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roseamonglilies · 2 years

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Love and Legacy : part I

Viktor x Lab Assistant!Reader ▪︎ Part I of V

Part II ▪︎ Part III ▪︎ Part IV ▪︎ Part V

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: Sexual tension, Some mild angst, fluff-very-fluff, Viktor being self destructive (because he is.), it will not be this cute in the future

Synopsis: Viktor and Jayce must attend a party to celebrate the success of hextech. Jayce insists Viktor get a date since he's going with Mel, and suggests the lab assistant as his +1.

His words dabbled on, as they always did. You’d found the texture of his voice to be a soothing sound, the sentences flowing in rhythm, intermingling like rain hitting pavement that pooled into a rambling puddle of thoughts and theories. The sound had often become a peaceful part of the ambience as you worked.

Viktor was always so quiet, often lowering his voice when others passed, leaning in so he could continue in a hushed tone, as though secretive of the information he kept. Yet, he had so much to say to the listening ear; you often wondered how such a small figure could possibly contain so much text.

However, today, his conversation seemed more strained than usual. A slight level of stress, or perhaps annoyance, tainted his words. The source that stirred the pot: Jayce, of course. Arguments between them weren’t uncommon, and in fact, occasionally humorous to eavesdrop on whilst you pretended to be busy with an assortment of colorful vials.

There was a complication in the math, a frustrating obstruction in the pursuit of discovery. These tests on Hextech had moved into the biological aspect, entertaining the idea that its properties might reach beyond engineered industrialism, it may very well be the key to heal any illness. Though, the process couldn’t seem to even reach past basic flora. Whatever predictions and theories that either men had scribbled messily in their notes hardly matched the results you were getting with each experiment. By calculation, the plants should have flourished under contact with the hex core, and despite brief success, everything seemed to wither with time.

You were currently examining the dying cells of such flora. It seemed even being close to the Hexcore’s presence caused the verdure to shrivel. Red pen in hand, you scribbled down potentialities, reasons for why this scientific wonder seemed so toxic to the fragility of life. At this point, the messy red ink, intermingling with Jayce’s precise lettering and Viktor’s rushed, florid cursive, had well overlapped the original notes. The two men for whom you reported chatted idly away in the background, and you found yourself drifting your attention to their conversation, finding the colossal task of finding the necessary error in the math to be too exhausting for you to handle today.

“Come on, Viktor! Just try to think about it,” Jayce’s voice was needy. This may very well be the hardest argument he’s ever tried to win. The test tubes clinked against each other in your hands as you slowly poured one’s content into the other, swirling the yellow and red liquids, creating a vibrant amber hue. The color reminded you a bit of Viktor’s eyes. “Do you plan on following me around the entire time? You’ve gotta find someone to at least pretend you’re being social.”

“Is there even a point in me going, then? I hardly see why my presence is so important; I’ve never... liked attending these kinds of affairs, you know that,” He stuttered slightly towards the end. You sympathized with his anxiety at least, though he had admittedly avoided any social gatherings that involved Hextech as of yet. “You’re much better at being the face of our research.”

“These aren’t just my achievements, Vik,” Jayce glanced your way; you maintained his gaze, eyes flickering between him and his partner. Viktor himself seemed to grow more frustrated by his situation, passing his cane from hand to hand, avoiding eye contact with the man looking down on him expectantly, trying to dig up more excuses to dodge getting dragged along with Jayce. “You’ve gotta start taking the rest of the credit you deserve; we’re partners, all the way.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Viktor replied bitterly, finally standing. He eyed Jayce in annoyance, though his lips quirked into a knowing leer. He spoke hushed and low, the same as he did when discussing his studies. “More importantly, if you plan to spend your whole evening with Mel, why go yourself? I think you’re capable of finding much better ways to spend time with each other than this. Just like I’d rather spend the night working here.”

“You’re kidding! When was the last time you spent a night outside this room?” Though meant as a jab, the question held some genuine weight. Studying Viktor’s face, it wasn’t hard for anyone to see that the products of labor had left their marks. He was exhausted, thoroughly and irrevocably. Your initial concerns for his fatigue eventually melted into everyday occurrence. You questioned if you’d actually ever seen the poor man leave his research before anyone else each night. You couldn’t recall.

