[sometime in early june viktor comes for a perfectly pleasant boneshed visit. in truth he finds the shed more palatable than the house itself, but he supposes that might be cultural insensitivity on his part. just. the skeleton thing. zaun is weird but it isn't that weird. (yet. one day it will have an honest to god drug werewolf but that's after viktor's time, thank you.)
it's nice. he gets to sit with his room temperature water and have a chat about the current happenings, poetry probably, maybe a little rambling about his own research. there's something about ortus he finds easy to exist around, though it's not a matter he gives much thought. the trench makes him deep delve into his psyche enough, thanks, maybe he can just enjoy an afternoon chatting with a friend.
unfortunately before this visit he had some apple, knowing full well what they can do. to be fair he had no reason to think the apple had a delayed effect, given it's been several hours and all his experiences were within the moment he ate it. surely it's safe! surely.
it means at one point when they meet eyes everything shifts.
the memory is a simple one. feeling it is different- the persistent ache up his leg and back, the biting hunger, the grimy feeling of the air that tastes like chemicals on the tongue.
the vague, faint hope quietly fluttering away when the child on the rock turns to ignore him, like they always do. it's fine, he has his boat. it's going to work this time, he's tinkered for hours, put it together so painstakingly. when it does work the pride blooms warm in his chest.
the cave is all curiosity, uncertainty and fear. he knows better, a man hiding in a cave like this is doing something dangerous, probably. but he's kind in a way most the undercity simply isn't, a quiet understanding that cracks through the nerves and pushes viktor forward. to meet him, to meet this creature. to feel a pang when he learns she is rio, and she is dying.
can he help? he's earnest in that, and surprised when it is help accepted. more surprised at being 'loners together.']
for ortus, june
it's nice. he gets to sit with his room temperature water and have a chat about the current happenings, poetry probably, maybe a little rambling about his own research. there's something about ortus he finds easy to exist around, though it's not a matter he gives much thought. the trench makes him deep delve into his psyche enough, thanks, maybe he can just enjoy an afternoon chatting with a friend.
unfortunately before this visit he had some apple, knowing full well what they can do. to be fair he had no reason to think the apple had a delayed effect, given it's been several hours and all his experiences were within the moment he ate it. surely it's safe! surely.
it means at one point when they meet eyes everything shifts.
the memory is a simple one. feeling it is different- the persistent ache up his leg and back, the biting hunger, the grimy feeling of the air that tastes like chemicals on the tongue.
the vague, faint hope quietly fluttering away when the child on the rock turns to ignore him, like they always do. it's fine, he has his boat. it's going to work this time, he's tinkered for hours, put it together so painstakingly. when it does work the pride blooms warm in his chest.
the cave is all curiosity, uncertainty and fear. he knows better, a man hiding in a cave like this is doing something dangerous, probably. but he's kind in a way most the undercity simply isn't, a quiet understanding that cracks through the nerves and pushes viktor forward. to meet him, to meet this creature. to feel a pang when he learns she is rio, and she is dying.
can he help? he's earnest in that, and surprised when it is help accepted. more surprised at being 'loners together.']