"Please Stay" - Arcane Viktor x Reader

Chapter 10

The two of you finally made your way outside. You sat down with him on the nearest bench as you let go of his arm. Viktor's breaths slowly stabilised, however his face was still greenishly pale. Neither of you said anything as you watched the fireworks light up the night sky.

You never had problems sitting in silence with people. The moment the conversation would stop, your mind would wander and leave the shell of your body. You would ponder all sorts of stuff, some more pleasant than others. But for some reason, your mind didn't leave this time. It was either the alcohol flowing through your veins or the poor trembling boy sitting next to you. Perhaps it was both.

You drank from your bottle that you somehow managed to carry all the way with the crippled man in your arms. You offered some to the young inventor but he simply shook his head.
You shrugged your arms and placed the bottle on your side, occasionally taking a sip of the cheap liquor. The show was coming to an end when Viktor finally broke his silence.
,, I'm sorry.." - upon hearing his voice you turned your attention away from the fireworks and back towards the speaking boy. You chuckled.
,,What for? It wasn't your fault. Jayce is gonna get his ass whooped for putting you in that situation."
He still wouldn't look at you, purposely avoiding your gaze. It was silent for a moment again.
,,You're probably thinking of me as a coward now.."
,,Hey! I hate people who just assume they know what I'm thinking." - you interupted him abruptly - ,,Besides... How could I consider you a coward after literally less than a day ago, you decided to put your entire career on the line, just to help some guy achieve his dreams. I can tell you that not a single person in that room could do that. Hell, even I couldn't do it." - you paused and took a sip.
,,It's okay, I know you had your reasons..." - Viktor said and you furrowed your brows. You turned his way and he avoided your gaze again. Your heart sank.
,,Oh god... What did he tell you?"
,,What?"
,,What did Jayce tell you after I left last night?" - you felt your grip tighten around the glass bottle in your hand. The boy finally turned your way confused. Upon looking at you his expression changed to a concerned one.
,,He didn't say anything. I seriously don't know what you're talking about".
He sounded honest and suddenly you felt stupid at your irrational outburst.
,,Never mind. Sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that". - you said, feeling your face heat up with embarrassment. You took a big gulp of wine.
,,Why do you drink Y/N?" - Viktor asked, the concerned look not leaving his face.
,,Because it slows my brain down at least a little bit.." - you answered while looking at the now almost empty bottle.
,,I oftentimes get stuck contemplating and trying to solve stuff I have no control over. My brain starts spiralling, taking other unnecessary thoughts into the mix, creating a sort of snowballing effect. The more thoughts, the less I can focus on stuff that goes on around me." y
You finished the rest of the drink and place the empty glass on the ground.
,,Alcohol allows me to slow down, placing a heavy curtain in-between me and my thoughts. When I drink I finally feel alone in my head".
As you finished you looked at the listening Viktor. His expression shifted from concerned to a sympathetic one. The fireworks had stopped, allowing the stars to show off their own light. You looked up, letting them reflect off of your eyes.
,, Nobody has ever asked me that before...". For a couple of seconds it was completely silent, not even the crickets singing in the grass. "Anyway... What about you? Why are you NOT drinking Viktor?" The boy chuckled.
,,Well... It's not really recommended in my condition..."
,,You mean your leg?" - you asker, suddenly taking interst in boy's medical backstory. He went silent, his expression changing to a sad one.
,,Among other things..." - he answered quietly. You didn't want to pressure him into talking, but you also didn't want to drop the topic. The two of you sat in silence again for the Xth time this evening. However neither of you felt uncomfortable. It felt good. Just two brilliant minds just enjoying their time in their own heads. You had other plans though.

,,Well... Since I don't care enough to go back to these drunks how about we play a game?" - you asked, the plan's pieces falling into place in your head.
,,What game?" - Viktor asked sweetly, his accent catching you off guard for some reason.
,,A drinking game for smart people. Buuut since I'm out of booze and your not drinking, we're going to play on a different set rules."
You smiled and turned your gaze towards the young inventor. To your surprise he met you half way, already looking at you with a curious expression on his face.
,,Whenever you'll loose, you'll have to answer one question. You can't lie and you can't back out once you're defeated." - you continued and the boy chuckled again.
,,I see you've taken interest in my medical history?" - he read you like an open book. ,,What will I get when you loose?"
,,The same thing. You can ask me one question of your choosing"
,,Well... What's the game then?" - you smiled mischievously and looked up, the boy following your gaze.
,,We take turns pointing out stars and the other person has to tell you the constalation it's a part of". Viktor laughed. It was the first time you've heard him actually laugh. It was mechanical, almost as if he practised it, with just a shadow of a giggle behind.
,,What?? You've seen many stars all the way from the Undercity pretty boy?" - you teased him and the boy actually blushed just slightly.
,,Not a single one actually. Not even the Sun."
You actually felt sorry when he said that, realising your stupidity and insensitivity. You seriously needed to learn when to bite your tongue. Thankfully the young inventor didn't seem to be hurt by it. ,,But don't worry, when I came to Piltover, I made sure to catch up on everything that I've missed throughout the years". He had the same as expression as when the two of you competed against eachother the night before. You smiled, returning his determination.
,,Let's get started then".

~

It took over half an hour for Viktor to slip up and mistake the Bard constellation for the Northern Triangle. You were starting to loose hope of ever finding out what made Viktor... well... Viktor. You respected the boys secrecy and if he declined answering you wouldn't pressure him anymore. After all you had some skeletons in your own closet.
,,Okaay... Ask away. What is it that you want to know." Viktor sighed slumping on his knees.
You thought for a second, looking for a way to frame the question.
,,What happened to you in Zaun. I mean like... You know... Health wise..." - you weren't sure how to put your words into an elevated sentence, the alcohol starting to mess with your vocabulary a bit. The boy either didn't notice or was too polite to say anything.
,,If you're talking about my leg, I've had problems with it since the day I was born. Just some bone structure condition."
The boy stopped for a second, collecting his thoughts.
,,I lived in the northern side of the Entrosol level in Zaun. That's where most of the shady trading happens. It's called the Emberlift Alley. It was a narrow corridor in-between two walls of solid rock. The fog would never leave that place, and let's say... It was a little different than the fog up here."
You inhaled sharply through yout teeth. The boy looked at you, sending a sad smile your way.
,,I remember going to sleep afraid that I'll never wake up. That the chemical's dispersed in the air will finally choke me to death. When I moved to Piltover, my respiratory problems stopped, but... Who knows what consequences it might have in the future."
You found yourself at shock at Viktor's words.
,,H-How did you get out?"
The boy chuckled and sent you a mischievous smile.
,,I thought you could ask only one question..."