You half wondered if Viktor might commit to his act, but something seemed to finally break in him first, signified by the heavy sigh that left his mouth. He shook his head, dropping back onto the stool.

“Maybe, I’ll think about it later. But, please, let’s finish our work first, please.”

“God knows that’ll never happen…” Again, Jayce’s eyes met yours, but you averted them quickly and acted the part of a dutiful assistant, working diligently on her work. Though when you finally payed attention down at the actual work, you noticed that you’d mixed the wrong vials. The entire process was void; you’d have to start over. A quiet shit left your mouth as you fumbled with the glass tubes. Heat spread across your face as you scraped your days work from the table to the nearest trashcan and buried your face in their notebooks, using the research to distract yourself from your distracted thoughts.

Hours passed.

Little else was said on the matter between them. They still had a few days to bicker amongst themselves.

There was to be a grand festivity on the eve of Piltover’s Progress Day, celebrating exactly one year since Jayce and Viktor’s introduction of Hextech to the public. The Acumen Gala, the public had begun calling it, ironic in hindsight to the subject of discovery. It was to memorialize the final steps into the new age of progress, likely both of the men’s most important nights of their lives. And Viktor wanted nothing to do with it.

You didn’t notice when the sun was set, but as you set your pens aside and stretched your aching back, it was evidently dark through the lab’s windows. The distant lights of the sleepless city twinkled through the frosted glass like stars in an abstract painting. Clouded, yet endlessly bright and twinkling.

Likewise, you hadn’t noticed Jayce’s departure. Perhaps he’d said his farewells and you’d simply entangled it with the rest of your surrounding. Perhaps he hadn’t said anything. The lab seemed awfully quiet at night, especially now as you gazed around in a tired trance at arbitrary equipment and models.

“Winding down soon, Miss (Y/n)?” The voice was crystal clear in the still room, soft and inquisitive. How had you not heard him approaching? Were you that tired? Rotating the stool around, you nearly stopped breathing when you saw him. Viktor stood, leaning against the table for support, his cane tucked snugly under his other arm. He was less than a foot away from you; your knee nearly brushed against his leg from where you sat, and he leaned forward ever closer. His eyes eyes weighed heavy from clear fatigue, accentuated even more so by the dim lighting, yet his eyes still shone bright. “I hope you don’t plan to stay much later, it’s getting late, even for you.”

He was right, it must have been past midnight now. It was unfortunately easy to lose track of time when you get so engrossed in your work. You easily understood Viktor’s habit of working for hours on end without taking a break, but he clearly took his devotion to an entirely new level. Though, something about the way his last words sounded, a part of it left a knot in your gut.

“I’m finishing for the night, I think,” You bit the inside of your lip, studying the creases in his face. They’d seemed to deepen with your response. He’d asked this at times before, asking if you were going to stay for the night. Most nights you didn’t. Sometimes you did simply to finish whatever menial task at hand. Realistically, though you may be able to kid others, that wasn’t the only reason. “You should try and wrap things up, too. You need the rest, Vik.”

“Perhaps another night, there is still much I need to do.” He shifted his weight from the table to his cane, finally beginning to give you a reasonable amount of space. A sympathetic smile breaking through his weighted look. Somehow, you’d somewhat missed the close contact. “But I don’t see much reason for you to stay if you have nothing else.”

“Still?” Your hand found itself reaching out before you’d thought to extend it. It barely grazed his arm before you pulled it away. Though the action had already set off a reaction. Viktor’s head swiveled to face you, taken back by the contact. His golden eyes gazed into yours, flickering between each one. You wondered what it was he was looking for within them. What he hoped they might reveal. “It can wait can’t it? At least until the morning?”

“I’m afraid progress has its price, Miss (Y/n)…” Deterring his stare, his eyes seem to sink further, clouded with burden. He paused, but you didn’t respond as it seemed he was still trying to let a few more words loose. “But I would not mind a small break. I’ll walk you home… if you’d have my company.”

It was fortunate that your dormitory was less than a 20 minutes walk from the lab: the perks of being a student at the same academy you worked. He’d had to layer his ordinary uniform, consisting of the same familiar red button-up and the tight-fitting white vest, with a coat and scarf. The shirt brought color to his usually pale complexion. It was a sight you thought you’d never get tired of, regardless of how many times he wore it. Though, sadly, the brown coat hid most of this.

