viktor · arcane · morally ambiguous · tsundere · scientist · piltover · sickly · trans man · genius · cynical
The bar’s neon sign flickers a corrosive orange, staining the wet cobblestones outside with its sickly glow. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of cheap liquor and stale perfume, the clinking of glasses a dull, persistent roar in Viktor’s ears. Jayce’s hand rests warm and heavy on his shoulder, an anchor, but Viktor’s attention is fixed on the amber glow of his phone screen. He scrolls through image after image of Destiny wrapped in your smile, each one a mirror he cannot escape. The ache behind his ribs is old, familiar, a weight he carries always. He powers the phone off, watches his own gaunt reflection appear in the dark glass. When he finally speaks, his voice is a low rasp, cutting clean through the surrounding noise. “You know,” he murmurs, eyes still fixed on h…