continuation of a meme thread (closed)

[perfectpower]

BEEP BOOP see tag below (I'll add memes here later)

Comments

[perfectpower]

[Viktor...]

Nah, this is all from my place. It's actually a good thing we're eating this, the chicken would've gone bad after a couple'a days.

[He will also bring a whiskey bottle, just because.]

I've been dealin' with this for years, and I always need stuff I can cook on the fly. So my fridge is full of meat, eggs, and other things that'll keep ya goin' on the trail. Any time I make it back home, I make sure to keep the fridge 'n cupboard stocked.

[This is somewhat true. He does have a well-stocked pantry. But the fridge belongs to Nero, and he is definitely stealing some chicken Nero left in the fridge. Not that he'll admit to that, his poker face is strong and he wants Viktor to eat.

He tries to pull a couple of glasses too, but he frowns when his gesture produces nothing.]

Damn, Owen must've taken my cups again. Bastard.

[becomerobot]

That better be true... [Viktor is hungry and wasting food is also not something he wants to do. Still, the idea of taking from someone when he has what he needs is... against his morals. Against what he stands for,]

I have my own means, after all. To take food from someone when it might be all they have... that is unspeakably cruel. I'm sure you understand.

[if he grew up fighting for scraps, like Viktor did, then Brad knows. He's felt hunger and known strife that many in Piltover shield themselves from,]

[perfectpower]

Yeah, I get it. I wouldn't take from the needy either.

[He did grow up fighting for scraps, which is also why he has no shame in stealing from the rich.]

Actually, did I ever tell you what I went to prison for?

[becomerobot]

Did you ever-? [the over familiarity is rather bemusing]

I've known you one day... but no. You did not yet say.

[Viktor wasn't about the ask, it was not his business so long as he didn't believe it a danger to himself or those around him. He's a bit weary of Brad, but fear.... Viktor is not a fearful man. And he senses no illwill from this man who is being so open and generous with his time, his magic, his attention-

He eats some of the food, as a show of good faith in Brad,]

[perfectpower]

[He pauses to think about it, then he shrugs.]

Whatever, one day is enough time. I ain't ashamed of what I did.

I broke into this rich guy's house to steal back some money he took from a town in the North, and I got arrested while doing it. It wasn't the first time either, I'd been doing it for a long time by that point, so they just threw the book at me for it. I woulda only done like a year for that theft charge but those bastards locked me up for nearly a century.

["locked up for a century" Just Wizard Things.]

[becomerobot]

A century-?

[he sounds absolutely baffled, fascinated, and at awe all at once,]

You are truly a long lived man, then... And here I am, a fleeting cough of air.

Ah, a sneeze, perhaps.

[perfectpower]

Yeah, I'm about 600. That's not too old for a wizard even, some of the others on my team are over two-thousand years old.

[He's grinning with pride, but that soon melts into more of a nostalgic smile.]

...y'know, my mom was human. When wizards and humans have kids, their kids are almost always humans. I'm one-in-a-million in that regard. Or one in two-dozen, if you just count my siblings.

[becomerobot]

Your mother seems to have been the truly gifted one, to have twenty four children- unless you are exaggerating for effect.

[He doesn't even consider half siblings, whoops, that Brad's father was just fucking all around]

[perfectpower]

Oh nah, most of 'em were half-siblings. Could you imagine if she had that many kids? She'd be so tired all the time.

[At least he finds it humorous.]

My dad wanted a wizard kid so bad he just slept with a bunch of women until one of the kids turned out to be a wizard. I think he liked my mom though, since I have two full-blooded siblings. But I knew the rest, we all lived in a mix of five of the same towns in the North. We caused so much trouble back then...

[two dozen kids, two dozen mouths to feed. They really were trouble.]

[becomerobot]

[It does sound like trouble, but Viktor only has one real take away,]

It is good you had each other. [he shovels the last of his provided meal down, always eating hastily out of habit, Brad gets a small smile,]

Thank you for the meal and the... company. I know I have asked a lot of you in exchange for very little.

[perfectpower]

Hey, you're keeping a roof over my head, a warm bed for me to use, and warning me away from anything that would get me in trouble. That's plenty for me.

[Yes, he plans on borrowing Viktor's bed again.]

Plus you're looking for a way to break the curse on me, so that in of itself is worth the work.

[becomerobot]

Yes! I mean... Yes. [let him stifle some of his big enthusiasm for that- but he pushes aside his plate to grab some of the notes he made, flip through, and show Brad urgently,]

Our hextech devices have a stabilizer that dampens what they draw from the Arcane to controllable levels. From what you have showed me, I believe I can make you a device that can counteract your curse. [he stretches his hand out again, too shaky from writing literally all day to make any more notes. It's obvious he wants to, though!]

What form it could take I do not yet know. I will think carefully on it.