Occasionally while walking, your shoulders would brush. Eyes would connect followed by a rush to deflect, and, at least on your end, an attempt to hide an ever-growing blush. Though the distance shouldn’t have been an issue, Viktor seemed to be struggling before you’d even past halfway. He stumbled every few moments, and it was clear that something was wrong when the shoulder brushing had begun to develop to full-on leaning.

At some point, your arm found itself snug around his waist, the other gently pressed against his heaving chest as he struggled to catch his breath between haphazard coughs. The two of you had stopped moving awhile ago, taking a break to allow Viktor some rest. His weight had found a more stable home against the nearest wall while you continued to hold him steady.

“I must apologize, Miss (Y/n),” Looking up at him, though paler than before, he smiled meekly. A weak chuckle left his throat. Your heart twisted in your chest from guilt. His smiles were rare, but you felt they could warm you instantly in the coldest of weather. Though, tonight, it seemed to serve as more of a mask to hide his discomfort. “I must be more tired than I thought.”

Unfortunately for him, his residence was more than a reasonable distance, as was the lab by this point. Fortunately for you, this could work many ways in your favor. But first, Viktor needed to catch his breath.

“How long has it been since you’ve had a good night’s sleep?” You pulled him from the wall once he seemed calm enough to continue, though you kept at a slow pace, still holding him up. Your waist pressed into his, curves fitted against each other like a jigsaw puzzle, and you moved in unison. Viktor neglected to answer, and you didn’t exactly need an answer to understand just how sleep-deprived he was, with how heavy he felt against you.

After about 15 minutes more of edging along the path home, you finally made it to your front door. You bit your bottom lip as you debated with yourself. Viktor was in little state to be left alone, as if you would actually expect him to make it all the way back to the lab without keeling over in 5 minutes. He was already pressing most of his weight onto you, and had you the idea to let go, there was no doubt that he’d immediately crumble.

No, you wouldn’t let him do that to himself. Standing in your doorway, door wide open, you stood, gazing up at the sickly scientist. His eyes were shot, sunken, and exhausted, begging for the chance of sleep, and his skin was gaunt with a color you thought couldn’t get any paler. Viktor had begun to turn away, mumbling a goodnight to you, eyes cast down. He didn’t seem to even have half of his mind present as they seemed more of a slur than a real word.

A tug on his sleeve stopped him in his tracks. Again, like before in the lab, he glanced back, though this time much more hesitantly.

“Come inside for a bit,” His eyes widened just ever so slightly, and an exhale escaped his lips. Almost unnoticeable, but it didn’t escape your attention. Your hand that remained hooked on the fabric of his coat began to pull him in. “At least for a few minutes, so you can take a bit of a breather…”

“I shouldn’t- I don’t want to intrude, really-“

“Viktor.” Your tone was just serious enough to silence him. He thought for a moment, almost embarrassed of the proposition, but he knew what his options were.

Wordlessly, you lead him in past the door, and he let you without protest. It was a crude living space, messy, books and clothes that you neither knew were clean or dirty strewn about, mixing together on the floor. Regardless, the bed remained made and things in the order that they belonged. It was at least presentable to someone like Viktor, who, based on his current state, with his vest unevenly buttoned, shirt untucked from his pants, and hair wildly unkempt, you felt had no place to criticize. He didn’t seem in the slightest bit interested in any aspect of the room. His coat had long since fallen off onto the floor as he stumbled further in.

You did little to guide him. He must have been secretly relieved that you let him in, regardless of how much he tried to be polite. By the time you’d turned to close the door after letting him free of your hold and turned the lock, you’d already heard the sound of a quiet impact and a heavy sigh. Turning, Viktor had seemed to target your bed the minute his eyes scanned the room. His head faced the ceiling, arms spread out, chest rising slowly; Out like a light.

You had to admit, after you got him inside, you had no idea what would follow. So, you just stood, debating, listening to his soft steady breaths. He seemed calm.. at peace even. The sight was almost abnormal. Viktor and sleep were two words that never really belonged to each other.

A sight like this was rare, seeing Viktor in such a vulnerable state, asleep.

So you crept forward, slowing your breath and stepping on the ends of your toes to remain as quiet as possible as you approached the man.

