot out right at Viktor. You collectively gasped, taking everything in.

This was magic and science blurred together, a medley of perfection. Hextech worked. You did it!

“Will you please stop hovering?” Heimerdinger spoke, looking up as you spun your body around, touching and prodding at debris.

It was like swimming, you were able to push yourself, and you accidentally collided against Jayce, the two of you sharing a laugh. You couldn’t quite place it, but as your eyes caught his, you felt something – like a mutual intrigue of each other. Was attraction too strong of a word? Your cheeks reddened, matching his own, then he cleared his throat and turned his gaze away.

“I’m not sure how to do that, sir,” Viktor finally responded, pushing toward you both and smiling as the three of you moved around together smoothly, not touching. Floating. Feeling free.

Like all things in life, it didn’t last. The surged power of the hextech settled, and thankfully it was a smooth descend that kept you three from any broken bones.

Viktor had been wrangled by Heimerdinger, only after a good verbal lashing that included you and Jayce. Blabbering about the rules, ethics and how dangerous this was. At the end, your partner had been whisked away for damage control, trying to explain everything and to keep any of you three from penalties and punishments.

It left you and Jayce to clean up, gathering everything together into the back area of the lab, still in awe over everything that had happened.

Once finished, you stepped out into the brisk night air first, somehow still chipper enough to bounce down the steps while Jayce hustled behind you. You hadn’t been so inclined to do goodbyes, but he stopped you with a hand on your wrist, much like earlier. It sent a shiver up your arm.

“Wait,” he said, and you faced him, battling the redness that crept up your neck as you tried to remain composed, “will you stay?” he asked, grip loosening on your wrist, “to help us, I mean.”

“With the hextech? Of course,” you answered, rolling your eyes playfully, “Who in their right mind would see that and not want to explore it? That was incredible, Jayce. You should be really proud of yourself.”

A smile lifted at the corners of his cheeks, the compliment doing wonders to the insecurities that lie deep within him.

“Wanted to make sure,” he eventually said, dropping your wrist as you both ventured away and into Piltover, toward your homes, “I like you. Well, I mean – you’re good to have around. Smart, you know.”

A giggle bubbled up, a hand lifting to your mouth to try to stifle it, “you’re a dork, just like Viktor.”

Jayce smiled at you, biting down on his bottom lip as the two of you ventured down the streets together, “how long have you two been together?”

The question was quick to fluster you as you met Jayce’s curious gaze. You wondered if the question accidentally slipped out, and you could ignore it, but you could tell he was waiting for an answer.

“Oh, uh, just a couple of months. Officially.” You answered shyly, hands clasped behind your back as you walked side-by-side.

“That’s nice,” he murmured, “...so, has he always been so absurdly intense about science? Don’t get me wrong, I like everything about his ambitions, he’s a great guy for even wanting to help me. He’s just—“

“Surprisingly eccentric?” You laughed, nodding, “when he gets excited about something, it’s like his brain goes haywire. I suppose that’s the way of being an ambitious innovator”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” Jayce smiled, quietly admiring you in the moonlight. Studying and memorizing everything he could.

The two of you ended up walking around aimlessly, indulging in small chatter as you shared your hopes and dreams. You shared nearly everything you could about your life, and he told his story about him and his mother, and how that sparked his discovery towards hextech. It was easy to talk to Jayce, to get lost in his voice – he was just so damned kind.

Nearly an hour passed when you finally approached your apartment, which was rather close to the Academy. The two of you had simply taken a few detours around the neighbouring streets.

“Trust me, if you want to get on the dean’s good side, then you need to…” your voice drifted off when your eyes settled on a certain individual sitting outside on a stone bench. Broken cane in his hand and looking up at the sky. “Viktor!” You called out, rushing ahead, “if I had known you were coming back to mine, I would’ve hurried back.”

He turned to look at you two, raising a curious eyebrow and smirking as Jayce slowed his pace behind you, “I have only been here a few minutes, it’s all right.”

You dug around for your keys in your pocket, walking up to him and outstretching an arm for support as he stood. He could walk relatively okay without his cane, but you still enjoyed the way he would lean on you. It became habitual between you two.

“I should leave you both to it,” Jayce cleared his throat, giving an awkward wave as you two ventured toward the apartment.

“Why don’t you come in?” Viktor asked, motioning for him to follow.

You looked up at him in interest, figuring the two of you would be falling asleep the moment you got inside. Nonetheless, you went along with it.

“No, no, it’s late. I don’t want to overstay–”

“Come inside, Jayce. We don’t bite.”

Viktor was convincing enough, or perhaps Jayce had too much of a soft spot for him because he was quick to accept the invitation.

