🕯️ ˚ ༘ 𝐕𝐈𝐊𝐓𝐎𝐑

@heraldedtech  *  SORRY EXAMS OOPS IM ADDING NOW

*  /      liar where are you
            (  @buryhimgone  )

*  /      LOUD CHEERING
            (  @zaunbats  &  @mechanized-  )

@heraldedtech 
                          [his eyes squint,  a feline smile drawing to pink lips.  tossing the cigarette and crushing it beneath his heel,  a sigh drawn out alongside a puff of smoke.]    the fire is still here,  dear.  though embracing what my life is doesn’t dissipate the person that i am.  or do you believe differently?    [as viktor leans forward,  melusine returns the favour.  head drawn closer as his eyes bore into his,]    i told you already,  i like it where i am.  don’t push your dissatisfaction into me,  viktor.  we both know how that will go.

(  @buryhimgone  )        —        [  his brow furrows, clearly not taken by the comparison.  he’s about to bite something back about how such STUBBORNNESS is far more immature, but the words burn out on his tongue and are replaced by the heavy scent of the cigarette.  jaw set, he leans forward.  ]      you are as headstrong as a gutter rat ,  and yet you are an empty husk .   do you no longer wish to be free of this place ?   what have you done with your fire ,  melusine ?

armour.*

@heraldedtech
                             then are you here to enjoy yourself?  i mean,  i’m sure there is a plethora of women here to your taste.    [tongue flicks across his upper set of pearly whites,  drawn against sharp canines before a smile.]    or men,  unless piltover has a better selection.  though usually they find the tastes down here    ..much better.    [melusine has never been one to be feeling any type of shame.  no matter how vulgar it may have sounded,  it was just the harsh truth.]    now,  what are you here for then?  certainly not to visit me,  i’m sure.  though trying to single—handedly find information here by yourself,  that’s brave.    [a click of his tongue,  eyes trailing off.]    or stupid,  being that you’re in a den filled with wolves.  they might eat you.
            
            
            *    LMAOOOO BYE noo it doesn’t make sense im gonna blow up 

(  @buryhimgone  )        —        [  unwavering, he holds the other’s gaze.  years ago, the full force of melusine’s attention had set him on edge, not used to being *looked at* so closely ;  but now, it does not make him uncomfortable.  time had changed more than a few things, clearly.  he leans more heavily on his cane as the other takes place at his side, though not because of his amaranthine leg.  ]        why do you think that is what i am here for ?   i’m quite capable of collecting information on my own ;  surely you remember .
            
            
            *  /      i didn’t even notice LMAO — pullover makes sm sense though

@heraldedtech
                            the context is entirely up to you.    [a light shrug,  the brothel member stares at him quietly.  cerulean eyes raking over the other's figure until it reaches his face,  a smile as melusine's body leans comfortably against the door frame.  arms crossed,]    seems like that’s the case.  though you never struck me as someone who'd want to be here.    [and with that,  he’s sliding right next to viktor comfortably.]    who are you trying to get information from?  and what,  exactly.
            
            *   Yesssirrrrrr and I just realized i wrote piltover wrong LOL 

(  @heisaloser  )        —        we do not need their approval ,  jayce .      [  perhaps that was only a half truth, more wishful thinking than anything else; yet the risk of the council’s cold shoulder did not alarm him.  yes, the funding they supplied was instrumental, but viktor had been turned away many times before.  he studies his partner, attention lingering on the tension in his shoulders and jaw.  ]      piltover is vast .   we can be  “useful ”  wherever we please .   a lab can be erected anywhere ,  but morals cannot be forgone .   if our paths diverge ,  that will be the council’s weight to bear .   not ours .

@heraldedtech 
                          [it felt like the weight of everyone’s eyes was on jayce.  while viktor lived in the shadows,  he had to bear everything that the spotlight had to offer.  the palms of his hands trying to grasp at straws,  but it didn’t do anything when his throat closes on itself.]    i know,  but we’re investments.  who knows if they’ll think we’re useful if we refuse them more when they want our research to be their means to make weapons for war.

(  @heisaloser  )        —        [  there’s a beat of silence.  he decides not to answer.  instead his expression softens imperceptibly,  nimble fingers extending to smooth jayce’s tie.  ]      whatever the council’s decision ,  hextech will be fine .   WE will be fine .   the politics in that room do not change the importance of our work ;  only the speed at which it is completed .

hey—   **   he stumbles back, hands shooting into the air like he’s staring down the barrel of a loaded gun.   clearly, he’s crossed a line—a big one.   his scarred face shifts between surprise and a crooked grin, caught somewhere between “oops” and “was it worth it?”   totally. **    you’re kinda funny when you’re pissed like that,  and you sure can put up a fight too.  i actually didn’t come to borrow or stealmorethingsfromyou— i had a question.   a real one.  a science question.
            
            *     himbo nation rise!!!   just for u queen   <333 

(  @viirulences  )        —        you are INSUFFERABLE .      [  the slam makes viktor wince, though he’s grateful the tool wasn’t anything breakable.  this time.  he lifts his shoulder and swats at ronan’s head, hunching closer to his work as though his spindly limbs will protect it from the oaf.  accidents in the lab are bound to happen, and viktor is admittedly prone to them; accidents in ronan’s presence, however, are considerably more frequent.  ]      it is a prototype  —  a DELICATE prototype .   in other words ,  it is FRAGILE .
            