It was... cute.

Less so with you staring down at him the dim-lit room. This was the first time you could remember seeing his face without a concentrated frown. A part of you secretly committed the image to memory. Moments like this had come before; little glimpses of an innocence most would only see in a child. The face of someone who still dreamt despite the weight of life.

But now what? You had a man you knew as a colleague, dead asleep on your bed. For a moment, you considered calling for Jayce, but you doubted Piltover’s Golden Boy would be willing to drag himself out of bed at this ungodly hour to help you with such a minor inconvenience. That, and, how the hell would you explain this to him? He teased you enough as is, this would exacerbate the issue tenfold. No, Jayce was out of the question. And honestly, there wasn’t anyone else besides him who could have helped.

Quietly you changed out of your uniform, locking the bathroom door out of precaution, and changing into simple sweats. Normally you’d wear something more loose, but you didn’t want him to see you like that in the morning. It was awkward enough that he was going to wake up in your bed. By the time you’d changed and finished your night routine, Viktor was still sound asleep. He hadn’t moved an inch from where you left him.

Sleep itself called you in, perhaps jealous of how easily Viktor seemed to find it, but there was little to go. Viktor left no room for you to fit with him so you ended up in a ball on the loveseat that laid parallel to the bed. And after a strenuous moment of rolling around, trying to find a comfortable spot, you couldn’t blame Viktor for stealing the bed. Your legs dangled off the edges of the couch, and your neck felt crammed against the armrest. It would be hard to imagine someone as tall as Viktor ever fitting on such a small piece of furniture. Regardless, sleep wasn’t hard to find. The room was usually so silent, and you’d always find yourself fighting your thoughts before you could drift away, but tonight, Viktor’s rhythmic breathing was almost… hypnotic. It sounded like waves washing against the beach, like a quiet whisper amid an autumn breeze, and it pulled you in with ease.

You didn’t dream. You were just floating in an abyss that felt like tv static, and not a thought passed by, but when you awoke, it had felt like you’d only been asleep a few seconds. Yet, you could still sense that sunlight was present. If you thought to open your eyes, you felt they would be blinded by the light, so you opted to keep them shut a moment longer, to savor the bliss of not waking fully.

Perhaps it’s best that you did. As your mind came more to, sounds were becoming more apparent, and had you not heard it, you might have opened your eyes to see a peculiar sight.

There was a creak, not far from the loveseat.

A shift of weight.

And then a small series of steps, approaching you. Though they were light and careful, they were indistinguishable. They stopped right in front of you.

You nearly flinched when you felt a hand brush your hair from your face. It was gentle, almost feathery, as though trying not to wake you, though his attempts were obviously futile. His fingers tingled against your skin as they drifted up your cheek and tucked the strands behind your ear. They lingered, for a moment, and you realized then he was staring directly at you.

A feeling like a cold breeze washed over your face, and you wondered just how close he was leaning down over you. You prayed he still thought you were asleep, and that your face wasn’t turning as red as you were afraid it might be. You don’t think you could handle the look in his eyes if you opened yours to meet them. Your neck ached to be moved, but you fought from moving, from changing even a single beat of momentum in your breath as you maintained a slow, steady rate.

Viktor’s hand withdrew, yet he didn’t move, his breath still tickled your face. It smelled sweet like freshly baked bread or like a cherry pie left on an open kitchen window to cool. You were rigid, putting every effort of your body into not moving. You could only hope it still looked natural. A sigh escaped the room, followed by another creak, then more steps. Something heavy and soft found your shoulders, a blanket.

And then, finally, the door, opening and closing with an assured click.

The moment the click reached your ears, you shot up, and looked around. He was gone. You were alone.

Sunlight filtered through the window’s curtains lightly. It’s soft rays hit the hard-wood floor and gave the room a honey-hued lighting.

Viktor had made the bed. There wasn’t a single wrinkle on the on the sheets or quilt, and the pillows seemed to be lined perfectly. It seemed he hadn’t wanted to leave a single piece of evidence that he’d ever been in your dorm room. Or, he was just trying to clean things up after his intrusion.

Your hand found your face, touching the same spot that he’d trailed with his fingers. The area on your skin still tingled, and the blush you’d been hiding finally bled out in it’s entirety.