It ended up being a great night, the three of you crowding around your kitchen table. Drinking some nicely aged wine you had hidden away for only the most important occasions. You celebrated your shared success and discussed everything hextech, the possibilities and what you hoped it would provide. You shared laughs, especially as the night went on, and you had all begun to feel a bit delirious at times as the sun began lighting the sky above the horizon and the wine settled in your stomachs.

“Well, I hate to be the one to end the night,” you smiled, sleep beginning to win its war over you, “I’m tired and sore, I should get some sleep.”

“Yeah, I should get back to mine, or, what’s left of it,” Jayce agreed with a dampened chuckle, eyes flickering out of the window to gauge the time with the colour of the skyline.

“Why don’t you stay the night?” The question fell from your lips much too quickly, unsure if it was your overt politeness or an underlying desire that lead it, “if you’re okay with that.” You shot your gaze to Viktor.

It felt like hours, but the few seconds you took to share a look said lots. A silent agreement about your shared feelings for Jayce.

“Sure,” he answered. A shy smile tugged at your lips, and your lover turned back to Jayce.

The man seemed a bit uncertain, and maybe a bit too tipsy to understand the looks thrown at him. His amber eyes jumped between you two, “I’ve intruded far too mu–”

“Stay.” Your voice mixed with Viktor’s almost too perfectly, in complete synchronization.

“Okay.”

The night became a blur. It was Viktor who had led you both to the bedroom, the wine clouding all judgment from the three parties and allowing you to just be. To indulge in each other without wondering what would come next. To allow yourselves to act on attraction and lust with nothing holding you back.

“I’m glad you stayed,” you murmured, lips lingering along the stubble on Jayce’s jawline. Viktor, who was behind you, peppered kisses along your bare shoulders.

“Me too,” Jayce breathed in response, hands careening your naked body and intertwining with Viktor’s fingers with they met over your hip.

“Let’s stop talking,” Viktor mumbled with a quick nip at your skin, the confidence in his voice sending a shiver down your spine.

Jayce wasn’t quite certain how he managed to be wrangled in by you both, but he wasn’t going to complain. Not when, for once, everything felt right.

[deathbxnny]

◇《ARCANE MASTERLIST》◇

》Masterlist Navigation

-----♡

》Started on: 13/11/24

》Updated on: 19/12/24

》General headcanons:

Arcane women accidentally confessing to you. | Sevika, Jinx, Caitlyn, Vi x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters when someone flirts with you. | Viktor, Jayce, Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx, Sevika x Gn!Reader

Imagine the reader being there at the Vander statue during the attack (part two)

What Arcane characters are like when drunk. | Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx, Ekko, Sevika x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters saying things they'll regret during an argument with you. | Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx, Ekko, Sevika x Gn!Reader

Making up with Arcane characters after a bad argument. | Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx, Ekko, Sevika x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters reacting to you having a panic attack! | Caitlyn, Sevika, Jinx, Vi x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters with an s/o that has ADHD. | Viktor, Sevika, Vander and Vi

The Timekeeper. | Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters reacting to their s/o dressed up really pretty. | Vi, Ekko, Jinx x Gn!Reader

Arcane men saying things they'll regret during an argument. | Viktor, Jayce, Silco x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters with an S/o who has ADHD. | Caitlyn, Jinx, Ekko x Gn!Reader

Arcane women cheating on their s/o and getting caught. | Vi, Caitlyn, Sevika x Gn!Reader

Arcane men with an S/O that has an ED. | Viktor, Silco, Jayce, Ekko x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters with a s/o that's blind! | Ekko, Vi, Jinx, Viktor x Gn! Reader

Arcane women with a Fem!s/o that would do anything and everything for them. | Mel, Jinx, Caitlyn x Gn!Reader

Arcane women with an s/o that dies after an argument. | Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn x Gn!Reader

Arcane characters with a chronically ill s/o. | Viktor, Caitlyn, Vi x Gn!Reader

Arcane women seeing you again after cheating on you. | Vi, Caitlyn, Sevika x Gn!Reader

Arcane women comforting you after a toxic relationship. | Sevika, Vi, Jinx x Gn!Reader

》Caitlyn Kirammann:

Our blood will drip from your hands. | Caitlyn x Fem!Reader (part 2)

Caitlyn with a childhood best friend Navia-like!Reader.

》Vi:

Vi with a Vastayan!Reader

Vi taking care of drunk fem!Reader.

Vi with a best friend Wriothesley-like!Gn!Reader.

》Sevika:

Being besties with Sevika!

Sevika with a devoted and loving s/o!

》Jinx:

Please don't leave me. | Jinx x Fem!Reader

"I'm sorry you lost your way home." | Jinx x Reader

Jinx with a Vastayan Gf!Reader.