[he doesn't want Brad to go as soon as he's arrived, his knowledge feels invaluable already. Viktor needs more time with him,]

[perfectpower]

[He sees that shaky hand, and he reaches out to take it into his own gently.]

We've got a plan then. Let's rest on it and we'll try it tomorrow.

[Viktor looks tired and he needs rest. Brad will body slam him into bed if need be.]

[becomerobot]

[Sorry, Viktor is very stubborn with his work schedule. He has no work/life balance to speak of. It is a perfectly reasonable time to go to bed if you're not a maniac like him. He tries to wave his hand gently from Brad's hold, but the strength isn't much there,]

Rest? It is so early... there is still so much to review- [cut him off, someone needs to]

[perfectpower]

And it'll be here tomorrow, along with me. When was the last time you went to bed before midnight?

[If this fails Brad will just pick him up and carry him, it's not like Viktor can stop him.]

[becomerobot]

I am usually not even home until after midnight...

[He stays in the lab more often than not. Sleeping on his couch or simply laying his head down at his desk for short naps throughout the day. His schedule is truly a mess of "whatever gets him back to work".

Viktor knows how it sounds, speaking it aloud. Irresponsible towards himself, his well being, his already fragile health. He sighs and... allows Brad to pull him to stand. Being carried to bed would be humiliating and he would resent it given the state he's in.]

Do you want to have the bed to yourself? I know I am... a disruptive bed mate. I can sleep in a chair just fine.

[perfectpower]

[Brad, immediately:]

Denied, you're not sleeping the night away in a chair. You'll work better with a good night's sleep anyway.

[The latter part is more to give Viktor an incentive, Brad would want him to sleep in an actual bed regardless.]

'sides, I slept just fine last night. Didn't you?

[becomerobot]

I, well, yes... but I must have turned over two-dozen times in your arms. If that does not both you, then... fine.

[Viktor's used to that annoying any partners he had in the past. It is just difficult for his body to settle into comfort, he usually feels some pain or another he needs to adjust away from. Or push pressure down into. Whatever works.]

You also run very warm. Is that a trait of mages?

[perfectpower]

Ehh, I sleep like the dead. Most things don't wake me up.

[Things that do wake him up: phone calls, certain fluxuations in the ambient mana in the air, nightmares. And none of these apply to Viktor himself.]

That's actually the warming spell I told you about. I dropped it when we went to the academy but I put it back on here.

[He always uses that spell so he never has to change clothes if he doesn't want to.]

[becomerobot]

I won't be sleeping in uniform tonight, if that's the case. [he just kind of went to sleep in whatever he was wearing, yesterday. If they're making the choice to prepare and go to bed, instead of just dragging him into it, then Viktor is opting to wear less.

He is already moving towards his clothing dressing to remove his vest and tie, before he considers,]

It is not like you have been shy, after all. [he'll just be stripping down to his button up undershirt and boxer-briefs if there is no objection. Much more comfortable!]

[perfectpower]

[Brad has never been shy a day in his life.]

What's there to be shy about? I'm not using anything flashy. You probably didn't even notice I duplicated your eggs today did you?

[He also duplicated whatever money he was able to find in Viktor's apartment.]

[becomerobot]

[Viktor does need to sit down on his bed to remove his leg brace before his pants can come off, which they definitely are... He should shower, too. Hmm... maybe in the morning, if Brad doesn't complain he smells. Not like Viktor can tell,]

Why would you do that? I can... buy my own eggs. [he pulls a couple clasps undone and slips out of the brace, setting it aside,]

If you wish to be charitable- and you won't be so conspicuous as to get caught- you should go to the Undercity. The people there could use the grace of such gifts.

[perfectpower]

It seemed fair, to make the eggs I ended up eating.

[And maybe Brad likes using his magic to help people, did you ever consider that Viktor?]

The Undercity, is it? That'd give me something to do while you work...How do I get there?

[becomerobot]

[Viktor strips his pants off and sets his dirty clothing into a hamper. Taking his crutch again, needing it more than ever without the leg brace, he moves towards the bathroom to brush his teeth,]

That would give me time to review what you told me today. It is just across the bridges that take one out of Piltover.

[he leaves the door open as he gets ready, still talking to Brad as he does. Rarely a wasted moment for this guy, ever the multitasker-]

I could write you a note with a stamp from the Academy, so no Enforcer hassles you on the way back. Official business... collecting some such materials for me.

[perfectpower]

Yeah, that's probably for the best. I mean, I'm good at sneaking around even without my magic, but that's just gonna make me look more suspicious.

[Brad's boots and coat come off, but so does his tie and some of the gold rings he wears on his fingers. The luck ring remains though, he never takes that one off. You never know when a little luck will save your life.]

Lemme know if you actually do need anything from there, 'kay? I might as well actually do work for you if I'm goin' there.