Despite his best efforts, there was an undeniable piece of evidence left behind: The blanket, and the bed you imagined, still smelled like him. Vanilla and coffee, and something that had an oneiric quality, almost like maplewood. The smell had flooded you the minute he’d laid the blanket down, and felt like you’d been drowning in it every second after.

That wasn’t the only thing left either. His tie was still hung around the post at the foot of the bed. You would have to return it to him, then. Just as soon as you could muster the courage to get dressed and go to the lab. Where you were sure he was headed right now. And where you would eventually have to meet again.

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hexmachinations · 2 years

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[Paragonrot] ☂ for a kiss in the rain.

[meme]

It was rare for Viktor to indulge in festivities once the ceremonies were over. He’d often accompanied Jayce behind the stage, listen and marvel as to how his partner would deliver the speech and sway the crowds with his charisma; were he anywhere else and in a different position, perhaps before a nation, Viktor was confident that Jayce would be able to convince them to do as he willed.

Ironically, this was one of the reasons he still remained there, although he had secluded himself on the balcony, away from the buzzing crowd, the lights and negative attention. He was not welcomed there, despite being one of the forces that pushed the innovation and frankly, besides the tube of bittersweet champagne (which was somehow supposed to imply that it was expensive whereas Viktor had to swallow down repulsion every time he took even the tiniest sip) and Jayce, there was nothing redeemable in such gatherings.e had on others.

Ironically, this was one of the reasons he still remained there, although he had secluded himself on the balcony, away from the buzzling crowd, the lights and negative attention. He was not welcomed there, despite being one of the forces that pushed the innovation and frankly, besides the tube of bittersweet champagne (which was somehow supposed to imply that it was expensive whereas Viktor had to swallow down repulsion every time he took even the tiniest sip) and Jayce, there was nothing redeemable in such gatherings.

The sky was covered in heavy, grey clouds, concealing the midnight sky from view and raindrops cascaded down like a warm waterfall. The world around him was painted in dark tones now, and even the lights from the towers seemed to fail to break through the watery barrier. But Viktor still stood there, the vial of expensive champagne long forgotten and exchanged with the palm directed towards the sky and his neck craned back. It was rare for him to enjoy the rain without concerning himself regarding the chemicals that poisoned something so natural.

The door behind him opened and closed moments after. The sounds from the mansion were slowly dying off, indicating that the celebrations were finally coming to an end and the crowd was dispersing into the depths of the night. “I am not sure if I should be upset or happy that you have been hiding out here, Vik.” “And how so?” “I feel like my jaw is about to fall off and having your input on the matter is also valuable. And… it is quiet here.” “Next time you feel exhausted, and we are at the party, you can hide behind one of those bushes. We’ll blame it on the hex core if the petals and leaves start talking. The aristocracy is not insightful enough in their joy to recognize that plants do not even possess the capacity to comprehend languages and respond.” “Thank you. I’d make an excellent bush.” More like a rose, Viktor would have wanted to say, but (thankfully) his words were swallowed when he felt something dry and warm fall on his shoulders. The scientist finally allowed the small pool shimmer down from between his fingers and he took a hold of Jayce’s jacket, pulling it closer to him. If he did not recognize how cold he felt before, then the additional warmth made the difference known. The warmth was followed by an embrace and Viktor leaned further into the touch. Jayce rubbed his arms in attempt to warm the other up and the zaunite heard the other sigh quietly.

“You want to leave now?” “Not yet.” “Alright.” And then Viktor leaned further into the human furnace, and he tilted his head back to observe the shifting clouds and the sky.

Jayce shifted behind him and Viktor felt a small, gentle peck on his cheek. “Thank you.” “For?” The scientist’s voice was hesitant, but regardless of his attempts to act normal, he could hardly do anything about the blush that spread across his cheeks. Jayce did not respond with words this time, but there was another kiss pressed against his cheek. Viktor inhaled deeply and reached out from beneath the warm shield that was the Golden Boy’s coat and took a hold of Jayce’s fingers.

#Do you like cheese?#I sure hope you do #because yes #heh #ᵂⁱᵗʰ ᵘᵗᵐᵒˢᵗ ᵉᶠᶠⁱᶜⁱᵉⁿᶜʸ ⁻ ask #Thank you for sending this in #under read more because it is just long

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