》Viktor:

The failed overachiever. | Viktor x Gn!Reader

》Ekko:

Ekko finding his Fem!s/o again in the alternative universe.

-----♡

●《REQUEST INFO》●

[cheeriecherry]

The Lonely [Chapter One]

Pairing: Viktor x fem!Reader Warnings: vampirism, reader being dramatic af Fandom: Arcane Proofread: no lol

Summary: You’re old, you’re tired, you’re immortal, and life sucks. Until one day, a human guy breaks into your castle and becomes your house-mate.

~~~Chapter One~~~

You remain by your unexpected guests’ side throughout the night. From behind your book, you watch him as he tosses and turns and tries to get comfortable in his sleep.

Even now that he’s warm and dry and settled down somewhere soft, he doesn’t exactly look…healthy. At first, you’d thought the darkness around his eyes had been minor, but now that his skin has gotten some colour back, the shadows have darkened. It concerns you, even if only slightly.

What bothers you more is the way his lungs rattle slightly with every breath. The average person might not be able to hear a thing, but with your enhanced senses, you can hear the crackling of buildup in his chest. 

Your first guess was an infection; pneumonia, perhaps, or bronchitis. But you’d taken his temperature out of curiosity, and it had been normal. No sign of his body trying to fight anything. It made you wonder if there wasn’t something more going on with him, a chronic illness or something more deadly.

Quietly, you tuck the blankets back up around him, momentarily debating if you should add another, but you wouldn’t want to suffocate the poor man. So you stop fussing over him and leave him be, plopping down in your chaise and returning to your book.

~~~

You’re about half way through the novel when you hear his heart rate beginning to pick up. Your gaze flicks to him for a couple moments, and you also notice his breathing becoming shallower.

You set your book down and lean forward a bit, observing him quietly while his body wakes up. It’s been so long since you’ve properly been around a human, you’d almost forgotten how many small details their simple existence held. Tiny fidgets and movements, ever-moving eyes and a primal dislike of silence.

You’re so lost in thought while you watch him that you almost miss his lids fluttering open and his gaze casting around the room. Thankfully, he stirs rather loudly and stretches his limbs with a sigh.

You lean forward a little more, and his eyes finally settle on you. Golden irises with flecks of brown, darkening some when his pupils dilate as he focuses on you. He swallows thickly, clearing his throat while he sits up on the bed.

“I…take it I made it to the manor, then? The one on the moor?” he asks, voice coarse with sleep.

You tilt your head slightly, and nod.

“Ah…good. That’s good,” he continues. “I honestly wasn’t sure I would be able to make the hike, and no one seemed to want to drop me off at your door -assuming of course, that you- do you live here?”

He’s unsure, both in his tone and his movements; wringing his hands without even realizing.

Again, you nod.

He huffs a single laugh, reclining back onto his elbows. “You’re not the talkative type, I presume?” he asks, pausing for a moment to stretch his back, and you wince when several pops come from his spine.

“That’s fine,” he tells you, “I’m…not particularly inclined to socialize, either.”

You both sit in silence for several minutes, and you watch as he becomes more and more agitated, picking at his cuticles and running his hands through his hair, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves and rolling the buttons of his shirt around.

Finally, you ask him, “Why did you come here?”

He looks somewhat relieved that you’ve spoken, though whether it’s intentional or not, you don’t know.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he says plainly, and you narrow your eyes.

He seems to notice the change in your demeanor, and he rushes to correct himself, “Not you specifically. Just one of your kind. This place was the last on my list, of where I could possibly find one.”

“My kind?” you keep your tone neutral.

“You know…? Vampires?”

You’re unable to contain your disdainful snort, and you flop back in your chaise to a much more comfortable position.

“I don’t know who you are,” you say, voice sharp, “but vampires aren’t real.”

He looks wholly unconvinced.

“I knew a vampire, as a boy. He took me in for a while, taught me a lot.”

You repeat yourself, “Vampires don’t exist,” and the man sighs deeply.

“Red eyes, fangs, otherworldly beauty. Not to mention, your clothing is…what, a century old? Maybe two?” You scowl. “Four, actually. But I’ve never heard of women from the 1600s wearing pants.” “The, ah, corset, though? And the puffy sleeves?”

Your scowl worsens, and he finally seems to notice the harshness of your gaze.

“I went through all the trouble of dragging you up here,” you hiss, “You, an intruder, and you have the audacity to nitpick my clothing choices?”

Worry flashes across his face. “I, ah…”

“As it so happens, I enjoy history and I like making things. I have recreations of styles from every era, and-”

“I apologize,” he interrupts, “I apologize, alright? It wasn’t my intention to make you feel like I was making fun, I was only trying to point something out; as a way of saying that I know you’re a vampire, and not just some hermit who lives in a wayward castle by herself.”

