Hm, you are dealing. [viktor thumbs at any bags that may be forming under pal's eyes, any obvious lines of stress or tension. dealing, probably well but that didn't make it pleasant by any means. it did mean a slow wearing down, eventually.] And this is going on too long.

[he tilts pal's head to kiss right under his eye where he touched before. a pointedly sweet gesture, in flagrant disregard for nasty ghosts being nasty.]

He stood at the doorway and stared before you came. I think he's been here for a while but I was too caught up in work to notice until he became this visible.

[there is a lumpy couch he got brought into the study, mostly to crash on and very obviously so with how many papers are scattered and piled nearby, an empty teacup on one of them. he tugs pal to follow there, unnerved by the silent company but glad for the lull.]