            
            *  /      “stupid guy”???? LMAOO shut up i genuinely adore him

i’m trying to listen,  you keep mumbling crap i can’t understand...  and how many times are you gonna say ‘nor’   before you crack??     
            
            there’s nothing wrong with being deaf by the way…  i seriously can’t believe how careless you think i am—   and what are you so worried about?   **     stupid guy picks up a tool that looks vaguely like a lug wrench, turning it over in his  rough hands as if trying to figure out what it’s for.   with a shrug, he slams it back onto the table,   the sound echoing sharply in the room.   then,   as if nothing happened,   he leans over viktor’s shoulder, his curiosity piqued by whatever the scientist is working on.   **       oooo  whats that?  

*  /      I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU
            (  @viirulences  )

@heraldedtech   /     "he has never been very physically affectionate, regardless of his company — but he wants valerian to *see* whatever he desires, however he needs."  i am EATING that line oh my god
            
            with the offering of both hands he perked up a bit  ,  taking it as permission to explore as he pleased. with a light touch he traced over the pads of his fingers  ,  the lines in his palm  ,  to the ridges of his knuckles. a continuous process in the hopes of searing it into his memories. knowing the shape of someones hand may seem like a trivia thing  ,  but to him  ,  it was enlightening. before now he had not known viktor had calluses or that his hands were slender. two more features he could store away  ,  think on when the other man came to mind. the thought alone caused him to let out a quiet laugh  ,  elated by the new discoveries.
            
            "you've shown me so much of the world already  ,  even with how things are now. I believe you've given me much more than I thought possible just by being part of my world. an important part  ,  truly." despite the words  ,  he couldn't help the warm feeling that spread from the others declaration. he's never had someone express the want to give him anything  ,  let alone something to that extent. 
            
            what followed made his hands movements stall  ,  head tilting in a sign of thought. after a moment he gave a loose shrug  ,  hands continuing in a different pattern. "I've tried  ...  but you assume correctly about the difficulty. I know the simple things. things like the length of my hair and my height. the smaller the feature gets  ,  the harder it is to distinguish." it was as if his hands were numb to his own touch. distorting his own face into a blurred outline. 

(  @barcodes-  )        —        [  a frown tugs at the corners of his mouth, though it is not because he is unhappy.  he recognizes the exclusion that fuels val’s words, a litany of experiences that they did not undergo together but share nonetheless — and yet he knows he cannot fully relate.  it’s unfair, really.  how cruel that the knowledge he can never entirely grasp comes from the experience that continues to profoundly affect his friend.  ]
            
            i would show you the world ,  if it were possible .   every face ,  every color .   every wonder .      [  it is with care that he lays the drawing in his lap, thus freeing his other hand.  he extends this second hand to join the first, both palm-up and pliant within val’s reach.  he has never been very physically affectionate, regardless of his company — but he wants valerian to *see* whatever he desires, however he needs.  ]      do you . . .  have an understanding of your own face ?   the same understanding as mine ,  i mean .   i would imagine it to be harder to ,  er ,  map your own features .

@heraldedtech
            
            the more viktor spoke the further his tension eased. a small smile played at his lips  ,  soft in the ways of gratitude. "the other attempts range from decent to catastrophic  ,  but you may look through them  ,  if you truly wish to." he was more than positive that the first few ended up as nothing other than scribbles. in another mindless action his hands slightly traced over viktors  —  the usual urge to further understand the details of what he was touching fueling the action. "thank you  ,  really. both for your words and allowing me to do this to begin with. it is lonely  ,  being in a world without faces. if anyone's  —  I'm glad I at least know yours." his sight was far from limiting  ,  now that he has grown to use other means to get by  ,  but that's not to say he didn't still loathe certain aspects of it. never knowing someone's face often times made him feel alone in the world.

@heraldedtech
            
            "it's hard to believe you'd come to   /  me  /   to learn. there's no reason for you to come all the way here just for a few answers." a frown appeared on his own face in response to the others smile.

(  @medicals-  )        —       perhaps .   what good fortune we are both still breathing ,  then .      [  he smiles pleasantly, clearly undeterred.  ]      i have interest in the field .   is that so hard to believe ?

@heraldedtech
            
            calix let out a scoff  ,  not bother to dampen his glare. "directing your curiosity in the wrong direction gets you killed. why do you wanna know about that anyways?"

  [   she  wasn't  sure  whether  to  be  appalled  by  the  statement  or  to   be  amused  and  laugh.  she  settled  for  simple  input,   ]   that's  assuming  there'd  be  a  doctor  wanting  to  make  time  for  something  like  this.  [  lips  purse  with  a  tad  more  amusement,  moving  a  bit  closer  to  watch  his   movements.  ]  it  could  be  avoided  altogether  if  you  use  the  item accordingly.   you're  holding  it  the   wrong  way,  move  your  hand  a  bit  lower  near  the  end  of  it.  less chance  of  twisting  your  wrist.

(  @blcdeforge  )        —        [  he blinks and glances up, clearly surprised to have an audience.  how long had she been standing there for?  the amusement in her expression makes a sharp retort die on his tongue.  he adjusts his grip on the tool and hunkers down again, giving a low hum of acknowledgement.  ]      hm .   i AM being careful .   you’ll call a doctor for me ,  won’t you ?