You stare at him for a long while, dissecting his words and expressions. He seemed earnest enough, even if tactless about it. This wasn’t a man who believed in stories and legends, rather, his actions told you that he knew for a fact your kind existed. He was a man who had known vampires, as he’d said he had.

“Why did you come looking for me?” you finally wonder, releasing some of the tension in your shoulders.

He thinks for a moment, and avoids your gaze when he says, “I have run out of options.”

“More specific,” you order.

Now it’s his turn to frown, and you can almost see the nonexistent quills standing up on his neck.

“Surely,” he grumbles, “you have noticed I’m not in the best of health? I’ve been here for hours, presumably, and you’ve likely been watching me like a hawk-”

“I have not!” you protest.

He fixes you with a disbelieving stare.

“...maybe a little,” you mumble.

“Regardless,” he continues, “you’ve had the time to tell I’m not…well. All the others could see it in my face, smell it in my blood, hear the way my heart beats so weakly.”

You shift your weight and lean back in your seat, gracefully crossing one leg over the other. You know now what he wants.

“You want me to turn you,” you say, and it’s not a question.

“Yes.”

“At least you’re honest about it.”

He doesn’t say anything while you ponder, leaving you some moments to think and come to a decision. You could turn him. It would be as easy as breathing, to deliver the specific bite meant for creating more vampires. As soon as your venom was in his body, his condition would improve; he’d heal. It would take a couple days, but…

…but could you live with yourself, knowing you damned an innocent person to an eternity of life? Sure, he was most likely scared of dying, as most humans were, but…to have such an option? And then to be the one to take that away from him? 

“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” you tell him.

“I do,” he insists, “I know what I want, what I need- please!”

You sigh.

“I won’t turn you,” you say, and his face falls.

“Why?” 

“Because one day, when you tire of the world, when you have seen all you want to, when you have watched all you hold dear disappear, and witnessed the fall of humanity itself…you will persist. Death is a gift, and I will not be the one to take it from you.”

“I’m not ready to die-”

“No one ever is,” your tone is pained, “but when you are? When you are, it hurts worse than knowing you’ll be gone too soon. And that feeling never goes away. Ever.”

You can see the anger in his eyes, the despair, and hurt, and fear.

“Just because you crave death,” he says, “does not mean I will. For years, modern medicine has failed me. There is no cure for my affliction, and no way to stop it from killing me. I have tried everything, and nothing has worked. And now I am out of time.”

The pain in his voice is almost enough to make you change your mind. Almost enough to make you walk over to him and sink your teeth into his throat. But your own despair wins, as it has for years, pushing away the desire to help him and damn him to a life such as yours.

“I’m sorry. I won’t turn you.”

His shoulders fall.

“However,” you continue. “The trek back to town is…not easy. Especially at this time of year, when the weather is harsh and the land is choppy. If I’m being honest, I don’t think you’d make it back. If you want, you can stay here until the moor freezes, and then I’ll take you back myself.”

He doesn’t utter a sound, at first. You can see the gears turning in his head, working to formulate some kind of plan. You vow to remain steadfast if he chooses to stay, vow to keep your distance and provide him with distractions and entertainment that don’t involve getting too close.

“Alright,” he agrees. “How long until the ground is frozen?”

“Ah, um…” you stand for a moment, and wander over to the window to take a look. “The air is cold, but the soil hasn’t solidified yet, so…maybe six weeks? Eight at most, I think.”

He nods, “That sounds alright.”

All of a sudden, he seems to become more aware of his surroundings, and he rushes to rid himself of the blankets you’d put on him. You watch in bemusement as he presumably searches around for his cane, which was leaning on the table beside him.

“I won’t be taking up room, will I?” he asks, finally zeroing in on the object, and he reaches for it.

Your mood shifts ever so slightly, and you offer him a tired smile. “No,” you say, “If anything, it’ll give me an excuse to tidy up a bit. I uh…if you want, I can show you around? You can pick a room, if you’d like, and a tour might keep you from getting lost.”

He stands, slightly shaky from the hours prior, but maintains his balance.

“Surely this place isn’t that big?”

You walk over and come to a stop at his side. “No, but there are a lot of turns and hidden rooms. And I would hear you well enough from anywhere if you were to shout, but I’d rather avoid having to fetch you from behind a wall somewhere, or fish you out from the basement.”

“There’s a basement?” “Yes, though it’s mostly flooded- I haven’t been down there since eighteen fifty seven.”

You lead him out of the room slowly, and begin showing him around his new home.